While 2026 marks the revival of 2016 trends, it also marks the revival of the analogue lifestyle. Radios rather than AirPods, textbooks over computers and crafts instead of social media.
This trend, popular among Gen-Z and millennials, is an effort to reduce phone addiction, reject the rise in AI usage and spend free time in a more meaningful way. Analogue literally means not involving the use of technology.
As someone who’s constantly checking her phone and loves the excuse “I just need a break” to justify hours of mindless scrolling, I decided to give the analogue lifestyle a try. I managed to reduce my screen time by over an hour a day and spent my limited free time away from devices.
After a week of going analogue, I felt less anxious and addicted to my phone. However, it also proved to be hard with my packed schedule and lack of free time.
I downloaded a screen time app, put my phone out of sight when working and spent a week reading, crafting and most importantly, being productive — a contrast to my four hours of screen time a day and stressful cramming.
During school, rather than checking my phone every chance I had and ending up, once again, on Instagram, I left my phone in the depths of my backpack. Rather than using Spotify, I listened to the radio in the car and reached for my physics textbook before opening my computer. Without the option to scroll or respond to random text messages, I was left with only one option — productivity.
And, rather than starting the morning off by blinding my eyes with blue light minutes after waking up, I stayed off my phone for at least an hour after my 6:45 a.m. alarm. I also left it in the kitchen an hour before turning the lights out before bed and used an alarm clock to wake up in the morning.
Looking at a phone right before bed keeps the mind engaged and the blue light mimics day time keeping the brain more alert, making it harder to fall asleep, according to the Cleveland Clinic. And not checking my phone right before bed lessened the feeling that my entire life was tied to my phone.
When waking up, the body starts a natural process to transition the brain slowly into being fully awake and alert. Looking at a phone first thing in the morning disrupts this process and can create anxiety, according to the Daily Wellness Institute. School already generates enough anxiety and there’s no need to add to it with a habit that can be easily fixed by going analogue.
Beyond the attempt at fixing my sleep schedule, I also utilized the AI side of this trend.
One of the driving factors of the analogue mindset is a rejection of the use of AI, so I avoided it at all costs. This means avoiding programs like ChatGPT but also not using other features like AI suggestions for writing emails — I’m perfectly capable of writing an email myself. I also didn’t use Grammarly, and deliberately scrolled right past the AI summary that every internet search generates.
Purposefully avoiding AI helped me to realize just how many websites, apps and search engines use it.
However, the point of going analogue isn’t just to reduce screen time and AI usage but also to use free time in a more meaningful way.
I dug through the craft corner in my basement that’s been collecting dust and cobwebs over the past few years to find bracelet-making supplies and scrap fabric. A half hour of sorting through beads and stringing bracelets while listening to music on my speaker is far more relaxing than the hours I would have spent on social media.
Additionally, I went on walks with my dog and spent more time with friends just talking, instead of staring at my screen.
Despite the benefits, I wasn’t able to reach the ideal version of the analogue lifestyle. In my mind, this would be locking my phone in a closet, never using a computer again and spending hours learning to crochet.
But this just isn’t plausible. The majority of my homework is on my computer and I get upwards of 300 notifications a day. Not all of these are vitally important, but I still need to respond in a timely manner. And, especially as a female, I need to take my phone with me in public for safety reasons.
Still, no one is expected to travel back to the early 2000s to fully experience the analogue lifestyle. Technology is a part of everyone’s lives and a flip phone isn’t a necessity of going analogue. Rather, take smaller steps and adopt the pieces of the analogue ideology that work for your life.
Download a screen time app. Read a book instead of scrolling. Start crafting for fifteen minutes a day.
These are smaller things that can slowly reduce reliance on technology.
So, rather than reading this on a cell phone, I hope you picked up a printed newspaper.
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