Why going analogue is good for you
Photo by Kari Shea from Unsplash
Having had something of a digital detox over Christmas and New Year (no work, more reading of actual books, even doing a jigsaw) I felt myself starting to go square-eyed again when life got back to ‘normal’. And earlier, while writing Christmas cards (some of which still haven’t arrived) I was a bit disturbed to find that it felt hard to make the pen make the right shapes for the words. Thinking about it, this is the most ‘hand writing’ I’ve done for months.
So many daily actions now take place on a screen, from catching up on the news to catching up with friends; dealing with banking business to supermarket shopping, listening to music and reading a book… And that doesn’t include working. With all of these reasons we use smartphones, it’s easy to see why we pick them up over 50 times a day on average. And although smartphones and laptops are super-convenient, I can’t help thinking that perhaps it’s time to reclaim some of those activities for the analogue, not digital, world.
Downsides of digital
Constantly looking at your phone takes up time, obviously, especially if you’re lured into looking at more than you intended, but it also makes it harder to refocus on what you were doing beforehand. It’s also antisocial when you’re with other people, effectively removing you from your surroundings and the conversation around you.
The blue light from screens also has a serious effect on sleep: we sleep for a shorter time, we sleep less well, and it takes longer to fall asleep. Blue light is emitted by all screens including TVs, and this section of the spectrum interferes with our circadian rhythms, disrupting the production of melatonin, which helps us fall asleep. Healthy-sleep advice always suggests turning off blue-light sources an hour before bedtime.
Sedentary scrolling can reduce exercise time and contribute to obesity. There’s no universally agreed daily screen-time limit for adults, but two hours seems to be the general consensus. Obviously, for some of us, that’s two hours on top of our work total!
Staring at a screen can also dry our eyes, because we don’t blink as much, so you should look away from the screen to a distant view from time to time.
How to cut screen time
• You can set up your smartphone to tell you how much time you spend staring at its screen. For Apple iPhones, instructions are here, instructions for Android are here. (Brace yourself – it can be alarming!)
• Don’t use your phone as an alarm clock (and keep it out of the bedroom).
• Turn off notifications, so you’re not prompted to pick it up.
• Avoid using your phone and/or social media for set periods, eg during work time, or check it once in the morning, once in the evening.
Photo: Hannah Olinger by from Unsplash
We’ve started listening to music in the evening sometimes instead of automatically putting the telly on, and reading printed books rather than a Kindle, and I’ve got a paper diary on the go, which also has space for notes. Apparently writing by hand slows down thinking, and means we remember more of what we’ve written. It’s a flowing movement, and on paper you’re free to write, draw or scribble wherever you want.
Sales of stationery have been rising since lockdown, as people wanted to record what was happening, and stay in touch with loved ones, and the trend has continued since then. Using a pencil (my preferred writing instrument) on paper feels satisfying, and I find myself adding doodles – something that wouldn’t happen on my phone. Putting pen(cil) to paper is a different motion, one that’s completely unconnected with work. And there’s no (sometimes unhelpful) auto-correct.
I cherish letters and postcards from my grandma, and my dad. (And got to reread some of mine to them, after they died: fascinating little trips back in time.) And when I received Christmas cards (something other than a bill or flyer coming through the letterbox is a joy), I loved that little jolt of recognition when you can tell who it’s from by the handwriting. How many people today couldn’t recognise their friends’ writing?
Picking a pen and the paper you write on is infinitely more customisable than choosing a font and text colour to type in. And sitting down to set down your thoughts is almost meditative. Why not pick out a pen (or pencil) you love, a notebook or a diary or even, or drop someone a line?
Adrienne Wyper is a health and lifestyle writer and regular TNMA contributor.
New stationery, anyone?
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Discussion (24 Comments)
Frankie says:
I usually carry an unsmart mobile (just text/phone old school). Own a laptop for emails/social & business purposes. Always send a physical card in the post to family & friends for birthdays/anniversaries. Always read a physical book. A balance of sorts. Know what you mean about reacting as if it were a criminal offence to not conform.
