I’m Gracie (@graciecreates) from the Archer and Olive ambassador team! In this blog post, I’ll be sharing ways I use stationery to lower my screen time. In the digital age, and with new technological innovations being made every day, it can feel tempting to make every part of your life digital. Online meetings? Email? Digital calendar? Even the notes app on your phone? I want to share some of the ways you can go back to analog using stationery. 

Stationery items I use everyday: 

• Bullet Journal - A5 Notebook

• Notepads 

• Memo Pad

• Junk Journal - 8x8 Notebook

When shopping for supplies at A+O, you can use my code graciecreates for a discount!

Video

Let’s chat about how I use stationery to lower my screen time. 

Why?

Maybe you’re thinking: what’s so bad about everything being on your phone or computer? It’s so convenient to have everything in your pocket everywhere you go. Emails, notes, your favorite TV show, your camera roll of photos. And while I love using digital tools like this to organize my life and for entertainment, I continue to watch my hours of screen time go up week after week in my phone’s settings. Sometimes, at the end of the day, I think, what did I look at today that wasn’t a screen? 

I’ve always felt that there is a direct correlation between the increasing screentime on my phone and a decrease in my mental health. Endlessly scrolling has always led to fatigue for me, and getting back to analog has helped me to get my head out of the gutter and lessen my need for that instant gratification that screentime can encourage.

Several years ago I realized that if I wanted to have a life away from my screens, I needed to make time for it. Analog hobbies like journaling and drawing came back into my life, and I realized how much I valued that time away from screens. Even though I have to be on the computer most of the day for work, I cherish the after work hours where I can look away from the screen and touch something real. Here are the ways I have reverted back to analog in various areas of my life. 

Work Life

For me, doing anything work-related analog is difficult. I have a remote job that constantly revolves around looking at my computer from work meetings on Zoom to using all of the software that makes my design job possible.

My favorite way to utilize stationery during the work day is by using a notepad or memo pad to organize my day. I often use a notepad to take notes during meetings – something that I used to just do on the notes app in my computer or in a word processor document. Not only does it feel nice to just have something to look at that isn’t a screen, especially during an hour long Zoom meeting, writing actually has more benefits. It’s been proven that you’re more likely to remember something if you write it down (as opposed to typing it). I also like to use a note or memo pad for organizing my tasks throughout the day. The written to-do list system encourages me to stay consistent. And checking things off of a physical list just feels so much more satisfying at the end of the day. 

Lifestyle

When it comes to planning my life, I like to use a combination of digital and analog methods to stay organized. I use a bullet journal as my primary planner–mine is an A5 from Archer & Olive. This is where I keep track of my daily to-do lists, monthly goals, and other day-to-day spreads to help keep me on track. 

I do keep a calendar on my computer as well (it’s easier for long term or far-in-the-future type plans), but having a secondary calendar in my bullet journal helps to make sure I don’t forget anything. Even if you aren’t the bullet journaling type, having a physical calendar on your desk or wall can help by having a visual reference that you can always glance at, or buying a dated planner can be an alternative analog solution. 

Hobbies

My hobbies are the main category that I try to keep as strictly analog. I look at my computer enough during the day for work that when I log off, I try to focus on something that isn’t a screen. My recent favorite hobbies have been junk journaling and drawing/painting in my sketchbook, but I’ve enjoyed a huge number of other analog hobbies as well–reading, crafting, sewing, playing board games, etc. 

Junk journaling is my absolute favorite hobby. It serves as a pseudo-scrapbook for me: somewhere I can put all of my memories and scraps without feeling like they have to go in the trash. I print out photos and add tickets, receipts, and business cards throughout to make it feel like a real memory book, but also leave pages just to collage with junk as a creative outlet. I have used a traveler’s notebook and an 8x8 notebook from Archer & Olive as junk journals, and I enjoy them both because the unconventional proportions make it a great place to be creative. 

Travel

When it comes to travel, I feel glued to my phone and digital camera to document every moment. And while I love to have those pictures and videos to look back on, I also like to have an analog way of documenting my travels. I keep a miniature journal on me no matter where I’m traveling (an A6 from Archer & Olive) and write a journal entry at the end of each day. I tend to forget things quickly, so having a place to jot down the names of restaurants and shops, what I ate, and little jokes and memories from the trip is invaluable. Plus, being able to have a little notebook to whip out while you’re in a coffee shop in a foreign country is… the perfect travel vibe. 

Printable

Want an easy way to revert to analog in your life? I designed a simple desktop calendar you can print out, fill in, and leave on your desk or hang on the wall to encourage you to look away from the screen! Download it here. 

Looking for more ideas for journaling for mental wellness? Check out this blog post from ambassador team member Valerie as she shows how she used the A&O Self Care box to make a mental wellness journal.

You can find more creative goings-on in my corner of the internet, @graciecreates on Instagram and YouTube, and @groovygraciecreates on TikTok. If you do this project, share with the A&O team on socials! Tag us @archerandolive and use the hashtags #AOShare and #archerandolive