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Are you thinking about going a bit more analogue this year? I am! As much as the digital world has some massive upsides, there are so many downsides. What if that constant scrolling isn’t keeping you connected, but gradually making you stressed, unhappy and dissatisfied with your life?
Doom scrolling. Facetime. The constant notifications. Always being ‘on’ and available. A million photos and videos we’ll never look at again. Trolls and judgy abusive strangers on the internet. The ethical and environmental disaster that is generative A.I. The digital world has gone WAY too far.
If you’re feeling the overwhelm and worry too, read on for my 12 easy ways to go analogue. I hope these small shifts inspire you to step away from the screen for a little while and reclaim your calm and creativity.
Why We Need a Digital Detox
As a Zennial (a teeny bit late for Gen X, too early to be a true Millennial) I do fondly remember the good old days of the 90s. (How old does that make me sound!). The mix tapes. The excitement of waiting for our negatives to be processed and printed into (often terrible) photos. The photo albums. The snail mail. The landline phones (OK, they weren’t that great really, were they!) Even dial up internet actually sounds like a pretty good thing every now and then. I feel like there is a real shift to go more analogue. I don’t think it’s a trend either, I think it goes deeper. All this digital-ness is just not good for us.
For me, it’s not about ditching digital altogether, it’s about digital minimalism, and being more intentional about how I use screens. I’m sure you’ve noticed it yourself – when we go analogue for an hour when we walk with a friend, or read a book, we feel refreshed and less frantic. It’s like a mini holiday for our busy brains. And although it takes discipline – afterall, our tech is literally designed to be addictive – it is possible to go analogue and feel more like our old selves again.
Go Analogue: A Calmer, More Creative Way to Live
We crave community, not content. We’re seeking simplicity, not overwhelm. We don’t want to be constantly sold to. We want real life. We want to be human!
Here are the ways I am trying to go more analogue – I hope they’ll work for you, too.
Go Analogue and Get Baking
We went on a fantastic baking workshop a few years ago in London, and learned how to make bread and cinnamon rolls. It was a brilliant way to spend the day!
Baking can be entirely analogue if you use a cookbook. But you can also be pretty much analogue if you’re using an online recipe – I have loads – my most popular are for ultimate flapjacks, baked cinnamon doughnuts, chocolate pizza, elderflower cordial and chocolate hedgehog cake.
Pick up a Paintbrush
I don’t mean to paint a wall (although that is also a great option!) I mean an artist’s paintbrush. Whether you want to draw or paint a picture, or decorate a mug, putting paint on a surface is the ultimate analogue transformation.
Come to think of it, upcycling furniture by painting it is equally as satisfying.
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Press Pause on Computer Games and Play a Board Game or Do a Jigsaw
If you love playing computer games, why not swap to a board game or card game every now and then? We play cards as a family when we’re on holiday. It’s so much more sociable than staring at a screen.
Or how about a lovely jigsaw? There are some gorgeous ones like this Agatha Christie one, but you can also pick them up cheaply in a charity shop, and then donate them again when you’ve completed it. Slightly addictive and very analogue.
Make Something with Your Hands. Even if it’s Terrible!
If you’ve been with me a for a while, it won’t be a surprise to know that I am a huge advocate of making stuff. Making for the sake of making, making with purpose, or making as a gift. I am here for it all! Whether you love embroidery or cross stitch, mosaics, macrame or model-making, origami or knitting or pottery or weaving, making something with your hands is the ultimate way go analogue. I really do believe there is a craft (or several) for everyone! Maybe you could learn to darn socks or do some modern mending? Or learn how to use that sewing machine that’s gathering dust!
Cross Stitch or Embroidery
I’m borderline obsessed with Cotton Clara’s gorgeous embroidery and cross-stitch kits. I have so many of them I’m running out of wall space! The repetition of the stitches. The feel of the embroidery floss and fabric. And seeing the design come to life is totally analogue. And totally magic.
Modern mending
I learned how to mend small holes in clothes a few years ago. It’s such fun and can be so creative. It also makes our loved clothes last longer and keeps them in use for a lot longer, so is much better for the environment. And how cute is this little heart mend?
More mending
This is my most ambitious mend yet – sewing fancy ribbon along the seams of my favourite, but falling apart jumper. It gave me a couple of extra years with my beloved jumper and made it look even better! You can find out how to mend your jumper seams with my tutorial.
Knitting
I actually knitted this scarf twice. The first time using one strand of cotton yarn, and then again using two strands, when I realised it was very sad and saggy. But the second time I also didn’t have any dropped stitches, so it turned out so much better!
Arm knitting
Look at the cheesy grin on my face at this arm knitting workshop I went on. I loved every second of it and that blanket is still on my sofa about 10 years later.
I think my knitting phase is over – it was fun but I prefer other crafts. And that’s fine!