Teresa Riley says:
What really upsets me is receiving birthday congrats via email rather than by an actual card through the letterbox……. you cant display emails on your shelves! Am I the only person who thinks ecards/emails are the lazy option?
Vivienne Daynes says:
I totally agree with everything you wrote.During lockdown I wrote letters to our grandchildren every week and I still write weekly to a friend who moved away.I love pens and paper, nice writing paper is a joy.When my Kindle broke I decided not to get a new one and only read actual books now a lot of which are second hand.You can’t beat the pleasure of holding a book!
JuneG says:
I completely agree. I still send Christmas and birthday cards and often send interesting cards to friends and family just to say hello, or to say that I saw something and thought of them. I keep a paper journal for gardening plans and a paper house appointments/committments diary. I NEVER read a book electronically, just the thought makes me shudder. I am however, guilty of pointless scrolling when I pick up my laptop – something I never do on my phone. My phone is for calls, messages and photographs. I keep my accounts in an account book. So, I have a reasonable balance, but I wish it was biased more toward paper. As others have said, if only one’s friends, family and acquaintances would use pen and paper too, it would make such a difference. Pen and paper has an intimacy that a screen can never provide.
Anne says:
I have been told more than once that writing cards is old fashioned and this was said to me by older relatives, and the younger generation claims that they don’t have the time. Yet, I do hear a thank you or two for the lovely cards that I sent. Who does not like to receive a card or even mail that is not a bill? I still send birthday and congratulation cards. I have a beautiful selection of note cards and a few condolence cards tucked away for when they will be needed. The gesture of writing a few words in a card is not old fashion it only means that you care – the same emotion is conveyed in an email but the fact that you have taken a bit more of your time shows that you care just a bit more.
Mrs Tonia says:
I enjoy sending handwritten messages and Christmas cards. But I also do send e-cards on birthdays so the greetings arrive in time. I buy a card then photograph it on my mantle. I’ve had no complaints. In fact the inverse people like to be remembered. And have appreciated my remembering them on time.
Given the U.K. postal strikes, slow and expensive postal services generally, I only sent e-cards for Christmas and New Year in digital form. All based on photos I had taken. In my opinion now any form of communication is better than none.I left out that I used digital cards for long distance principally. For U.K. I bought stamps and cards and spent time handwriting my greetings. Old school yes but I was happy to do it. And equally happy to receive handwritten greetings back. So a mixture of real and virtual. Saving on postage and maybe being greener too.
JoanCecile says:
Ironically, I’m reading and responding this morning on my phone. My eyes already hurt at 6am. Love this post, and you have gently pushed me back toward the paper and pen(cil) form of communication. I have found that my thoughts do not flow as easily when writing on paper anymore, so am planning to develop that skill again. And, why not use a nicely sharpened pencil? You are my hero for suggesting that! May I suggest trying to write with your non-dominent hand? It is very powerful, you can research the benefits. I try to add that to my regular journal writing when I can drag myself away from the screens. Now I’m off to find the Valentine cards I bought last year and never found ‘time’ to write and send. Thanks again!!
Cindy says:
As much as I like to mail Christmas and birthday cards, there are people who choose not to provide their mailing address. I send them a text message (some don’t like answering the phone) – better than not sending anything. I only read paper versions of books, not e-books.
With smartphones, I think it’s rude to look at your phone while having a conversation with someone. I attended a celebration of life event, and someone had to remind people to turn their phones off before the eulogy. I am not addicted to my phone – I check messages once a day.
Thank you, Adrienne, for the reminders and for this informative blog.
Boadicea says:
I think (hope) that our friends and family members have finally realised that our shared mobile is not welded to our bodies; any messages left might not be found until much later in the day. If it’s urgent, then use the landline. Yes, that old fashioned thing! The thing that doesn’t buzz every ten seconds with news updates we’re not interested in but when we are wanted its bell can be heard anywhere in the house.
