TikTok's "Analog Bag" Trend Is All About Cutting Down Your Screen Time

Ironic as it may be, people are using the popular social media platform to encourage others to live an analog life in a digital world. One way to do this is with an analog bag—a carrier that holds interests and activities that don’t require gadgets. Think crosswords, a deck of cards, a stationery set, scrapbooking materials, and journals.

The rising trend is credited to Siece Campbell, who shared how she transitioned to the lifestyle after becoming a mother. Despite being part of Generation Alpha (also known as the generation of iPad kids), her children sometimes have zero screen time, and her own totals less than two hours. “The key to turning tides isn’t less technology, it’s more analog fun,” Siece said in a video. Based on her experience, the trick is to “fill your space with non-digital activities that are easy to grab,” because to gradually break a habit, you must first replace it with something else.

Having your eyes glued to a screen and your hands on a gadget has become an integral part of everyday life, especially since it’s essential for students, employees, and just about everyone else—that’s all the more reason to spend your free time away from it. In today’s world, we visit public spaces and meet up with people, only to end up staying inside our own bubbles—and our phones’. An accessible, curated analog bag can help prevent this, encouraging a true break from the chaos of the virtual realm.

One of the first Filipinas to hop on the trend is Ella Pangilinan, who has been creating content on lifestyle and homemaking. “Love having these options to lessen my screen time,” the tita-in-training wrote in her caption.

The contents of Ella’s analog bag are centered on her personal interests, which include a watercolor kit, a sketchbook and drawing pencils, a memory game, and writing prompts, to name a few. Your analog bag can be as small or as large as you like, and it can contain any activity that truly speaks to you. If the items align with your hobbies, you’re more likely to reach for them!