'My phone addiction was genuinely taking over my life. This is the only thing that fixed it.'

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I am about to get real honest about my highly addictive, highly distracting, and highly damaging phone habit. It's not cute. It's not fun. And it was genuinely starting to interfere with my life.

I'm the type of doom-scroller who starts watching TikToks in bed at 9pm and then would immediately start watching the same video on Instagram and then move over to Twitter (Sorry, I mean X) and then finish up on some viral Reddit threads at the decent hour of 2am. One of the healthiest nighttime routines, I reckon.

It was when I was at my most digitally fatigued that even my algorithm thought "this girl needs some help" and started showing me videos of women discussing their 'analogue bag'.

@siececampbell

How to get your screen time down!! a LOT of y'all made an analog bag + asked for a part 2, i have this one in my car usually. Put your phone down + go make one if you haven't already it'll take max 10 minutes. #analoglife #whimsywithsiece

♬ original sound - SIECE CAMPBELL

It's a new hack people are using to curb their screen time.

The concept is simple: find a bag (usually a large tote) that's separate from your everyday handbag and fill it with only non-digital activities. These can include anything from a crossword puzzle book to a small watercolour set.

Watch: Indy Clinton shares what's in her bag. Post continues below.

I like to think of it as a nappy bag, but for yourself.

Even though I was now pushing 2.30am, I instantly fell in love with this idea. It felt like the perfect way for me to physically leave my apartment and keep my phone at home.

So, I decided to make one myself.

My analogue bag was originally a tote bag. I have some essential items (well, essential to me), that includes a little makeup case, a mirror, a hat for sun safety, an umbrella for all the elements and a hairbrush (a full-size one, not a travel one).

A few of my favourite things.

My analogue items include:

A colouring-in book, my latest read (I'm currently addicted to an insane thriller called The Inheritance by Kate Horan), some pens and a bottle of water.

I did have two digital items in it— My Kobo (that I use to read books and journal) and my digital camera, which is ironic because it's actually my favourite analogue activity. It makes me be really selective about the picture I want to take, rather than just snapping away and having 16,000 photos on my phone (what if I saw a cool dog? Do you really expect me to not photograph it?).

Some actual analogue items.

THEN I have all my little knick-knacks. I have photos of my grandparents, a dry shampoo and a body mist (I'm currently using the OUAI Hair and Body mist because it smells like the most perfect tropical summer dream).

My actual essentials.

I would take my analogue bag to a local café or a park. This was all done in the name of reducing my screen time. But, I'm gonna be real with you… it was also (and more importantly) for the aesthetic. I wanted to be that main character sitting under a tree, reading a proudly chosen book, and colouring in without a care in the world.

Who is she? What's her story? Why is she so good-looking?— This is what I imagine people say to themselves when they see me out and about with my analogue bag.

Listen: The Mamamia Out Loud hosts discuss the 'Analogue Bag' and share everything they have in their handbags. Post continues below.

As I started to use my analogue bag more, it began to merge with my everyday. My trusty analogue activities were slowly being added to my work handbag, which is what I carry with me everywhere.

I realised that the true life-changing nature of the analogue bag wasn't actually the analogue activities themselves, but the shift in my mindset. I was so used to mindlessly scrolling that I had forgotten what it was like to actively engage with the world around me.

But now, I'm that person who can be at a park, watching a sunset, and actively not be tempted to pick up my phone.

I will say that my need to reduce my screen time has resulted in me turning into a semi-hoarder. I'm basically carrying around a mini-convenience store.

I'm not proud of everything that's in there. But I am proud that my need to constantly be entertained by a screen has subsided and the anxiety of not having my phone has gone away.

And honestly, in the highly-digital, always-on world we live in, I'm taking this as a win.

If you want more from Emily Vernem, you can follow her on Instagram @emilyvernem.

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Feature image: Supplied.