The rise of the analogue life: Why Gen Z is turning to puzzles, paperbacks and the analogue bag

Moments of idleness have grown rare. A waiting line or quiet commute now triggers an almost automatic reflex: the phone emerges, delivering an endless stream of updates and distraction.

Stillness, in the digital age, is seldom left undisturbed.

Unsurprisingly, the notion of the analogue life has gained traction, particularly among Gen Z. Raised within algorithm driven platforms and perpetual connectivity, their gravitation towards offline behaviours – such as reading physical books, writing by hand, engaging in puzzles or craft – is a bid for focus and mental stillness.

Research helps explain why such behaviours resonate. In Singapore, a nationwide study published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry found that 46.4 per cent of young people aged 15 to 21 exhibited problematic smartphone use, with affected individuals more likely to report anxiety, depression and insomnia. Globally, studies continue to associate heavy screen exposure with disrupted sleep and fragmented attention.

None of this renders digital life inherently harmful. Yet it clarifies why offline activities often feel restorative. Analogue experiences unfold at a slower pace, encouraging sustained attention while existing largely outside the metrics and comparison dynamics that shape online spaces.
One visible expression of this mindset is the rise of the “analogue bag”. Popularised on social platforms, these typically contain notebooks, pens, paperbacks or puzzle books – modest, screen-free objects that provide a tactile alternative to reflexive scrolling.

The appeal is not merely aesthetic. Long-term studies have linked cognitively engaging leisure activities with slower cognitive decline and stronger memory and attention. There’s also research associating regular intellectual and manual hobbies, including reading and knitting, with lower Alzheimer’s risk.

Which makes this worth considering: for the high-achieving woman constantly toggling between work, family, messages and obligations, is an analogue life even conceivable?

And if it is, what might we find in your analogue bag?