Everyday Elegance: Create an Analog Activity Bag
This post contains affiliate links and ads. Affiliate links and ads support my work at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your ongoing support!Are you tired of feeling tied to your phone? I know I am! We have gotten to a point where we are connected 24/7. We eat, work, socialize and even sleep with our phones! From honest work to doomscrolling, text with friends to relentless pings from the office, our phone seems to be our constant companion for better or worse.
Even with our best efforts, it can be hard to avoid our phones completely. However, I’ve found that challenging myself to replace mindless scrolling with thoughtful analog activities has had a profound effect on my mood and mental health.
Last year, this observation led to my goal to try one new hobby each month. I tried everything from archery to bread making, watercolors to needlepoint and several others in between. It was a wonderful way to explore skills and interests I had without the pressure to perform.
Through that experience, I began to collect simple activities I could do on-the-go in my very own analog activity bag!
Let’s be honest, have you ever noticed an elegant woman reading the newspaper and enjoying a cup of coffee at a cafe sans phone? If you’re like me, unless the answer is “Yes, in Paris” or “Of course, on Pinterest!” it’s likely a rare occurrence. But when you do – isn’t it so chic?
Why not be that chic, elegant woman and find ways to swap mindless scrolling with your own analog activity bag?
Today I’m sharing my secret to being present, feeling elegant and creating that chic aura wherever you go! This is the Elegant Woman’s Guide to Creating an Analog Activity Bag.
What to Pack in Your Elegant Analog Activity Bag:
Word Search Puzzle Book: Word search puzzles are a great way to kill 5-15 minutes while also boosting your vocabulary and enhancing focus. A journal published in the National Library of Medicine found that “the frequency of word puzzle use is directly related to cognitive function in adults aged 50 and over,” making it a great way to exercise your brain while killing time.
Needlepoint or Knitting Project: I was fortunate that my Grandmother taught me how to knit and sew as a child, but I have to admit that I let my skills go as a young adult. Returning to these pastimes was a natural fit and it’s been a delight to reacquaint myself with a needle and thread while creating heirloom pieces of art for my children. Use this link for $15 off your first purchase at Needlepoint.com to get started!
The best part? Joining the local Stitch Club and widening my social circle with intelligent, creative women.
An Actual Book or Magazine: Trust me, I’ve tried to adopt a Kindle, but there is nothing quite as satisfying as reading a physical book. Whether borrowed from the Library, newly purchased or dug out from my neverending TBR pile, I try to read at least one book a month. My favorite magazines include Tatler and Town & Country while my taste in books tends to narrow in on historical fiction. What are you reading right now?
A Deck of Cards: I remember watching my Grandmother play Solitaire at the table, enjoying a quiet moment to herself among the bustle of family and children running around the cottage. A deck of cards lends itself to not only entertaining yourself, but also invites others to join. Here in Michigan, Euchre is a fan favorite, but even a quick game of War is a fun way to engage with a friend, your partner or a child.
Journal & Pen: Don’t overlook the simple act of observing the world around you or jotting down a note of inspiration. Keep a small notebook or leather bound journal and a beautiful pen in your bag to catch those creative breakthroughs, silly memories or sketch the scene before you.
Moleskin Notebook in Hydrangea | Rifle Paper Co. Playing Cards | Fountain Pen with Fine Nib | Needlepoint To Go Palm Beach Golf Cart Kit ($15 Off Your First Purchase!) | We Are Knitters Stitch Sampler Kit | Wuthering Heights (Penguin Clothbound Classics) | The Royal Botanic Gardens Word Search Book | No Bleed Pastel Highlighters
Where To Take Your Elegant Analog Activity Bag:
Your Commute: Granted you’re not driving, and your commute takes you instead on a bus, train or plane, an analog activity bag can help replace mindless scrolling with something that actually helps you disconnect from work while allowing your mind to relax before you transition to the next part of your day. Commutes may get a bad reputation, but if you use the time wisely, it can quickly become a buffer of time you cherish.
Your Child’s Practice: From piano lessons to soccer practice, tournaments and competitions, a lot of my time is spent supporting my children as they learn and grow, which I love! If you relate, you might also feel like I do – that this time can also be quickly sucked up with mindless scrolling instead of being truly present. Taking along your own activity bag (because I know you would pack one for your own kids!) will help you not only be more present, but it can also create connections with other parents through interesting conversations and shared interests.
Appointments (Waiting Room): You never know when you might find yourself in the waiting room of an appointment for longer than you planned. Never ideal, you can make the most of it by being prepared and bringing something to keep you busy. Not only will it make the time go by faster, it will help you feel that your time is being well spent instead of wasted while waiting for your appointment.
Traveling: Why wait until you arrive at your destination to let your vacation begin? Log off as soon as you step out of the door and bring along your analog activities to pass the time at the airport, on the plane and while you relax by the beach or the pool. There are so many times when our phones get in the way of our ability to truly disconnect from work and our other responsibilities. Having a plan to set your phone to the side will help you relax and enjoy your time away to the fullest.
A lovely little cafe we walked past in Angoulême, France.
Why You Need an Elegant Analog Activity Bag:
Improve Mood & Mental Health: Analog activities offer a wide variety of benefits. From improved mood and mental health, to boosting cognition and memory, to feeling more relaxed, there’s virtually no downside to adopting an analog hobby. (Well, your wallet might take a hit but isn’t better health worth the investment?)
Develop a New Hobby or Skill: When is the last time you let yourself try something new and not be perfect at it right away? Try something new, embrace the challenge and allow yourself to improve at your own pace. You are not meant to monetize these hobbies! Allow yourself to have something you just enjoy doing.
Start a Conversation: Let’s be honest, it would be terribly awkward to begin a conversation with “Hey, what are you looking at on your phone?” Yikes. However, it’s much more natural to begin a conversation based on an open observation. “I just finished that book! How are you liking it so far?” or “Wow, what are you working on? I’ve always wanted to learn how to needlepoint.” Who knows, you might just find a new best friend at soccer practice!
Be More Present: Analog activities not only help you cope with the stressors of life, they open up opportunities to be more creative, connect with others and be more present by helping you to cultivate a more intentional lifestyle. All of the activities mentioned above have one thing in common: they will help you combat screen fatigue and decrease digital distraction so often experienced throughout your day.
Create a Chic Aura: Let’s bring it back to that image of the ingénue enjoying her coffee and flipping through a magazine at the coffee shop, engrossed in the story she’s reading while the rest of the busy world rushes by. You know she would peak your interest and leave you wondering… Why not be her?
Catching up on some reading at soccer practice.
Of course, you can fill your analog activity bag with whatever you choose, the more creative the better! You may want to rotate through several different options or pick and choose depending on where you’re going or how long you’ll be!
I’d love to know, are you returning to analog activities? Do you feel a difference in your mood when you swap mindless scrolling for analog activities? I’d love to know what your favorite analog activity is at the moment, or one you want to try!
Leave a comment below and let’s inspire each other to live a more elegant life!