As a lifelong book and notebook lover I have large quantities of both with pens and paints as companions necessary for a peaceful and fulfilling life. I do enjoy the immediacy of emails but also find pleasure in writing (and receiving) Christmas and birthday cards and letters. I so agree with others’ heartfelt comments about e-cards though, pretty as they can be. No way can you put them on the mantelpiece! Yet, with the postal service in current disarray it is at least one way of letting people they’re in your thoughts. Equally, I understand that electronic readers are handy when travelling, but for me, even then, nothing beats a good old-fashioned book, heavy or lightweight – in either or both senses of the word!
Are we old fashioned then, those of us who like letters handwritten on beautiful paper, and proper cards at Christmas and on birthdays, and real books? Not at all. These are our particular standards and others should respect them just as we’ve been hustled into putting up with theirs. That said, the next time someone I’m talking carries on looking at their phone, I might forget I’m a lady and cause a break in the line of communication!
If only we could strike a nice balance by using the right means of communication for the right occasion. ..Yvonne says:
I agree with everything you said. It’s very rude to look at your phone or answer your phone while in someone’s company. Someone did that to me at a restaurant and I told him how I felt (in a respectful manner but firm) and he put his phone away. I don’t tolerate that lack of savoir-vivre. Telephone etiquette should be taught at an early age.
It’s so nice to receive a card in the mail and to read the paper version of a book. Call me old-fashioned… at my age, I don’t care. All the best to you!
Nicola says:
I’m the odd one out here because I love what screens have given me! I moved from the Uk to Australia before internet and social media and I was so lonely and cut off. I missed my friends and family so much and letters and the odd phone call ( carefully timed because of the time zones) did not help much. I couldn’t access the magazines I loved or often the books. I couldn’t listen to the radio shows I liked. I felt like I was in a desert. Then email came and that made a huge difference – people could get in touch more easily, then I could start listening to Radio 4 on line again – caught up with about 15 years of The Archers! And then social medial and blogging came along and I started to be able to choose who I hung out with. People like you guys! My children are all now leading independent lives but I am in touch with them multiple times a day via the family Whats App group – what a privilege that is. I know what is going on in the world – not just my corner of it. I love it when a friend emails or pops up in my Instagram feed, and have reconnected with people from long ago that way. I have also made new friends with similar interests. I agree we shouldn’t be tied to our phones and we can all exercise some control ( mine stays downstairs at night and I wouldn’t look at social media whilst at work so there goes 16 hours) but spare a thought for those of use not living in a European city who might be a bit cut off without digital.
Thank for highlighting all the positives, Nicola. Agree with you about controlling your screen time, not allowing it to control you!
bev says:
I am in my sixties going on eighty I think! I love writing paper, fountain pens (and the filling thereof in fabulous purple ink), writing on the envelope with care and attention etc. Yes, of course I bash out emails and replies to TNMA etc, WhatsApp my family and wouldn’t be without my computer. However, after Christmas I deleted my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts as I realised that they made me unduly stressed and I really was not getting any pleasure from them at all. I wouldn’t dream of owning a Kindle – I love books too much – especially old ones. Recently my mother-in-law died and I am the lucky recipient of piles of classic novels with lovely inscriptions, dates, names etc on the first page and notations in (their) important passages – which gives me pause for thought. I love to order them in sets, smell them, touch them and turn those beautiful pages. Also I sleep with an antiquated loud ticking, wind up clock – the ticks are so reassuring and send me to sleep and the ritual of winding it up is quite lovely. Yes, I am an old fart!
I must be too, Bev! I’ve hardly looked at Twitter since Elon Musk took over and I am feeling much less stressed without the constant ‘doom scrolling’.
kate says:
Can I ask a very basic question please: what type of pencil? I have struggled to find one that delivers the satisfaction of a good ballpoint – that lovely feeling of the writing flowing out of the nib so easily. Any tips (haha) anyone?
