5 Canadian Ideas to Help You Unplug This Week
Want to spend less time scrolling and more time living? These Canadian brands and ideas make it easier to trade screen time for something better.
We often talk about unplugging, the need to disconnect. Sometimes I’ll even sit down with the intention of doing so, and somehow I find myself back to scrolling. Without a clear alternative in front of us, it can be difficult to break the habit.
Check out these ideas below to help you replace screen time with something BETTER.
1) Take Control Of Your Screen Time
Paced is a "shame-free" digital wellness tool that replaces traditional app blockers with a physical pattern interruption. Instead of just locking you out, it offers a "trade": you can wait out a cooldown timer or get moving, earning 3 minutes of screen time for every 100 steps you walk. It’s designed to snap you out of the "scroll trance" and turn a negative digital habit into a positive physical one.
Paced is a woman-owned company. Located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Follow along on their journey or on check them out on Facebook.
“I’m a Saskatoon-based Realtor who was tired of my phone "winning" over and over again, so I built a tool that feels like a partner in my health journey rather than a digital jailer.”
2) Improve Your Concentration with a Puzzle
Villager Puzzles offers 1000 piece puzzles - each one is designed by a Canadian woman artist, never AI.
Villager Puzzles is a woman-owned company. Located in Comox, British Columbia.
Follow along on their journey.
“We see hobbies as a form of self-care and we are on a mission to help you rediscover downtime. Remember when you used to play? Maybe it's time to try again.”
3) Join a Letter Writing Club
The Letter Writer’s Club is a space for people who still believe there is nothing quite like a handwritten note.
Owned by Cody Calligraphy, a woman-owned company. Based in Ottawa, Ontario.
Browse her services, classes and products.
Hear directly from Cody on what she’s calling the snail mail revival.
4) Grow from a Screen-Free Ritual
PleaseNotes is a personal growth brand designed to help you become your favourite version of you. They offer guided journals, planners, affirmation cards, and intentional gifts.
PleaseNotes is a Black and woman-owned company. Located in Calgary, Alberta.
Follow along on their journey.
“In order to give people a experiential education, Cheryl tapped into the time-tested practice of putting pen to paper.”
5) Build an Analogue Basket
Create an analogue basket - a small but meaningful way to interrupt the screen habit. An analogue basket is simply a collection of intentional, screen-free activities kept within reach. It gives your hands something to do that doesn't involve scrolling, notifications, or digital distraction.
BTN’s CMO, Rebecca Tate, shares what she has in her analogue basket here.
“For many people, especially those navigating busy seasons like motherhood (hi, it’s me!) it can be a gentle way to reclaim small pockets of attention and presence.”
What’s your favourite screen-free hobby? Share and tag us!