Origami
This was me at my very first origami workshop with Origami Est, probably also about ten years ago. Since then, I’ve been on so many with the lovely Est, making a lampshade, clock, peonies, and all sorts of other delights. I’m even going to her retreat in a few weeks, I can’t wait!
Read an Analogue Newspaper or Magazine instead of Doomscrolling
As a former journalist, I am guilty of following the news too much. I easily get sucked into doomscrolling on Twitter (yes, still never gonna call it X!) even though I know it’s terrible for me. But reading a physical newspaper gives you a more in-depth view and also won’t disturb you with blue light. Or why not treat yourself to a magazine? We only get the Radio Times at Christmas and it’s such a treat!
Swap a Kindle for a Real Book
There’s definitely a time and a place for a Kindle, although I don’t actually have one myself. I much prefer a proper book. Although the weight of our suitcases going on holiday made us consider a Kindle. We’ve raised two bookworms , so we took about 20 books with us!
I also love how a bookshelf looks in a room. Especially now my bookshelves are arranged in rainbow order!
Browsing my own personal library for books I’ve already enjoyed, and the ones I bought but haven’t read yet is one of life’s little analogue pleasures.
Go Analogue and Get into Gardening
I am not a huge fan of getting my hands dirty, but there is something so pleasing about planting bulbs and even repotting houseplants. My husband is much better at gardening and has more patience – this year he grew the most amazing array of dahlias from bulbs. They brought us so much joy for months. I played my part by deadheading them regularly to keep them blooming.
If you want something even more practical, you could try and grow your own fruit and veg! We have had mixed results over the years but there is nothing more satisfying than eating something you’ve grown.
Not super-confident? Why not try a gardening subscription like Pot Gang? It’s the beginner-friendly way to grow your own fruit, veg and herbs – you can’t go much more analogue than that!
Check out my tutorial for an indoor herb garden for more inspiration!
And if you prefer to admire gorgeous gardens than work in you own – me too! Last year I became a member of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and have enjoyed visiting their gardens in Wisley, west London, Hyde Hall in Essex, and in Bridgewater in Manchester. In previous years we’ve also loved visiting the gardens in Devon and Yorkshire (which also has a Betty’s tea room on site, yum).
Listen to a Record or CD
Streaming music is super convenient, but it’s much more satisfying to be more intentional and listen to a whole album. It’s also the way the artist wants you to listen to it!
My husband loves his record player and I love watching the disc spin round as it plays. Although I am a big nervous to put records on and off myself in case I scratch them!
We still have big boxes of CDs in the loft, and I think it may be time to bring them down!
Find out about Flower Arranging
Years ago, I did an online flower arranging course. And yes, it was online but the skills I learned were all practical, hands on, and analogue. I still use them today.
Many local florists teach flower arranging classes and I also highly recommend doing a wreath workshop – not even just at Christmas. I have my eye on a living wreath spring wreath workshop at Fire Nest.
Make a Photo Album or Scrap Book
I really want to get back into making photo albums. We all have millions of photos in the cloud, but apart from when they pop up on our phones, we rarely see them. So printing them out and popping them in an analogue scrap book seems like a great idea. I sometimes look back at the scrap books I made as a teen and they are so nostalgic.
The girls made us a scrap book for Christmas and started filling it in, and we are going to filll in the rest as a family. Wasn’t that a lovely idea of theirs?
Put Pen (or Pencil) to Paper
Why not give writing a journal a try? Putting pen or pencil to paper makes your brain work in a different way. It forces you to slow down. And makes you think more deeply. Or what about writing a letter? You can even join The Handwritten Letter Society! I used to write to my friends and relations a lot in the 90s and still have a lot of the letters. It beats an email or text message anyday!
As a freelance copywriter, my process is always to physically write notes in a notebook when I’m talking to my clients, and then spend some time intentionally brainstorming and planning. It simply works better doing this in an analogue way than on to a Word document.
Swap Online Shopping to Shop Local & Shop Small
If we all shopped local instead of digital for even some of our groceries, gifts, and clothes and homewares, plants and furniture, it would make a huge difference. Not only to our own lives, but those around us.
So let’s use that hardware shop and the local plant nursery. Let’s shop on the high street for whatever we can. The grocers, the butchers, the non-chain coffee shop. The refill shop if you’re lucky enough to have one. And let’s support small ethical businesses online for things we can’t get locally.
Will You Choose Some Ways to Go Analogue?
I appreciate the irony of using a MacBook to write this, and posting to a website using the internet. I’m not suggesting we ditch tech. But let’s mindfully unplug. Turn off phones at say 7pm. Turn them off when you’re watching a film. Reduce notifications. Create boundaries for ourselves. Go walking without listening to a podcast or music. We don’t have to cram every living minute with activity!
There is a quiet power to choosing to go analogue. It’s a mini rebellion against the tech bros, and means we are intentionally choosing a slower, more creative way of life. For me, it’s also time to give my overworked, overstimulated brain a break – how about you?
With thanks to Sophie from Stone and Sage, who took many of the photos in this blog post.
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