5 Ways To Live More Analog.
Have you ever been yearning for a slower, more mindful lifestyle? Spending less time on your phone or scrolling endlessly through social media? I have - for some time. And over the past few years, aside from quitting social media, I have been taking more and more steps to re-introduce analog ways of doing and enjoying things.
I believe that for a lot of people, there is a more profound reason (beyond it being “hipster”) to listen to records and taking photos on film. I have gone as far as saying that I believe we will experience a cultural revolution at some point, rejecting the notion of being “always on”, of being physically tied to a digital device, of waking up and immediately checking our social media feeds and our emails, of being on a date with both people on their phones, of being at a gig and watching it through our device whilst recording it, only to never watch that clip again, nor getting the opportunity back to just listen, enjoy, feel something and have a precious memory recorded only in your heart and your mind.
But rather to free ourselves from the need, as we step into an awe-inspiring landscape to whip out our phone and share what we’re (not really) experiencing with the world - but rather to shut the f*%k up about it and just be and let it flood our souls with its majestic beauty and just take it in, for ourselves and actually experience it wholeheartedly.
I have also (and I want to thank my wife for this) been learning about the value of intention. Asking myself more often before I do something: “What is the intention here”? With so much of the dopamine-fuelling stuff we’re doing online and on social media, there is no intention - it’s just feeding a habit, satisfying a craving for validation or for stimulation. And when you realise you’ve just spent 2 hours scrolling through TikTok videos, do you feel: “ffs, that’s 2 hours I won’t get back” or “that was a very worthwhile investment of my time, I’m glad I spent that time scrolling”?
“I have never come back from a walk on the beach thinking: “why did I just spend an hour by the ocean”? But I sure as f*%k thought that every time I scrolled through social media when I still used it. ”
If you would like to live your life more analog, slower, more intentional, more present, here are 5 ways that help me do that every day. For you, there may be very different habits you could find and enjoy that embrace the tings you enjoy doing - in an analog format.
1 - Playing Music on a Record Player
Aside from the tactile experience of putting a record on, there is also something very intentional about listening to music in this analog format. I am not an audiophile and I honestly can’t tell you if it “sounds better” than digital music and that is not why I love listening to vinyl.
It’s more the process, the experience and what it facilitates. Pushing and turning buttons and knobs to turn the amp and record player on, taking the album out of its sleeve, handling the record and finally dropping the needle slowly and in anticipation of that first track, slows everything down.
Whether I listen to a record on my own, with my wife or with friends, it always creates an intention of a more mindful time spent together - listening to music or socialising. And because it’s not a random playlist, but a specific artist and album, it also lets me know how I might be feeling or what mood I want to settle into or create.
The first album i ordered after I bought a vintage Technics amplifier, a set of vintage Technics speakers and the record player, was Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” - I have since enjoyed finding some of my favourite albums in vintage or second-hand stores.
CD’s would be a cheaper alternative of enjoying analog music and I am sure it would be a very similar experience. Also, I hear mixed tapes might be making a come-back :)
2 - Taking Photos with a vintage film or digital camera
I know it’s super convenient to have a camera in your pocket through your smartphone, but The experience of taking photos on an actual camera (even if it’s a little point and shoot camera or maybe even a film camera) is entirely different.
Do you remember (or if you’re too young to remember, ask your parents) the excitement of picking up your holiday snaps from the photo lab? Or uploading your SD card from a trip and editing your photos?
Being detached from your phone and all that goes with it (the notifications, temptation to check your social media etc.) means you are more present and immersed. Also, there is no option of being distracted by sharing it with others or posting your photos on social media whilst you are supposed to be enjoying what you’re doing and experiencing.
In my own photography, I go a little further and make a distinction between a modern, mirrorless camera and a “old school” digital camera. I do own a few modern, mirrorless cameras with spec sheets that seemingly make older cameras seem completely obsolete and yes, they are amazing tools which I use for professional work and I love the results, but…they don’t make me feel something special. When I want my photography to be a more tactile experience and a more mindful and slow process and when I want to feel closely connected to my camera and my lens, I grab one of my vintage film or digital cameras.
The experience of taking photos this way is an entirely different one. The slower and very deliberate process of focusing manually, adjusting the camera settings with physical dials and the optical (as opposed to digital) viewfinder makes me feel very connected to my subject and to the intention of the photo I am taking.
3 - Writing with a pen on paper
There is something very intentional about grabbing my pen & notebook and writing stuff down.
I keep a journal for thoughts, musings, ideas & reflections and a notebook for my daily work - objectives, priorities, notes etc. Aside from enjoying the analog process of writing by hand, I also find that I remember what I wrote down much better than if I type it into a digital device. Plus, it reduces my screen time and gives my eyes a break from the screen during work.
When I am working on a project, I try to eliminate all distractions so I can be totally focused on the work and being able to put my phone away and use my notebook, means I am so much more “in the zone” and creative. Also, the increase in productivity of not being distracted or multi-task is incredible!
4 - Reading a book
If you close your eyes and think about a mindful, relaxing analog thing you an do, I bet reading a book curled up on the sofa with a cup of coffee or tea will be very high up on the list.
As my wife will tell you, and much to her bemusement, I actually find it difficult to read a book and stay awake. Not because I read super boring books, but whatever it is about reading, I often tend to fall asleep quite quickly :) Nonetheless, I do enjoy reading a book and let my mind imagine the story unfold. I have also, since I am no longer on social media, started discovering photographers and their work through their books rather than their social media channels and I can’t help but feel that this is the way they would much rather I study their work and enjoy their images. Plus, it actually supports them financially.
Reading a book also lends itself really well to spending some time on your own somewhere without being on your phone, like a cafe, by the fire in a pub, on a pier or at the beach.
5 - Use an analog watch
The thought of strapping a smart watch on my wrist causes me immediate anxiety, which is why I will only ever use an analog watch to tell the time.
Another device to get endless notifications on? More ways to distract me from being present? No thanks!! Aside from enjoying the experience of wearing a classic timepiece, it is also a great way of reducing the amount of time you pick up your phone. Because even if you only want to check the time, it’s very hard not to check notifications, email or whatever you have on your phone (or smartwatch).
