Curiosity Weekly The Analog Movement
Apr 8, 2026
Dr. Natalia Khodayari, a UC Davis postdoc studying attention and digital media, explores the analog movement and its scientific roots. She talks about how screens shape attention and comparisons between digital and physical note-taking. Discussions cover analog practices, mindfulness links, drivers of the trend, and practical swaps like journals and flip phones.
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Phone Checking 200 Times a Day Harms Focus And Mood
- High phone use (≈6 hours/day) and checking up to 200 times daily disrupts focus and correlates with worse mental health.
- Khodayari links these patterns to disrupted sleep, reduced productivity, and higher depression and anxiety risk in students.
Handwriting Notes Boosts Retention Compared With Typing
- Writing notes by hand tends to improve retention compared with typing, suggesting different engagement with physical media.
- Khodayari notes iPad handwriting can mediate effects but physical note-taking often yields better memory.
Be Intentional With Media To Protect Attention
- Be intentional with media use to protect attention and presence in the moment.
- Khodayari highlights that mindful, deliberate engagement reduces FOMO-driven checking and helps maintain focus.