The Year of the Analog Lifestyle

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Well, friends, 2026 has been deemed the year of the analog lifestyle by content creators and lifestyle influencers across the globe. Why? It’s an effort to get people to step away from their devices, to do more things intentionally, and to give the brain a rest from the digital world. I find it ironic that digital content creators have deemed it the year of the analog lifestyle, but I’m going to allow it simply because this movement speaks so dearly to my analog heart. So today, I have three ways I have embraced the year of the analog lifestyle – and to encourage you to give it a try as well.

Strawberry mug and bunny napkin
Slow it down…

First, I want to just press pause for a moment and embrace the image above. Is that not the cutest strawberry ladybug mug and easter bunny napkin? That is my morning mug and I use it every single day. One other thing that brings my heart joy is to pick up a small package of cocktail napkins for each season. It is one way I intentionally slow down my thinking and my doing. And occasionally the cuteness of it literally makes me squeal in delight.

Now on with the blog. The whole purpose of embracing the year of the analog life is to slow down just a little bit and step away from digital content. If you find yourself constantly on your phone or tablet scrolling instagram or other social media platforms, reading news headlines, doom scrolling, or simply comparing your life to someone else you don’t even know, then this exercise may be just the thing for you.

There are three ways I’m embracing the analog lifestyle and I hope you get as excited for it as I am.

Plan with intention…

I have been a paper planner girl since 1998; I could write an entire blog post about the day I walked into my first Franklin Covey store in the mall. I believe I heard the angels sing the hallelujah chorus. When I discovered the power of the yellow highlighter in tandem with the FC planner, my life absolutely changed.

Over the years I adopted a more digital planning system (we were part owners in an IT company and it was important to embrace technology). But still, I was a paper planner girl. I absorbed countless YouTube videos of planner systems, bought all the washi tape I could afford, and I’m sure I kept several Etsy stores in business one pdf planner page at a time.

Now that I’m a writer, and I’ve stepped out of my corporate career – and my children have grown into adulthood – I don’t need a planner system that can buzz me for every meeting, ding with every email, or pop-up reminders of tasks coming due. I have once again embraced a paper planning system, and my heart could not be happier.

planner pad
planner pad

The Planner Pad isn’t a new idea in paper planning, but as one who has tried them all, it is proving to be one of my favorites. There are spaces at the top of each week to categorize areas of responsibility. Each person’s planner can be different. Church, Work, Home, Children, Volunteer, Errands, etc, can each have their own category. As the week progresses, you move the individual tasks from the categorized lists to specific days. There is also room at the bottom for time-sensitive appointments so you get a visual of the time you actually have to do the things on your lists. I’ll link a video that explains the process in more detail if you’re interested. Planner Pad Tutorial Video.

Having a planner system like the Planner Pad has given me the freedom and the flexibility to do the things I want and need to do, and to stay productive throughout the weeks and months of the year. If you’re curious, I’ll leave a link below.

Journal your thoughts…

There is so much that goes through our heads – emotions, thoughts, plans, dreams, wants and needs… Journalling is such a good way to put your thoughts in order, recognize helpful versus non-helpful thoughts, and process emotions attached to certain areas of life.

One content creator I watch even praises the practice of having a work journal. Like a personal journal, a work journal helps you process emotions attached to meetings, things co-workers say or do, and those feelings that sometimes overwhelm us in our 9-5. A work journal also can help to document situations as they arise in the event you need to address them at a later time.

I keep several journals: I have a Bible journal where I write every single day without fail. Then, I have a personal journal where I process the emotions surrounding difficult areas in life. I even have a blog journal where I note which blog posts you enjoy and which ones don’t get as much love. It helps me process information and not forget what I’ve learned.

Journalling is an amazing and healthy way to embrace the year of the analog lifestyle. I’ll list a few of my favorite journals in the resource section below. My favorite brand is Fringe Studio. While I do often purchase them online, I do occasionally get lucky at TJMaxx or HomeGoods. Prices vary.

journal
Allow yourself to daydream…

If you are someone who enjoys scrolling on your phone or watching television while enjoying your meals, then this next idea is specifically for you.

Scientific note: It takes your body at least twenty minutes to signal your brain that your stomach is full. When we dine distracted by television, phones, instagram, etc, our brains do not receive those signals causing us to literally overeat.

But if you’re also someone who enjoys a little entertainment while dining, magazines or catalogs are great stepping stones to get your used to the idea. I have honestly enjoyed setting the table with a pretty napkin, lighting a candle or two, pouring an iced tea in a stemmed glass, and opening up my favorite catalogs (Arhaus and RH). There is also the love of dreaming through these catalogs and imagining new ways to incorporate fresh decor ideas on a much much smaller budget.

I also have several magazines I keep from year to year and pull them out to flip through as I enjoy a cup of tea or a bowl of soup. Occasionally, I will pull out a home decor book (these are always on the coffee table or console). But most recently I’ve been absorbed in gardening books. I’ll link a few favorites below…

Modern Style Magazine
catalogs
Why not give it a try?

If you’re curious about this whole analog lifestyle movement, but are attached to devices as I tend to be (it’s a hazard of being a writer), why not try to adopt just one of these ideas? You don’t have to jump in all at once. But believe me when I say, you will find yourself breathing a little easier, sleeping a little more soundly, and enjoying more digital free moments than you ever dreamed possible!

xo, Billie

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