Are you looking to step away from the screen more? Me too! Let’s find some analog hobbies we all might enjoy.
I was recently talking to a friend at work about how exhausting it is to sit at a desk and stare at a computer screen all day. Unfortunately, work in the modern age largely involves staring at a screen, so the digital detox we all so desperately need has to happen in our spare time. To reduce our screen time in our off hours, it’s helpful to have things to do that are screen-free but still fun to fill the time.
The things you need to have at the ready are analog hobbies. What are analog hobbies, you ask? Think about the things your grandma used to do for fun. Those things you used to make fun of her for and never bothered to ask her to teach you to do. I’m here to tell you, Grandma had it right. She knew what was up.
Are you interested in learning about analog hobbies? Me too! Let’s learn together and then chat about which hobbies we want to take up.
Analog Hobbies
Read
Reading might just be the best of all the analog hobbies. Everyone should be reading! Whether you like rom coms or nonfiction or thrillers or gore or literary masterpieces, just pick up a book and learn something in your free time. You can read with your eyes from a physical book or an e-book or you can read with your ears by listening to an audiobook. Please excuse my soapbox, I’ll stop now.
Write
Not all writing exercises can be considered analog hobbies, so be careful here if you like to write in your free time. I write this blog in my free time, which is a great mental health and creative outlet, but I wouldn’t call it an analog hobby because I type words into a computer. I’m still staring at a computer screen. This blog is not the only writing I do, though. There are plenty of ways to make writing an analog hobby.
Journal
The classic writing-based analog hobby is journaling. You can get a dedicated journal that has prompts, a One Line a Day journal, or just a blank notebook into which you can enter your thoughts stream of consciousness style.
Lists
My favorite analog writing activity is to make lists. I make lists about everything. To do lists, grocery lists, bucket lists, lists of activities to do, restaurant lists, gratitude lists. You name it, I have a list about it. On first glance, you might not think making lists would count as a hobby, but depending on what you’re making lists about, it can be a great creative outlet!
Paper crafts
If you love paper, but you don’t really want to focus on writing, there are plenty of paper crafts that make wonderful analog hobbies.
Scrapbook/Junk journal
Did you just scoff? Hold on a second. Yes, your mom probably scrapbooked in the 1980s-1990s. But just because you remember your mom punching vibrantly-patterned paper into weird shapes doesn’t mean you just discount scrapbooking all together. You take the detritus of your life, add stickers, paper, and pens and make it into a creative keepsake. I don’t have the patience for this kind of crafting, but if you do, I imagine it could be very satisfying.
Planner
If you’re an adult in the modern world, you have a calendar to keep your life straight. Many of you likely rely solely on a digital calendar, but others of you might prefer an old-school paper calendar. I like a weekly planner to keep my life straight, especially a Happy Planner dashboard layout planner. One side lets me keep my daily appointments/activities/schedule straight, and the other side gives me a ton of room for lists. Because I look at my planner all day every day, I like to make it interesting by adding a few stickers here and there as decoration. I keep mine pretty simple, but you can go ham and really sticker it up!
Calligraphy
Is calligraphy a paper craft? You have to write on paper, so I’m going with yes. I’ve always wanted to learn calligraphy, but I’ve never made the time. Maybe this is the year I add calligraphy to my arsenal of analog hobbies? Only time will tell!
Thread crafts
If you want to pick up a thread-based craft, you’re in luck! There are many thread crafts that make fantastic analog hobbies that are actually incredibly relaxing.
Cross-stitch
If you’ve read my post on low-effort hobbies for moms, you know that cross-stitch is in my blood. I watched my paternal grandmother, Mam, cross-stitch almost every day for the entirety of my childhood. Cross-stitch is a great analog hobby if you want something that’s a pretty light lift. You can easily cross-stitch while watching TV or supervising your kids and you can buy a beginner kit for only a few dollars.
Crochet
Crochet might be the epitome of an analog hobby. We all know that one friend who crochets everywhere she goes. It seems that crochet is more than a hobby; it’s a lifestyle. If you want to live that crochet life, I’ve been told that a Woobles kit is the best place to start. These kits are a little spendy, but they come with instructions and how-to videos that really teach you the foundations of the craft.
Word games
Word games are a great way to pass the time that you would otherwise stare at a screen! Think back to the road trips of your youth. You most certainly had a word search book with you to help pass the time. As you got a little older, maybe you switched to crossword puzzles. I used to start every day with the crossword puzzle and a cup of coffee before I had kids. Whichever word games you prefer, they are wonderful analog hobbies that stretch your brain rather than rot it.
Number games
If numbers are more your thing, you might prefer number games to word games. Of course, the classic number game is Sudoku. Sudoku used to be my husband’s analog hobby of choice. He has a job that can involve sitting around and waiting for long stretches of time, and Sudoku was the perfect activity to pass the time. If you find yourself sitting around and waiting a lot (car line at school, sports practices, etc.), give Sudoku a try!
Art
If you’re artsy-fartsy, you’ve got your pick of analog hobbies that scratch that creative itch too. You can draw, paint, sketch, or explore whichever medium speaks to you. If you’re not, you can still create art without getting incredibly frustrated that your lion looks more like a fish. Buy an adult coloring book and some colored pencils, pick up a paint by number kit, or even try your hand at one of those diamond art kits. All of these analog hobbies still count as art!
Cook
Nobody said your hobbies, especially your analog hobbies, couldn’t be utilitarian. And no hobby could be more utilitarian than cooking. I mean, you have to eat, right?
If you like to be in the kitchen, there are many different avenues you can take. Lean into savory dishes, bake and decorate cakes, try your hand at bread (yeasted or sourdough). Whatever sounds fun and delicious to you is a great place to start!
Need some inspiration? I’ve got a few good recipes you can try:
Outdoor hobbies
The ultimate analog hobbies get you outside, far away from any screens. The options are endless, but here are a few you can try.
Gardening
Every Spring, my husband loves to plant a vegetable garden in our backyard. He prepares the soil, selects the vegetables he wants to grow, and then tends the plants until they yield delicious produce. This isn’t my jam, but if you’re like my husband, give it a try. You might want to start out with just a few small containers with hearty plants that are relatively easy to grow like cherry tomatoes or potatoes.
Hiking
I love to get outside and walk or hike when the weather is nice. A spin around my neighborhood with my dog works to scratch this itch, but a hike in a pretty location really takes a normal walk and makes it feel like a hobby. You can certainly travel to our national parks or abroad to famous scenic locations to hike, but you can also head to your local park or trail. It’s your hobby, make it yours!
Puzzles
I have always loved puzzles! Everything from word puzzles to jigsaw puzzles to organic chemistry (it’s just puzzles, folks!) brings me unreasonable joy. These days, I especially like a good jigsaw puzzle. I like to put together little 100-piece puzzles with my kids and 1000-piece puzzles that take days to complete. Regardless of the level of the challenge, the satisfaction of completing a puzzle gives me a wonderful jolt of those feel-good hormones that keeps me coming back for more.
Other posts
Need other inspiration for navigating life in these modern times? I have a few posts you might find helpful.
What analog hobbies are you incorporating into your free time? Share below or over on Instagram @sarainseason!