Most of us aren't asking if we're on our phones too much - we already know the answer. The real question is what we can replace that time with. 

After years of doom scrolling, notifications and algorithm-led downtime there seems to be a global shift toward intentional, analog hobbies. Activities that slow us down instead of speeding us up. Activities that let our minds wander without being pulled in a thousand different directions. 

Puzzling is quietly making a comeback. Not as something nostalgic or old fashioned but as a modern response to digital overload. 

The problem isn't technology, the problem is constant consumption. Phones aren't inherently bad. The connect us, inform us and entertain us. The problem is how little space we leave for boredom, focus and presence. 

We reach for our phones without thinking. Even 'rest time' feels overstimulating. Conversations happen alongside scrolling. Our hands are busy but our minds aren't satisfied. 

What we're craving isn't less stimulation, its better stimulation. Something tactile, absorbing. Something that lets us be where we are. 

Analog hobbies are back. These hobbies, reading physical books, cooking, crafting, puzzling, give us something that screens can't. A clear beginning and end. No notifications. A sense of progress you can see and feel. 

These hobbies allow us to be productive without being performative. No posting, no tracking, no optimising. Just doing. 

Puzzling is a sweet spot, focus without pressure. It's engaging but not stressful. Your hands stay busy and your phone stays down. Your mind is focused and also free. There is no rush to finish, in a world obsessed with speed, puzzling rewards patience. One of the most underrated benefits of puzzling is how it changes shared time. Puzzling creates side-by-side conversation, comfortable silence and a shared sense of progress. Perfect for slowing down after a busy day at work, weekends at home or where being together matters more than being entertained. 

In 2026 we're choosing how we spend our attention as its one of the most meaningful decisions we can make. We aren't trying to reject technology, we are trying to rebalance it. Creating space for presence and letting our brains rest in a way which feels rich and satisfying. 

It's not about productivity, its about time well spent. Slower, on purpose. Light a candle, put some music on, leave your phone in another room and get puzzling.