Starting the new year feels incomplete without a brand new planner and a long list of goals that seem slightly unachievable.
Even though it’s easy to keep a calendar on a phone, one of my goals is to use my phone less.
I’m going analog this year to combat my doomscrolling, joining many Gen Z and millennials who are “rebelling” against digital burnout as screens infiltrate every part of life.
The growing trend of “analog wellness” prioritizes mindfulness, hobbies and the outdoors over screen time.
Although I don’t plan to buy a typewriter, I do want to make the most of my stationery and pick up a hobby or two in 2026.
Here are some other things I want to incorporate in the new year.
Planners and life trackers
I’m trying my hand at keeping two planners this year: a Paper Source pocket-sized monthly one for work organization and planning, and a wallet-sized Hobonichi weekly for memory keeping.
From workouts and dinner to assignments, these planners will also help me track my professional and personal goals. But it’s not all boring: the Hobonichi will also be a home to random lists like media logs for best films and shows, to-dos, to-buys and idea dumps.
Their small size also allows me to write observations in the wild — another great way to stay off my phone.
Journaling
Where my weekly planner allows me to note down slices of life, I keep several journals for different purposes. But I’m changing my system this new year.
My favorite one out of them is the morning journal, inspired by Julia Cameron’s "Morning Pages." I write in it after I wake up. The only rules are that it should be three pages, longhand, and in the morning. The product is a tangible stream of consciousness. It helps clear my head and focus on what’s most important.
Most of my journals are in A5 size. My red leather notebook with a half-hitch wraparound is slightly bigger and blank. It serves as a playground for ideas for creative projects like personal essays and dinner party planning. These rough sketches are unorganized. I don’t use this one often but it is one of my go-tos.
This year, I’m also keeping a travel journal. I’m on the plane several times a year at the very least and always collect knickknacks from my trips. A blank, thin A5 notebook with a colorful cover will be perfect to hold snippets of those adventures.
Another new thing I’m trying this year is a commonplace journal. It’s to gather research on things I find useful and note down quotes, book passages, tidbits from podcasts and more. It’s to keep an external record of information on topics I’m most interested in. Most people create an index to track the various themes they explore in their journal once it gets big enough.
Aside from media logs, my husband and I plan to write reviews for movies we see this year. This fun notebook will be an archive for us to share and help us become more intentional with the media we consume.
My last journal is for work to organize ideas that need more room than the pocket journal.
It’s worth noting that only a few parts of this system come in handy daily while I plan to pick up others on a weekly and monthly basis.
Misogi
Another cornerstone of the “analog wellness” trend is Misogi. It originates from an ancient Japanese Shinto purification ritual, involving standing under icy waterfalls. The idea is to pick one challenge for the year that could have a chance of failure and test a person’s physical and mental strength.
Your Misogi should be private and not for social media likes.
Hobbies
I’m trying my hand at film photography this year after experimenting with it last year. It’s a great way to stay off screens and the world of instant digital gratification. Another hobby I have my eye on is pottery.
2026 is the Chinese year of the fire horse and I feel inspired by what it represents: energy, freedom and perseverance. As the year unfolds, I’m committed to doing my best and integrating these analog practices into my daily life.