Analog Tech To Help You Unplug Your Home

The smart home revolution may not be quite as Disney’s Smart House predicted in 1999, but it is finally getting close.

By 2023, nearly 54% of U.S. households will have some form of smart industry automation. For those with a smart product at home, more than half says it saves them up to a half hour a day - or what would amount to 182 hours per year, nearly an entire week.

While that connection can offer time-saving convenience, it doesn’t actually help to help us… disconnect. 

Though you’ve likely heard some of the effects from being all-on, all-the-time, this reminder from Busy Continent sums it up nicely:

• The instant gratification from our always-on apps could reduce creativity
• Too much screen time could interfere with our ability to learn from successes and failures
• Using screens before bed can interrupt our sleeping patterns
• … and a whole bunch more

The point here is not to decry all digital devices and suggest you throw your latest smartphone into the sea. Partially because these new phones seem stronger than ever and that wouldn’t even have an impact, but mostly because we’re digital realists here.

Technology has brought us plenty of good. It just so happens that it takes a little bit of discipline to control some of the negative outcomes. 

So today, we’re reminding you of a few items to keep around the home that have just the right amount of technology.

3 Almost-Analog Devices That’ll Keep Your Home From Becoming Too Smart

1. An Alarm Clock - How many times have you rolled over to silence your cell phone alarm, just to start your day by checking emails, then Instagram, then your newsfeed, then ema– oh, I’m late for work! On Well + Good’s list of old-school tech products is a classic alarm clock, and though we can’t endorse the shock of being woken up by an alarm, we’re all about getting a jumpstart to your day before jumping on your phone.
   
   
2. Don’t Scroll - Fidget! - After a day spent swiping, pinching, zooming, poking, and tapping, it’s time to give your device a rest. If your fingers want to keep the party going, there are plenty of ways to keep them fidgeting along with fidget cubes and fidget spinners. Heck, we even put together a whole Fidget Factory so your friends and family could get in on the fidgeting together!
   
   
3. An Inkless Typewriter - We know you’re a creative soul. You’ve got a novel you want to get out while the kids are sleeping. Or you’ve got blog posts to craft for your next great side hustle. But anytime you sit down at your computer, you’re swamped by the temptation to open a new tab. Instead, check out the Freewrite, a modern typewriter that uses digital ink to let you compose, craft, and create - without the distractions.
   

Looking for another reason to motivate a short-term digital detox? Our Unplugged IRLA Pack features five achievable coins that’ll reward you for taking your eyes off the screen and putting together puzzles, baking bread, and more.

Now what about you? Have you fought the smart home revolution with your own low-tech devices?