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Graham Hall
2025-09-19 17:20:24 -04:00
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---
title: 'Intentional Analog Time'
pubDate: '09/19/2025'
tags: ['Life', 'Mental Health']
---
I've recently been experimenting with what I'm calling "Intentional Analog Time", where I take some time every day to do something without a screen, or any type of digital interruptions. Since getting laid off back in June, it feels like I've been spending more time in the digital realm, with my only reprieve being socializing, or doing stuff like cooking and cleaning.
Without the structure of a workday, I've found it easy to fall into the trap of being at my desk, either job searching or working on projects, until, 7, 8, even 9 PM, with some gaming mixed in. It's not great for my mental health, especially when news about all the terrible things happening in the world is just a few clicks away.
So what does "Intentional Analog Time" look like?
It varies, but the one consistent thing is no screens, no internet, nothing digital at all. If I want to listen to music, I have plenty of vinyl records I can play. If I want to write, I have a journal – I actually wrote the first draft of this post in said journal. And if I want to play a game, I have a handful of board games that can be played solo, or a book of crossword puzzles if setting up a board game is too much friction.
It's been a nice way to break up the day, clear my head, focus on some other hobbies, and fully reset before diving back into tackling a job application or coding problem, or just winding down at the end of the day.
I've only been trying this experiment for about a week, so it's probably to soon to see any major, noticeable changes. What I can say is that I've actually had the energy to start making the most of my screen time by also using that time more intentionally, and sitting down with a goal like refreshing my resumé, solving a frustrating problem with my app, sharpening my skills, or – when I feel like slacking off a bit – completing a quest in a video game.