The Beginner's Guide to Being Chronically Offline

Summary

The narrator describes moving from constant phone-checking to using his phone mainly as a tool. His approach is not to abandon technology altogether, but to make offline activities more appealing and easier to choose.

Paper, Writing, and Connection

• Replace unpleasant office supplies with a pen, notebook, and paper you enjoy using.
• Improve your handwriting by slowing down and copying examples you like.
• Leave handwritten notes for family, neighbors, friends, and older relatives. Keep stamps handy so it’s easy to send them.
• Use a date stamp for fun, and carry a pocket notebook for ideas, reminders, and plans.
• Write in public: journal, plan your day, or work on a creative project.
• Make lists of both achievable and ambitious goals.
• Start a scrapbook with items such as tickets and stickers, or add a recurring doodle or character to your notebooks.

Everyday Offline Habits

• Wear an analog watch you like instead of relying on a phone or smartwatch to check the time.
• Collect useful or small items you enjoy, and carry some cash for places that don’t take cards.
• Tackle a small repair, keep a multitool nearby, and care for favorite clothes or shoes—for example, by cleaning shoes and replacing their laces.
• Call friends or family while cooking or walking.
• Carry a paper book you don’t mind getting worn, and keep a few interesting magazines or art and photography books around the house.
• Cook a recipe from a printed cookbook.
• Explore your local area with a map, get outdoors, and keep your phone tucked away.
• Try a week of physical media—books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, or cassettes—to reduce the endless choice of streaming.
• Learn a party trick, practice shuffling cards, or learn a simple magic trick.
• If possible, spend a few days somewhere with no communication, such as on a hike, at a festival, or in a cabin. A short break can shift your perspective without requiring a permanent technology-free life.

Notable Locations, Products, and People

• Locations: Granary Square and King’s Cross in London; South Fleet, London; Kentucky; and the narrator’s village.
• Products and places mentioned: Lamy Studio fountain pen, Emilio Bragga notebooks, Crown Mill paper, a Vaer G5 Pacific Steel GMT watch, pocket notebooks, multitools, printed books and magazines, and physical media.
• People mentioned: The narrator, Henry; Austin Kleon; Linda Barry; Dana; Charlie; Jaren; and Vaer founders Ryan Torres and Regan Cook.

The title and introduction refer to 31 habits, though the subtitles enumerate suggestions through number 32.