By Michaela Gordoni
Analog bags—sacks or purses full of items like books, puzzles, journals and more—are trending.
“I firmly believe you cannot live a full life while unknowingly addicted to your phone,” says analog bag concept creator Sierra Campbell, 31. “You might be missing really wonderful opportunities to have a fun and deep life. The analog piece is such a cornerstone of that.”
Campbell introduced the concept on TikTok in August and started a small movement.
Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of Habit,” said, “If we want to change that [habit], we have to … find a new behavior that corresponds to that old cue and delivers something similar to that old reward.”
Analog bags meet the criteria.
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The bags are meant to be filled with anything that doesn’t need a screen or Wi-Fi, Cosmopolitan says.
“My parents would always say, ‘Count the cost,’ and they were never talking about money,” Campbell said. “The cost for the convenience of our phones has gotten too high.”
Campbell inspired an Ohio school principal, Emily Karst.
“What can I do to make it just as easy to pick up something that isn’t my phone?” she said. “Sometimes it’s because I want to check the time or I need to look at my directions or whatever. But more often, it’s because there’s been some sort of break in the action, and I’ve conditioned myself.”
“I’m so uncomfortable being bored that I’m just going to instantly get that dopamine hit and watch a couple of TikToks real quick,” she admits. “Instead, if there’s something else that we can grab, it allows us to make a better decision.”
Kirst carries a memory-collecting journal, needlepoint, and watercolor kit in her bag.
“I’ve been so serious about this, mostly because I was alarming myself,” Karst said. “I don’t want to live my whole adult life losing my ability to engage with good art and long books and novels and movies because I’m ruining my attention.”
The bags aren’t just for adults—they are great for kids too. Instead of keeping your kids grabbing their tablet or handheld game device, parents can have them fill a bag with toys, crafts, and other items that keep them engaged and off screens.
“It speaks to an incredible desperation and desire for experiences that return our attention to us, that fight brain-rotting, that are tactile … that involve creating over scrolling,” said Beth McGroarty, vice president of research at the Global Wellness Institute.
If you’re struggling to find ways to curb your phone use, an analog bag might be worth a shot.
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