How I’m Using Social Media More Intentionally as a Mom
The Analog Experiment: Month One Update
Let’s address the elephant in the room.
It’s been almost a month since my first post announcing my experiment to live more offline and make my phone a tool again. I said I’d share updates every two weeks, and here we are almost four weeks later 😅.
But honestly, I think that’s kind of the point. And probably a sign that the experiment is working.
So, what even is the Analog Experiment?
It’s not a detox. It’s not me going off the grid. It’s not a set of rules I’m trying to follow perfectly.
It’s really just me noticing that after burnout, my phone slowly became the place I went for everything. Work. Creativity. Connection. Regulation. Distraction. Rest. All of it lived in one place and that started to feel really heavy.
Instead of doing a dramatic digital detox, I wanted to try something slower and more sustainable for my life. Then I became inspired by the analog living trend online.
The Analog Experiment is me trying to make my phone a tool again instead of the default center of my life. And at the same time, slowly reintroducing offline rhythms that support creativity, connection, and presence.
It’s me experimenting in real time and each month, I’m sharing what I tried, what worked, what didn’t, and what I’m learning as I go.
What I Did This Month to Make My Phone a Tool Again
This month, I wasn’t trying to use my phone less just for the sake of it. I was trying to be more intentional about how and why I was using it.
So I put some boundaries in place.
I used a Brick device to add friction around social media. I deactivated and deleted apps. I set clearer rules for myself around when I check my phone, especially in the mornings and during family time.
Ultimately , I wanted to interrupt the muscle memory of reaching for my phone when I was bored, overwhelmed, or overstimulated.
I also realized that if I didn’t give myself alternatives, I would just default right back to my phone. So I started creating what I think of as analog and digital stations around my house. Basically, places where specific tools live so my phone isn’t always the easiest option.
That looked like keeping a journal nearby. Carrying a notebook instead of relying on notes apps. Having a digital camera with me so I wasn’t always using my phone to capture moments. And experimenting with both a physical planner and the planner on my phone.
How I Lived More Offline This Month
This was honestly my favorite part.
The habits around my phone were previously effortless. Adding little checkpoints of friction acted like spreading nails all over the road of smooth sailing, pricking the habit until it overall deflated. When I couldn’t access the things that had become second nature, the phone lost a lot of its appeal.
Once I stopped automatically reaching for my phone, I had all this weird in between space. And I needed something to do with it.
So I leaned into offline dopamine and hobbies in a way that felt gentle and fun, not productive!
My dad and I started writing letters to each other. He lives about seven hours away, and there was something really grounding and sweet about slowing down enough to write by hand. My daughter and I watercolored stationery together, then wrote letters to my dad and mailed them off. A few weeks later, we got our first letters back, and it felt genuinely special in a way texts just don’t.
My dad also gave me an embroidery kit, so I started learning how to embroider. While it was a good hour for me to get started, it was such a cool experience to learn something new and not give up just because I wasn’t immediately good at it. It was a different kind of dopamine hit from trying something new and initially challenging!
I also made a really intentional shift to use my laptop more for writing instead of trying to write everything on my phone. Having a designated space and tool for writing has helped my thoughts feel less scattered.
None of these things replaced my phone perfectly. But they gave my brain somewhere else to land.
What Worked and What Didn’t
Not everything worked. And that’s actually been really helpful to notice.
Some things worked better than I expected. Having a digital camera has been genuinely fun. I love taking pictures of my kids without immediately editing, sharing, or posting them. It’s something I want to keep leaning into.
Offline hobbies like watercolor and embroidery have also been a big win. They’ve given me simple ways to decompress that don’t involve consuming anything.
Other things did not work the way I hoped, though.
I really wanted a physical planner to be part of my analog life. But the truth is, it stressed me out more than it helped. As someone with ADHD, I actually function better when my calendar, reminders, and grocery lists live on my phone where they sync with my husband’s and support how our household runs.
Having to find a planner, write things down, and then remember to transfer them later just wasn’t sustainable for me. Instead of making life feel slower, it made it feel heavier.
That was a really good reminder that living more analog doesn’t mean rejecting digital tools altogether. It means choosing the right tool for the job and being honest about what actually works for your brain and your family.
Where I’m Headed Next
Next month, I want to keep refining what stays digital and what moves offline. I want to keep letter writing. Keep my hobbies slow and simple. And keep letting go of systems that look good on paper but don’t support my real life.
If you’re feeling pulled toward slower rhythms but overwhelmed by the idea of doing it perfectly, I’ve created a growing digital resource library that brings many tools and ideas together in one place. It’s designed to be a calm, one-stop companion to the ideas I share here—something you can revisit whenever life feels heavy or overwhelming. This resource is optional, offered with pay-what-you-want pricing, and includes lifetime access as new tools and reflections are added over time.
Closing
I am not sure if I am doing “analog living” the right way as defined by social media but I don’t really care to. It’s been a wonderful way to gain inspiration for intentional living and I am ALL for anything that brings me closer to God and the way He calls us to live.
The whole premise behind this publication, The Selah Project, is to find God in the pause. “Selah” was observed as both a musical and literary pause when used in the Bible and I want to live a life slowly and intentionally enough where I can be still and know the presence of God (Ps. 46:10).
Thank you for being here with me in the pause, sweet friend.
Much love,
Sarah
*If you’ve been encouraged by this post and want to support my writing, you can “buy me a coffee” to help me keep creating gentle, faith-filled content.
You know what, I do 💝
I LOVE this!! What magic you are creating! I am inspired.