There’s a new “it” bag — but it doesn’t come with a popular label.
Dubbed “analog bags,” Gen Z is buying canvas totes and filling them with items to help them reduce their screen time.
The term was coined by content creator Sierra Campbell, who shared a video about the analog bag, saying: “My biggest fear is that I’ll lie on my deathbed and regret how much time I spent on my phone.”
“I basically just put everything I could grab instead of my phone into a bag,” she said, showing a tote full of crossword puzzles, knitting needles, a portable watercolor set and her planner.
One person described the concept as a “toy box for your attention span.”
Campbell, 31, said that the key to lessening screen time isn’t less technology, but rather “more analog fun.”
The concept has become increasingly popular, with people ironically using their phones to share what’s in their analog bags — sometimes referred to as “stop scrolling bags” — and tips and tricks on what to put in them.
Campbell shared that she got the idea after reading the book “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, which explains that the best way to stop a bad habit is to replace it with something else. The book inspired the California-based creator to replace screen time with non-digital activities.
“If you go to your phone for news, put a newspaper in your bag,” Campbell explained. “If it’s for entertainment, try a good book. For creative inspiration, sketching tools or knitting. It’s just like physical fitness – whatever activity you’ll actually do is the best one to include.”
This trend comes as more offline activities are rising in popularity and people are actively trying to spend more time off their phones.
How to make your own analog bag
To start your own analog bag, you’ll need a roomy tote. L.L. Bean Boat and Totes and lookalike canvas bags are particularly popular options.
You’ll subsequently have to stock up on items, but your options are endless and can be swapped in and out as you please.
For example:
Some parents have even made kid-friendly analog bags, filling them with fidget toys, learning games like BrainQuest, crayons and coloring books.
If you’re on a budget, some proponents proclaim you don’t need to buy anything new.
Simply walk around your house or apartment and find all the books and craft activities you have lying around unused.
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