A survey released in 2026 found that 50% of Americans say they’ve cut their screen time. Less time in front of phones, pads, laptops, televisions, everything. However, the generation leading the charge isn’t Boomers or Gen X, who have lived significantly longer without the Internet or social media, but the generation born into an already-online world.
Out of all the generations surveyed, Talker Research found that 63% of Gen Z made it a point to unplug and cut their screen time, followed by Millennials (57%), Gen X (42%), and then Baby Boomers (29%). Their reasons varied, but the folks surveyed said that having digital disconnection helped them feel more productive (42%), aware of what’s going on in their daily lives (33%), and present for their loved ones (33%).
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The people surveyed also reported that if they noticed that they spent too much time looking at screens, they tended to feel anxious (22%), irritable (18%), overwhelmed (25%), or just unsatisfied with their lives (19%). On average, the 2,000 participants felt disconnected and lonely while online about 70% of the time, meaning they did not feel like they had or were making any authentic connections. To sum it up, finding ways to disconnect from screens has reduced these negative feelings, making them happier. They're certainly not missing the doomscrolling.
@sonicradio Gen Z ditching their iphone for flip phones. We stan a motorola razr #flipphone #iphone #sonicradio
In order to reduce their screen time and reliance on the Internet or digital products, 84% of these Americans have adopted some day-to-day analog options and lifestyle trends that come directly from Boomers. The top ten analog trends, products, and habits reported were:
1. Writing notes in a notebook (32%)
2. Reading from printed books (31%)
3. Using paper calendars (28%)
4. Playing physical games like board games/puzzles (27%)
@wakayag what’s ur favorite board game??? & how many games do you think we played today??? #gamenight #genz #rainyday #fall #fyp
5. Using physical alarm clocks (27%)
6. Writing paper letters (23%)
7. Using physical planners (20%)
8. Listening to vinyl records or CDs (17%)
@tfrcharlotte They just want to actually own things! 💿 #genz #business #marketing
9. Wearing wristwatches (17%)
10. Using actual cameras and video recorders instead of their phones to capture images and videos (12%)
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If you feel down and too glued to your screens, you may want to try making small analog changes to change your mood for the better. As technology and the Internet continue to advance, it's becoming increasingly important to participate in grounded offline habits and hobbies to get some much-needed balance.
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