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Moder<\/span>n life is busier than ever, so we\u2019re always looking for ways to slow down, pause and be a little more mindful. We caught up with Unplugged<\/a>, who are experts in the art of switching off, to get their top tips for beating burnout.<\/p>\n And if you aren\u2019t 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 replac<\/span>ement Nokia and an instant camera, so you can have the headspace to fully switch off (with plenty of good food, of course).<\/p>\n Burnout doesn\u2019t always look like working too much, or being so busy we don\u2019t have space to breathe. For some of us, it creeps in because we\u2019re not resting enough, or not resting properly. Lying on the sofa \u2018resting\u2019 while scrolling, replying to emails late at night and half-watching TV isn\u2019t really<\/span> rest<\/span><\/i>. It doesn\u2019t give our minds a chance to switch off.<\/span><\/p>\n And that\u2019s not our fault. Our devices make it almost impossible to <\/span>fully switch off<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Between social media, emails, ChatGPT and endless notifications, our brains are rarely given a moment of quiet. That\u2019s why, in 2026, more people are quietly moving in the opposite direction, turning towards slower, simpler, more analogue ways of living.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rest isn\u2019t just sleep, there are actually <\/span>7 types of rest<\/span><\/a>. 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 <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> a small screen at the same time. And while that might feel relaxing in the moment, it doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s still working.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2026 nothing. These activities let your nervous system settle rather than keeping you entertained.<\/span><\/p>\n And what all of these have in common is that they don\u2019t involve screens. They\u2019re analogue.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We\u2019ve been banging the offline drum for a few years now, but even publications like <\/span>Vogue<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>BBC<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>The Financial Times<\/span><\/a> are predicting 2026 to be the year we spend more time offline.<\/span><\/p>\n So here are ten of our favourite (and easiest) ways to go more analogue.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n A recipe book or card not only helps you cook more wholefoods, it doesn\u2019t come with any distractions. You choose a recipe, prep the ingredients, and focus on what\u2019s in front of you. You\u2019re not pulled into Whatsapp, emails or social media \u2013 you\u2019re 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.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re 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\u2019t think will return, you can treat your phone like a \u2018landline\u2019 when you\u2019re in the house.<\/span><\/p>\n 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 \u2018phone-home\u2019 shelf. You\u2019re still reachable, you\u2019re just not constantly interrupted. This one small shift can dramatically reduce background stress and the urge to check your phone without thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n This is a tip that probably has the highest ROI. It\u2019s low effort and high reward. Phones in bedrooms are one of the biggest sleep disruptors. <\/span>Late-night scrolling<\/span><\/a> keeps your brain alert and eats into your sleeping time.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019ve even sat up. Scrolling social media in the morning will spike <\/span>dopamine<\/span><\/a> too early, which primes your brain for distraction for the rest of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead, buy a traditional alarm clock (you can pick these up for under \u00a320) and wake up to the radio like they did in the 90s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re seeing a big comeback of physical media, and physical books are one of them. Reading on paper signals to your brain that it\u2019s time to slow down, especially fiction. There\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve 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.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s a surprisingly powerful way to slow your mind.<\/span><\/p>\n 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?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Using a separate camera makes photos more intentional. You take the picture, then carry on with the moment \u2013 no instant reviewing, editing or sharing. Printing physical photos also brings those moments to life, rather than sitting in a digital cloud.<\/span><\/p>\n Constant email access keeps your brain in work mode, even during supposed downtime. You also don\u2019t need to be distracted by a spam email at 8pm that\u2019s curated to capture your attention.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To-do lists, thoughts, plans, worries \u2013 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019t be using it as your \u2018brain bank\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n We hate to break it to you, but scrolling isn\u2019t 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You might think ‘it’s just 30 minutes\u2019, but those 30 minutes learning something new or socialising outdoors will feel much more valuable than staring at a screen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve been conditioned to think that we need our phones every minute of the day. But you don\u2019t need a mini laptop in your pocket when you\u2019re out for dinner, at a friend’s house or on a walk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re 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\u2019re forced to be present as you can\u2019t just pull out your phone when boredom or discomfort kicks in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Analogue habits reduce decision fatigue, calm the nervoussystem and give your brain the predictability it needs to recover. They bring back <\/span>boredom<\/span><\/a>, which is essential for creativity and emotional regulation. And most importantly, they remind us that we\u2019re not designed to process endless information <\/span>all the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to do all ten of these tips. Just one or two can make a noticeable difference.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2026, beating burnout isn\u2019t about doing more or optimising harder. You don\u2019t need to boast top sleep scores and be productive every minute of the day. It\u2019s about switching off, slowing down, and letting your brain rest properly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Modern life is busier than ever, so we\u2019re 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\u2019t familiar with Unplugged, think beautiful digital detox…<\/p>\nWhat is burnout?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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<\/h2>\nWhy \u2018rest\u2019 doesn\u2019t always mean what we think it does<\/b><\/h2>\n
10 ways to go more analogue (and beat burnout)<\/b><\/h1>\n
1. Cook from a physical recipe, not your phone<\/b><\/h2>\n
2. Treat your phone like a landline when you\u2019re at home<\/b><\/h2>\n
3. Leave your phone out of the bedroom<\/b><\/h2>\n
4. Read more physical books<\/b><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n5. Listen to music as a full album<\/b><\/h2>\n
6. Use a digital or disposable camera instead of your phone<\/b><\/h2>\n
7. Only reply to emails on your laptop<\/b><\/h2>\n
8. Write things down by hand (not your Notes app)<\/b><\/h2>\n
9. Replace scrolling time with a hobby<\/b><\/h2>\n
10. Leave your phone at home\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
Going analogue is the easiest way to beat burnout\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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