Why Analog Hobbies Are the New Self-Care Trend

According to a recent CNN article, searches for “analog hobbies” on the arts and crafts store Michael’s website have increased by 136% in the past six months, according to the company. Searches for yarn kits (sometimes categorized as a “grandma hobby”) increased 1,200% in 2025. Michael’s chief of merchandising calls it a “really big cultural shift.”

But marketing data shows that this trend likely began to pick up steam following the Covid-19 pandemic, when so many people were searching for ways to cope with isolation, quarantine, and an overall state of anxiety and uncertainty.

So what exactly are “analog hobbies?” Think of it like this: surrounded these days by AI and home devices that talk to us, listen to us, and control some aspects of our lives, some people are revolting against the seemingly unceasing advance of automation and “smart” technology. Some individuals are promoting a full-on “analog lifestyle,” wherein rather than a short-lived digital detox, they make a sustained effort to incorporate slower-paced, more tangible ways to complete daily tasks and engage in entertainment—it seems a modern version of a mindfulness approach, with the idea of slowing down, doing less, and being more engaged in our lives.

A Response to the Fatigue of “Doomscrolling”

Politics aside, if we agree that at this moment in history, we are surrounded by quite a bit of chaos and uncertainty, then we can make logical sense of this analog movement. Many individuals are feeling burnt-out, tired, anxious, frustrated, and fraught with uncomfortable feelings that seem to simmer under the surface of their daily lives. While humans certainly aren't strangers to background and peripheral chaos, it can feel at times nowadays that it is persistent and permeates each and every day. This is to say nothing of the information-delivery devices that we carry in our pockets like spare change. Throughout the day, we are alerted, reminded, and alarmed by news updates, breaking stories, and other disruptors of our daily lives. Sometimes, we do it to ourselves: surely you, like I, have opened Instagram or another app only to lose yourself in the mire of content, not all soothing or calming.

This constant exposure to content does something to our nervous systems. Essentially, our cortisol (naturally occurring stress hormones) pumps through our bodies as a protective factor against stressful, frightening, or negative stimuli. Of course, too much cortisol can mean feelings of physical discomfort and, at worst, anxiety, panic, or panic attacks. So, to combat this fatigue and rush of cortisol, slowing down is an antidote that comes straight from mindfulness—it is why meditation, yoga, and breathwork are often recommended as ways to mitigate stress and anxiety.

The idea of an “analog lifestyle” builds on this widely accepted concept. If, for instance, you are crocheting a scarf, you really need to pay attention to the task at hand, focusing on the work, repeating the movements as required. Distraction or mindlessness could lead to an error. And this is, in essence, what this slowing-down approach can do for us. We not only revolt against the constant stream of external stimulus, but our nervous systems also soothe, slow down, and find a healthy equilibrium.

The Psychological Perspective

As I read about this concept, I could not help but think of the psychologist Ernst Kris’ concept of “adaptive regression in service of the ego.” Kris’ main idea is that regression (typically seen as maladaptive and negative), in the context of creativity or play, might be viewed as a positive way of coping. In his 1952 paper, “The Psychology of Caricature,” Kris argued that “adaptive regression means a movement backward—backward from adult reality to childhood make-believe.” While the analog movement is not suggesting that we return to an infantile state, it is, much in line with Kris’ concept, advocating for a return to simplicity. Any clinician who has done play therapy with children can attest to the power of play as a coping mechanism. In the adult world, it is not reasonable to simply abandon responsibility in the name of childlike play, so analog hobbies may present a healthy middle ground: finding ways to slow down that offer a simpler feeling about our daily lives.

The author of the CNN article shared her experience of attending a knitting group as part of her research. One of the other participants in the group described the benefit of this analog activity: “Knitting gives you something to do with your hands so you’re not on your phone.” This is not all that different from Kris suggesting that we do something playful, so we are not stuck in the often-stressful adult world at all times. I find it interesting that when I hear the word “analog,” I automatically picture a clock with hands rather than a digital clock. And, I suppose, that is as good a metaphor as any for this trend: the digital clock just spits the time out at you; the analog clock requires you to actually look and pay attention. From ancient concepts of mindfulness to the mid-century work of Ernst Kris to this new “analog” trend, humans have perpetually been in search of ways to slow down the rush of life.

Facebook image: Yavdat/Shutterstock