Susanna says:
Kate, try a clutch pencil, which you can get with a substantial wood or metal shaft that has heft in the hand. And you can get fat, soft leads that do exactly what you want in terms of flow (lots of colors, too!). There are also the more normal, slim mechanical pencils, but I like the feel of the fat ones better, and the natural wood.
Having said that, I need to put in a word for electronic communications from the perspective of someone with arthritis, which doesn’t permit me to do much hand writing at all these days. I write stories for my granddaughter on the computer and then illustrate them by hand, which I can still manage. E-books mean I don’t have to hold a large volume in my hands on a bad day. And I have to say that, as a former professor, Facebook is a wonderful way to keep in touch with way too many former students for contact by letter. So I’m grateful for a mix of technologies!Thank you very much Susanna – I have had a quick look and I’m now anticipating a delightful journey down the clutch-pencil rabbit hole!
Susan says:
Adrienne Wyper’s article definitely speaks to me! At 70 yrs. old, for most of my life I have sent cards, letters, clippings, photos, etc… to friends and family both nearby and out-of-town. It has kept me connected to people even if we rarely get the chance to see one another. I know that they probably consider me a little old fashioned for still sending things through the mail. But I’ve also been surprised to hear that some of the recipients keep all the cards, display them, and look at them from time to time. One friend who went through several years of tough times, said receiving my cards kept her spirits up; it was a reminder that someone was thinking about her. So I remain unapologetic and will continue to send cards. It makes me happy!
I agree with Susan. A friend went through onerous cancer treatment with many complications during the Covid lockdown periods. I made a point of regularly choosing art cards and sending her handwritten messages. We also communicate through sporadic messaging. She told me how much she appreciated getting these cards which demonstrated care for her circumstances.
Like others say there’s much to be said for keeping in touch via family WhatsApp groups. Exchanging photos and news in an immediate way.
There’s a balance to be struck between the analogue way on paper with a pen and digital communications. Clippings and cartoons I wish to share I now photograph and send by message. It’s immediate.
Re pencils and pens I draw with pencils, 2B plus, but don’t write with them. I favour fine black felt tip pens for jottings, diary entries, lists. Keeping handwriting going even with mildly arthritic fingers helps to keep joints moving better.
Adrienne Wyper says:
Thanks for all the thoughtful comments. I completely agree re balancing analogue and digital worlds. Kate, I treated myself to some pencils that are made with recycled newspaper instead of wood: satisfying tiny curls of paper when you sharpen them. Real books are lovely but I’ll hold my hand up to reading in a Kindle at the mo, because I’m away for a fortnight with hand luggage only, and no hope of buying new books here.
Longdenlife says:
I work on a screen all day, so my screen time out of the office is minimal. I work in a school and there is a no phone policy for our students. Phones must be off and in their bags at all times whilst on college site – even at breaktimes. Students are now talking to each other and making use of our lunchtime clubs (one of the most popular being chess club!). Whilst in school I also choose to keep my phone off and away. Those that need to know, have my direct line number in case of any emergencies.
I follow a close friend on social media but we take the time to write letters regularly to each other. She chooses the most beautiful cards to send and I’ve just bought some lovely, ‘proper’ writing paper on which to write my letters.
I handwrite shopping lists (a good use of old envelopes!) and have handwritten lists stuck to the front of the fridge.
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I agree 100% . But what about all one’s friends replying to letters with emails and my carefully chosen cards with e-cards ? Am I perceived as just too old-fashioned or are there more valid reasons for being dropped ? . I even got a long email from a close friend – or so I thought ! – which firmly stated that he did not email people anymore and only sometimes picked up messages on Telegram . I have even been forced by my family to have a mobile but I will not take it with me everywhere . People react to this as if it were a criminal offence ! Is there any way to roll back so-called progress ?