How I’m Going Analog in 2026 | A Slower, More Intentional Way to Live at Home
Like a lot of moms I know, I didn’t set out to build my life around a screen.
It just… happened.
Somewhere between grocery lists, calendars, podcasts, notes apps, social media, and “just one quick check,” my phone quietly became the default tool for nearly everything. And while technology can be helpful, I’ve noticed that it’s also been shaping my attention, my patience, and my ability to be fully present in ways I don’t always like.
So in 2026, I’m intentionally going more analog.
Not in a dramatic, all-or-nothing way, and not in a trendy-everyone’s-going-analog-on-Instagram way. I’m not throwing my phone into a river or pretending the internet doesn’t exist. I’m not documenting every time I don’t use my phone with a staged photo (though of course I took some photos for this blog post). ;)
But I am choosing to rely less on digital media and technology, especially in my day-to-day homemaking and personal rhythms. I want my tools to support the life God has given me, not constantly pull me out of it or distract me away from it.
So here’s what that looks like for me right now - maybe it’ll inspire you to steward your time well, however that looks for you in this season.
I’m keeping my physical calendar/planner, a notebook, a crossword puzzle book, and a needlepoint project in my purse this year!
A Physical Calendar (That Lives in My Purse)
I’m keeping a physical calendar/planner in my purse this year. Appointments may still get entered digitally for shared visibility (my husband and I have a shared Google calendar), but my personal reference point is paper. When I need to know what the day or week holds, I want to open a page, not a screen that’s one tap away from distraction.
There’s something grounding about seeing the days, weeks, months laid out in ink. It helps me think realistically about time, commitments, and rest, instead of treating every day like an endless scroll. Plus, I got some cute colorful markers for Christmas and I’ve been having so much fun filling my planner with color-coded events and appointments. High-school-me keeps whispering to add stickers, too - I might give in.
A Mini Notebook for Grocery Lists and Notes
Instead of keeping grocery lists, meal ideas, and random notes scattered across apps (or just never written down), I’m using a simple mini notebook. Grocery lists get written by hand. Meal ideas get scribbled in the margins. Notes from conversations or thoughts I want to remember live there too.
It’s slower, yes, but that’s kind of the point. I’m tired of trying to live my life the fastest and most efficient way possible. And I’ve noticed I’m more intentional about what I write down when it takes a little effort. Plus my toddler likes to hold the notebook and pretend to read the grocery list to me while we shop. :)
Analog “Filler” for Waiting Moments
One of the biggest realizations for me was how often I reach for my phone simply because I’m waiting. In a car line. In a waiting room. Sitting in the passenger seat. Standing in the kitchen while something cooks.
So now, I keep a crossword puzzle book and a small needlepoint project in my purse at all times. These are my current replacements for mindless scrolling. They give my hands something to do and my mind something gentle to focus on, without pulling me into the noise of the internet.
As a small testament, I recently sat in a waiting room for over an hour. Normally, this would frustrate me to no end, and I would spend most of that hour fuming at my time being wasted, mindlessly scrolling to ease the frustration only to end up more annoyed. But this time was different. Sure, I was a little annoyed. But I had “Bricked” my phone (more on that in the next point) before leaving the house, so I couldn’t just pull my phone out and scroll.
Instead, I pulled out a needlepoint project, and that hour ended up being one of the most relaxing hours of my week. I highly recommend walking around with a creative project in your purse for moments like these.
The Brick is amazing! I have a link below for 10% off, if you want to get one. My husband and I use the same one, since each Brick can work on multiple phones. :)
“Bricking” My Phone for Most of the Day
My husband and I splurged on a Brick for Christmas, and so far, we love it. It’s a little plastic cube that turns your phone into just that, a phone. We keep ours on the fridge - when we want a break from the constant temptation to scroll and watch videos and waste time on our phones, we just tap it. It blocks every app you tell it to and there’s no way around the restriction unless you “unbrick” it by tapping the box again.
I’m experimenting with bricking my phone for about eight hours a day during the week, and even longer on the weekends. During that time, my phone becomes just a phone: calls and basic functions only.
This has been one of the hardest shifts, but also one of the most clarifying. When the option to scroll disappears, I’m forced to face how I actually want to spend my time. Sometimes that’s productive. Sometimes it’s restful. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. But it’s honest, and I’m grateful for the much-needed change it provides.
My Phone Doesn’t Sleep in My Room
Another small but meaningful change: I’m no longer sleeping with my phone in my room. This has helped my mornings and evenings feel more like bookends instead of blurred extensions of the day’s noise.
I’m finding it easier to wind down at night and easier to begin the day without immediately absorbing information that doesn’t belong to me. I put my phone “to bed” around 8:15pm or 8:30pm each night. I don’t grab my phone again until at least 8:30 or 9am the next morning. It’s wonderful.
Free Time Goes to Mother Culture
When I do have free time, I’m intentionally focusing on my mother culture plans: reading, listening, learning, and praying about the kind of woman and mother I want to become. Instead of defaulting to digital entertainment, I’m trying to invest that time in growth that will quietly shape my home and family over the long term.
It’s slower work and it doesn’t give the instant hit of novelty that scrolling does, but it’s far more satisfying and sanctifying. Plus, I’m reading so much more!
“Mother Culture” is popular in homeschooling circles. It basically means mothers should be life-long learners, too! This month, I’m reading You’re Only Human by Kelly Kapic, selected prayers from The Valley of Vision, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (an annotated re-read for me!), and continuing through the book my Bible study is reading, Luke: Part 3.
My Homemaking Systems Are on Paper
My homemaking binder is fully paper-based now. Schedules, cleaning checklists, calendars, wellness plans, budgeting snapshots, and meal planning all live in my not-so-fancy Homemaking Binder. Having everything in one physical place has made my homemaking feel more cohesive and less fragmented, as well as more accessible.
I don’t need to open five different apps to know what needs my attention. I just turn a page. I get to check things off a list. I get to put it away at the end of the day.
Some Other “Analog” Habits I’m Doing:
Getting a watch! (this is at the top of my shopping list currently - I’m still searching for the perfect one, because I want to be able to wear it daily - both while washing the dishes and going to church)
Leaving my phone at home whenever I can (when I’m out with my husband, when I’m at church, when I’m on a quick walk, etc.)
Keeping books by my bed (along with my phone out of my bedroom)
Printing out/copying recipes on paper or using cookbooks (this is a new one - I’m not good at it (Pinterest is so much easier/faster), but I want to keep at it!)
Listening to long-form content over scrolling short clips on social media
Watching movies without my phone near me (this is especially hard because I like to look up actors and see what I know them from lol)
Using a CD player for music, instead of Spotify
Less Digital, More Intentional
Going analog in 2026 isn’t about nostalgia or pretending technology is the enemy. And I know using the cute viral name for it is a bit annoying. But it’s about acknowledging that my heart and mind are shaped by what I give my attention to and choosing tools that help me be present, faithful, and at peace in the life God has given me.
This is an experiment and a list of goals, not a rigid rulebook. Some things will stick. Others won’t. But overall, I’m trying to rely less on digital media and technology and more on simple, tangible systems that support my home, my motherhood, and my spiritual life.
If you’ve been feeling scattered, overstimulated, or quietly weary, maybe this is an invitation to ask a gentle question: What tools are shaping your days, and are they helping you love the life God has blessed you with, or are they sneakily causing you to escape from it?
Stewardship is about so more than money and meal planning - it’s a commitment to care for God’s many blessings in your life, including your time, your tools, and your attention. Happy stewarding!
