Modern life is busier than ever, so we’re always looking for ways to slow down, pause and be a little more mindful. We caught up with Unplugged, who are experts in the art of switching off, to get their top tips for beating burnout.
And if you aren’t familiar with Unplugged, think beautiful digital detox cabins surrounded by nothing but nature: no screens, no stress and no scrolling. Every cabin includes a phone lockbox, a replacement Nokia and an instant camera, so you can have the headspace to fully switch off (with plenty of good food, of course).
What is burnout?
Burnout doesn’t always look like working too much, or being so busy we don’t have space to breathe. For some of us, it creeps in because we’re not resting enough, or not resting properly. Lying on the sofa ‘resting’ while scrolling, replying to emails late at night and half-watching TV isn’t really rest. It doesn’t give our minds a chance to switch off.
And that’s not our fault. Our devices make it almost impossible to fully switch off.
Between social media, emails, ChatGPT and endless notifications, our brains are rarely given a moment of quiet. That’s why, in 2026, more people are quietly moving in the opposite direction, turning towards slower, simpler, more analogue ways of living.
Why ‘rest’ doesn’t always mean what we think it does
Rest isn’t just sleep, there are actually 7 types of rest. But for many of us, rest has generally become shorthand for zoning out in front of a screen. Sometimes in front of a big screen and a small screen at the same time. And while that might feel relaxing in the moment, it doesn’t always give your brain what it actually needs to decompress. Scrolling while the TV is on means your brain is still being stimulated by constant novelty, making micro-decisions and reacting to information. In other words, it’s still working.
True rest tends to be low stimulation, predictable and single-tasked. Think: going for a walk, reading a book, listening to an album or doing, well… nothing. These activities let your nervous system settle rather than keeping you entertained.
And what all of these have in common is that they don’t involve screens. They’re analogue.
10 ways to go more analogue (and beat burnout)
We’ve been banging the offline drum for a few years now, but even publications like Vogue, the BBC and The Financial Times are predicting 2026 to be the year we spend more time offline.
So here are ten of our favourite (and easiest) ways to go more analogue.
1. Cook from a physical recipe, not your phone
ChatGPT has never held a wooden spoon or cooked a chicken and leek pie. So instead of cooking from a recipe on your phone, follow one from a real book, cooked by a real person.
A recipe book or card not only helps you cook more wholefoods, it doesn’t come with any distractions. You choose a recipe, prep the ingredients, and focus on what’s in front of you. You’re not pulled into Whatsapp, emails or social media – you’re just present. Cooking becomes grounding rather than another task squeezed between pings. One of the great things about Mindful Chef is that you receive a physical recipe magazine, so you can cook without distraction.
2. Treat your phone like a landline when you’re at home
We’re all for bringing back the house phone. A fixed phone that you could only answer when you were home. While this is a pastime that we don’t think will return, you can treat your phone like a ‘landline’ when you’re in the house.
Instead of carrying your phone from room to room, try leaving it in one place. You could even add a cord to it, or create a ‘phone-home’ shelf. You’re still reachable, you’re just not constantly interrupted. This one small shift can dramatically reduce background stress and the urge to check your phone without thinking.
3. Leave your phone out of the bedroom
This is a tip that probably has the highest ROI. It’s low effort and high reward. Phones in bedrooms are one of the biggest sleep disruptors. Late-night scrolling keeps your brain alert and eats into your sleeping time.
Leaving it away from your bedside also removes the temptation to pick up your phone first thing in the morning. Early-morning notifications can spike stress before you’ve even sat up. Scrolling social media in the morning will spike dopamine too early, which primes your brain for distraction for the rest of the day.
Instead, buy a traditional alarm clock (you can pick these up for under £20) and wake up to the radio like they did in the 90s.
4. Read more physical books
We’re seeing a big comeback of physical media, and physical books are one of them. Reading on paper signals to your brain that it’s time to slow down, especially fiction. There’s no blue light, no notifications and no temptation to multitask. Books also have a natural start and finish (unlike endless feeds) and provide much more escapism than a DIY kitchen video ever could.
5. Listen to music as a full album
We’ve become used to skipping tracks, shuffling playlists and letting algorithms decide what we hear next. Music is an art form, and albums are created to be listened to in full, but social media means we often only hear trending audios out of context.
Listening to a full album, especially on vinyl or CD, encourages presence and immersion in the storytelling. One album, one mood, start to finish. It’s a surprisingly powerful way to slow your mind.
6. Use a digital or disposable camera instead of your phone
When your phone is your camera, every photo risks pulling you back into emails or social media. And do you really need 50,000 photos on your camera roll?
Using a separate camera makes photos more intentional. You take the picture, then carry on with the moment – no instant reviewing, editing or sharing. Printing physical photos also brings those moments to life, rather than sitting in a digital cloud.
7. Only reply to emails on your laptop
Constant email access keeps your brain in work mode, even during supposed downtime. You also don’t need to be distracted by a spam email at 8pm that’s curated to capture your attention.
Creating a rule that emails only get answered on your laptop adds a natural boundary. Work stays in its lane, and your evenings and weekends start to feel like your own again. Either remove the apps from your phone, or switch off notifications between certain hours.
8. Write things down by hand (not your Notes app)
To-do lists, thoughts, plans, worries – they all tend to find their way in a random selection of thoughts on our notes app. Instead of writing lists and thoughts on your phone, switch for pen and paper.
Not only does this help solidify thoughts and actions by bringing them into the real world, it also reduces mental clutter and makes things feel more manageable. By using a notebook instead of your notes app, your reliance on your phone will reduce as you won’t be using it as your ‘brain bank’.
9. Replace scrolling time with a hobby
We hate to break it to you, but scrolling isn’t a hobby. If you scroll for 2 hours a day, try swapping even half this time with something creative or a physical activity. Think old-school hobbies like knitting and scrapbooking, or physical activities like playing padel or joining a run or hike club.
You might think ‘it’s just 30 minutes’, but those 30 minutes learning something new or socialising outdoors will feel much more valuable than staring at a screen.
10. Leave your phone at home
We’ve been conditioned to think that we need our phones every minute of the day. But you don’t need a mini laptop in your pocket when you’re out for dinner, at a friend’s house or on a walk.
If you’re with someone else and feel safe enough, leave your phone at home. Take your wallet and keys with you, but leave your device behind. You’re forced to be present as you can’t just pull out your phone when boredom or discomfort kicks in.
Going analogue is the easiest way to beat burnout
Analogue habits reduce decision fatigue, calm the nervoussystem and give your brain the predictability it needs to recover. They bring back boredom, which is essential for creativity and emotional regulation. And most importantly, they remind us that we’re not designed to process endless information all the time.
You don’t need to do all ten of these tips. Just one or two can make a noticeable difference.
In 2026, beating burnout isn’t about doing more or optimising harder. You don’t need to boast top sleep scores and be productive every minute of the day. It’s about switching off, slowing down, and letting your brain rest properly.