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Gen Z leads the way when it comes to taking a much-needed ‘digital detox,’ survey shows
In A Nutshell
- Despite growing up with smartphones, 63% of Gen Z now intentionally unplug, the highest rate of any generation.
- On average, 70% of time Americans spend online leaves them feeling disconnected and lonely rather than genuinely connected, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed (25%), anxious (22%), and irritable (18%).
- 84% of Americans have adopted analogue lifestyle choices, with 32% writing in notebooks, 31% reading printed books, and 28% using paper calendars to create boundaries screens can’t provide.
- 70% of Americans plan to read more in 2026, with half choosing physical books specifically, citing how reading makes them feel relaxed (46%), mentally stimulated (32%), and grounded (27%).
Half of Americans now deliberately spend less time on screens, and the choice is paying off. People who create screen-free windows in their day say they feel more productive, more present with loved ones, and more aware of what’s happening around them. But here’s the kicker: 70% of time spent online actually leaves people feeling disconnected and lonely rather than connected to others.
Gen Z is driving this shift. Despite growing up with smartphones as extensions of their hands, 63% now intentionally unplug. That’s the highest rate of any generation surveyed. Millennials follow at 57%, then Gen X at 42% and baby boomers at 29%. Digital natives, it turns out, are the first to recognize what all that connectivity is costing them.
Survey data from Talker Research reveals what happens when screens dominate: people feel overwhelmed (25%), anxious (22%), irritable (18%), and dissatisfied with their lives (19%). Those negative emotions build gradually until the device meant to provide relief becomes the source of stress.
Screen-Free Time Is Rising Across Generations
More than half of Gen Z (54%) and millennials (43%) now set aside dedicated offline periods each day, compared with 33% of Gen X and 22% of baby boomers. That intentional boundary-setting marks a shift from passive consumption to active choice about when devices get attention.
Barbara Hagen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ThriftBooks, which commissioned the survey, noted that “people are more aware than ever of the value of offline time.” That awareness is translating into action. Eighty-four percent of Americans report incorporating analogue lifestyle choices, meaning more non-digital tools and slower, more tangible ways of living into their routines.
What Digital Disconnection Looks Like in Practice
When Americans step away from screens, they’re picking up physical objects that create natural boundaries. Writing notes in notebooks tops the list at 32%, followed by reading printed books at 31%. Paper calendars claim 28%, while board games and puzzles attract 27%. Physical alarm clocks, chosen specifically to keep phones out of bedrooms, rank at 27%.
Nearly a quarter of people (23%) have returned to writing paper letters. Twenty percent use paper planners. Seventeen percent wear wristwatches for timekeeping instead of checking phones. Records or CDs and dedicated cameras each draw 17% and 12% adoption respectively.
These aren’t random nostalgic choices. A notebook doesn’t send notifications. A board game doesn’t auto-play the next episode. A watch tells time without delivering a flood of texts and app alerts. Physical objects force pauses that screens eliminate.
Reading Gains Ground Against Screen Time
Books are winning back attention. When people compare how reading makes them feel versus scrolling online, the gap is wide. Reading produces relaxation (46%), mental stimulation (32%), and a sense of being grounded (27%).
Seventy percent of Americans plan to read more in 2026, with half specifically choosing physical books over digital versions. Fiction and nonfiction will split fairly evenly: 29% expect equal amounts of both, 24% will focus more on nonfiction, and 22% plan to read more fiction.
“Reading books, especially printed ones, is an excellent way to slow down, ground yourself and really immerse yourself in an activity that gives back to you,” Hagen said. “Not only is it mentally stimulating, but it’s a great way to relax, calm down and get a break from our busy lives.”
The Bigger Picture
Two-thirds of Americans plan to embrace slow living in 2026. It’s a mindful approach prioritizing quality over speed. Gen Z (71%) and millennials (70%) lead here too, though the philosophy is spreading across age groups.
When people want offline time, they choose reading (32%), face-to-face time with friends and family (51%), hands-on hobbies (31%), and outdoor activities (41%). More than three-quarters (77%) say that as they’ve aged, they’ve realized how much the real world matters compared to the online one.
Let’s not get too carried away: Americans aren’t abandoning technology. They’re reclaiming control over when and how they use it. Digital tools provide real utility, but utility and omnipresence aren’t the same thing. A phone can be useful without being ever-present. As 2026 begins, that distinction is finally becoming clear.
Survey Methodology
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans with internet access between December 2 and 5, 2025. The study was commissioned by ThriftBooks and conducted online. The research captures self-reported data about screen time habits, offline activities, and emotional responses to technology use. Respondents answered questions about their current behavior and future intentions for 2026. The survey methodology follows standards set by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Transparency Initiative. Full methodology details and the complete questionnaire are available through Talker Research.
I appreciate the comments from the older folks — I’m one of them — that point out that there are GREAT benefits to the digital age. (And there are a LOT of them.) But I would add that this advice comes from people who already spent a great deal of their early life WITHOUT said technology and so were able to set boundaries at that stage of their life without a lot of digital influence interferring with it.
These young people have not had that. They’ve been inundated by the digital experience since they were so high. And so now they are busy setting their own boundaries as well and doing it in their own way. I applaud them for this. It shows genius thinking in my opinion. When they eventually come (back) to the digital world or decide how they wish to interact with it, their boundaries will be well-set and regarded, you know, just like you have now. 😉
I have to disagree with most of all this. GenZ can do what they want but I’m 80 years old and I can read a back-lit screen MUCH easier than a paper book. There is no comparison between the confidence provided by Google Maps rather than trying to read a paper map while driving.
Ever try to find fuel recommendations for an ecoboost Ford engine thumbing through a paper owners’ manual? How about taking 5 minutes writing down a fuel purchase in a dark car at night rather than 1 minute to record it in a phone app? Read a paper newspaper in an average lighted living room? On a back lit tablet, nothing to it, with or without my reading glasses.
Sorry, folks, but I find the digital world adds tons of ease and fun to my life. Nobody forces you to answer every call or text immediately.
Agreed. Lots of benefits to be found online if used properly. However, like you, I’m old enough to have made it well into adulthood before the Internet became prevalent, so I already know how to unplug if needed.
As dumb as I was, teachers emphasized reading and more reading. Over time, a few subjects fascinated me and the ‘bulb’ turn on, ending up a Sr Engineer at a Fortune 10 Company. READ!