‘As featured in Body & Soul’
Offline is officially in: Why everyone’s carrying an analogue bag this summer
Low-tech is the new flex
By Pip Jarvis – Featuring Dr Amanda Mullin
TikTok’s ‘analogue bag’ trend is the anti-brain-rot move everyone’s copying. Here’s why going offline is summer’s most unexpected wellness trend.
Forget smart watches, Oura rings, and sleep trackers – this summer’s hottest health accessory is decidedly low-tech.
We’re talking, of course, about the analogue bag – that carefully curated tote of offline pleasures TikTokers are touting as the answer to brain rot.
Rather than giving in to doomscrolling or attempting to raw-dog boredom, Gen Zs and millennials are heading out with hobby bags (think baby bags, but for adults) filled with analogue and tactile items, from paperbacks to portable watercolour kits to puzzles.
The idea? To give your thumbs a rest, soothe your overloaded nervous system, and leave your phone on charge.
But is this trend a legitimate health hack – or performative mindfulness designed for the ’gram?
Can an analogue bag really remedy ‘brain rot’?
According to experts, we’re increasingly cognisant of screens hijacking our attention, and an analogue bag is a useful tool to reclaim our agency.
While the dopamine-driven rewards of the infinite scroll and short-form videos feel good in the moment, they’re short-lived, psychologist Jean Hansen, of Clarity Health Care, says.
“Over time, our excessive screen use, particularly on phones, may reduce our tolerance for slower, more effortful tasks, making it harder to feel motivated or engaged without constant stimulation,” Hansen explains.
This phenomenon is known as ‘brain rot’ – a state of digitally induced reduced attention, mental fatigue, and lowered motivation.
And the analogue bag is a way of redressing the rot.
“People sense that something doesn’t feel quite right,” psychologist Amberley Meredith, who is the author of The Adaptable Sustainable Psychology Collection, says.
“Despite being more connected than ever, rates of anxiety and depression continue to rise.
“Scrolling isn’t delivering what it promises – whether that’s connection, reassurance or self-worth – so naturally, people are looking elsewhere.”
What to pack in your analogue bag
Try including any of the following:
• A book you want to read (not one you ‘should’ read)
• A journal or a notebook for messy thoughts
• A mini watercolour kit or a sketchpad and coloured pens
• A puzzle or crossword
• Music (without infinite browsing!)
• Knitting or something tactile
The simple reason it works so well
As any ex-smoker knows, going cold turkey is typically destined to fail.
With everything from bank cards to audiobooks embedded in our phones, giving up our tech is “unrealistic and largely impractical,” Meredith says.
She advises that seeking balance rather than elimination is much more sustainable and prevents feelings of failure when unrealistic expectations aren’t met.
Psychologist Dr Amanda Mullin, of Mindworx Psychology, agrees.
“Research on habit change consistently shows that replacement habits work better than elimination alone,” Mullin says.
“We’re longing to return to slower, embodied experiences, and the analogue bag removes the need for constant self-control and feels intentional rather than punitive.”
In other words? By reducing friction for the desired habit change, you’re increasing your odds of success.
What are the benefits of a hobby bag ?
Taking a break from relentless persuasive influences to doodle, craft or journal can help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and provide space for problem-solving and creative thinking, according to our experts.
“Over time, many people say they notice improved concentration, greater enjoyment of simple activities, and an increased ability to tolerate boredom without immediately seeking distraction,” Hansen says.
According to Meredith, the benefits of an analogue bag “may include feeling connected to a private part of yourself not on display to others”.
She says while a mobile phone screen acts as a barrier to IRL (in real life) connection, analogue items can invite curiosity.
“Before mobile phones were ubiquitous, I always travelled with a pack of cards so I could play solitaire,” Meredith shares.
“This led to conversations, new and interesting connections, and sometimes shared games with large groups laughing together.”
How to curate your analogue bag
To make this habit shift stick, Dr Mullin recommends curating your bag with things that genuinely nourish you.
“It needs to feel rewarding, otherwise boredom will drive you straight back to scrolling,” she says.
Ultimately, the analogue bag isn’t about rejecting technology – it’s about choice.
“If the bag replaces even some of the time you’d normally scroll, that’s a huge win,” Dr Mullin says.
“The more intentional we become with how we rest, the easier it is to choose what actually replenishes us.”
