Organizers want to adopt the ‘analog lifestyle’ of 2026. Here’s how to join them

At the beginning of 2026, social media promoters at home and abroad declared it the year of the “analog lifestyle,” a call to reduce digital communication as smart technology and screen time dominate human attention spans.

Selly Tan, a Californian activist, said people “want something real again,” and vowed to print her photos, read more books and magazines and do hobbies that don’t require Wi-Fi.

Rosie Okatcha, a promoter from the UK, has declared the year will be the “Analog Age” when consumers replace music streaming on iPods and vinyl records, and choose creativity over doomscrolling.

Sanchi Oswal, a German activist, said in the post that he felt going analog would reduce his “exposure and reliance on digital devices” and, in particular, on his phone.

For a generation that grew up in a completely digital world, dependence on technology is a common habit that some are trying to break.

“From noon to 5 p.m., I’m looking at screens all day and then I come home and just look at my phone, scroll through social media,” said Lillie Beacope, a USC senior majoring in entertainment, marketing and culture. “I feel like there is no opportunity for us in our daily lives, to really get a break from technology.”

Spend any time outside, and you will see people of all ages sitting on smartphones or other digital devices to perform daily tasks including communication, translation, navigation, delivery services, planning and entertainment. According to Pew Research Center data released by 2025, an estimated 91% of US adults own a smartphone, up from 35% when the center began surveying smartphone ownership in 2011.

The goal of the “analog lifestyle” trend is to get people out of the constant digital connection by doing virtual activities that help a person reclaim their time.

But the smartphone is not the villain in this story, it is the tool, says Natalia Khodayari, a postdoctoral researcher in the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

“It’s a useful tool, but this tool can be a challenge to handle,” he said.

Why now?

Reliance on smartphones has been around for years, but experts say it was compounded when the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to stay indoors for weeks and months at a time.

“People were upset, depressed and scared,” and all they had was their phones, Zoom and immediate family, said Karen North, a professor of digital communication and psychology at USC.

But years removed from the shutdown, people are beginning to realize how compelled they still are to look at their phones for information, shopping, or nothing.

“It’s almost like nail biting or some other panic habit,” North said.

Not only can the device itself be addictive, but many phone applications are designed to capture and maintain a person’s attention, although people are increasingly aware of this, said Dr. Anna Lembke, professor of psychology and behavioral science at Stanford.

“The cost of communication opportunities in these negative platforms is high [people] where they end up spending a lot more time than they plan or want to do.” It is very clear from the research that people are not as happy now as they were 15 to 20 years ago.

This, however, won’t be the first time people try to get out of the online world, even if only temporarily.

In 2010, Mintel, a global market intelligence agency, developed the “switch off” trend because it expected that consumers would want to take a significant break from their digital devices because modern technology has created “inevitable levels of communication.”

But the fear of missing out, or “FOMO,” that comes with cutting can be just as scary, some say.

“It’s nice to be available all the time and answer everything, but at the same time I think in the digital age where you’re easily available, not answering means not being part of the community,” said USC senior Maya Din.

Experts say these feelings are related to the advent of the internet, digital media and the concept of 24/7 access.

People try to make sense of their unhappiness, which leads them to “make an active connection between their online lives and their overall state of mind, which is not good,” Lembke said.

Research has shown a link between digital addiction and mental health challenges including depression, anxiety and stress.

Although the idea of ​​leaving our digital lives behind is not new, North said the challenges of TikTok and social media trends “tell us, ‘It’s not just you, it’s everyone,'” and here’s what you can do about it.

How is the ‘analog lifestyle’ different?

The analog habit is a different way to kick the digital habit because by accepting old technology and spending time on doing professional projects they say people are trying to have fun or relax in ways that don’t involve being online.

The goal of this practice is “the desire to balance time and energy and reduce related distractions and stress,” said Khodayari, whose research focuses on attentional and emotional mechanisms.

Often, it’s really easy to get distracted given the variety and convenience modern life has to offer.

“Imagine if there is one place that stores your work, relaxation, communication, music, daily planning and food services, it would be a challenge for people to stay on one job or one goal every day,” he said.

In 2018, a study published in the National Library of Medicine noted how many 216 participants checked their smartphones during 56 days. Research led by Dr. Larry Rosen, emeritus professor and former chair of the psychology department at Cal State Dominguez Hills, found that participants turned on their phones more than 60 times a day for three to four minutes each time, which equates to a total of 220 minutes of daily use.

It is not surprising that the analog lifestyle is embraced by the elderly and the younger generations as a way to remember, to make a purpose.

“I think that’s a really big theme here, creating boundaries,” Khodayari said.

How to reduce your digital communication

There is no one-size-fits-all way to limit or create boundaries for your digital life. But as it turns out, sometimes how-to suggestions have to be spread over the internet.

Activists post about their “analog bag,” a canvas bag filled with artifacts or buy a modified iPod to participate in the trend.

The recommendation boosted searches for “iPods” on EBay more than 1,200 times per hour worldwide between January and October 2025, according to the company. Third-generation iPod models saw a 50% increase in average selling price to global eBay users in 2025 compared to 2023. The third generation iPod Nano saw a 60% increase, while the sixth generation iPod Classic had a 40% increase.

Regarding the craft, Market Research Future, a global market research firm, predicts that the craft goods market will grow slowly from $42.83 billion globally in 2025 to $64.95 billion in 2035 due in part to “people looking for creative outlets.”

You don’t have to spend money to participate in the analog lifestyle because making a big change or taking up a trendy hobby might not be worth it because it’s not something you’ll stick with long-term, says Khodayari.

If you want to really stick to reducing your overall digital usage, start by making small adjustments to your habits, she said.

“Do something that makes a difference that you feel you can relate to,” she said.

Here are some small, common changes people make to their routines to live the analog life:

• Remove your phone from view when you are working on another task. Put it in a closet or another room entirely.
• Remove the app from your phone’s home screen or delete it completely.
• Mute or stop unnecessary notifications.
• Replace your doomscrolling time on social media with another activity like walking, crafting, reading or cooking.