Now there’s a word you don’t hear very often. While “analog” has a few different meanings, the one I’m referring to is pretty simple: not digital.
Lately, there’s been a growing trend among Gen Z and millennials to step away from screens and reconnect with more traditional hobbies. Instead of spending hours scrolling through social media feeds or binging TV shows, people are picking up books, crafting, gardening, journaling, hiking, and finding other ways to spend their time offline.
We’re living in a world where almost everything happens through a screen. We work on computers, consume entertainment through apps, and somehow convince ourselves that watching a stranger organize their pantry on TikTok is productive research. Before we know it, an hour has disappeared. Or two.
Luckily for me, I have my own Gen Z consultant: my younger sister, born in 2002.
Over the past couple of months, she’s gradually swapped Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for books, embroidery projects, and Sudoku puzzles. Instead of reaching for her phone every spare moment, she’s intentionally choosing activities that require focus, patience, and creativity.
Inspired by her example, I decided it was time to find a few analog hobbies of my own.
I already have an embarrassingly large stack of unread books waiting for me at home, so I figured I should try something different. I’m not particularly crafty, and nobody needs to see my attempts at embroidery, so my mind wandered back to something I used to enjoy as a kid: word searches.
So off I went to our local bookstore in search of the perfect puzzle book. And yes, I specifically requested word search books with pretty artwork. And yes, I also bought a new pen to go with them.
Now, I can’t claim I’ve completely transformed my lifestyle. I still spend plenty of time on my phone, and between work, responsibilities, and everyday life, I don’t always find as much time for hobbies as I’d like.
But there’s something satisfying about having an alternative. A reminder that not every free moment needs to be filled with scrolling.
With summer just around the corner, I’m hopeful there will be more opportunities to slow down, sit outside in the sunshine, and spend time doing things that don’t involve notifications, algorithms, or screen time reports.
So consider this your gentle reminder. Put your phone down for a little while. Go for a walk. Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read. Dust off an old hobby. Start a new one. The internet will still be there when you get back. In the meantime, you might rediscover something you forgot you enjoyed.
