Need a Social-Media Detox? Start With an Analog Watch

“LIKE MOST millennials, I’m addicted to my phone,” said Hannah Baxter. The Brooklyn writer and brand consultant, 33, has lately been trying to cut down on her screen time, so she bought an analog watch—specifically a 1979 Rolex Lady-Datejust. It keeps her sufficiently apprised of the time without assaulting her with notifications. “That I have one less reason to pull [my phone] out of my pocket is a relief,” she said.

Ms. Baxter is among the many women who, as a form of self-care, are shunning techy time-tellers and opting for analog watches (old-school tickers that actually tick). It’s a move Deepika Chopra, a Los Angeles holistic psychologist, recommends to clients experiencing smartphone or social-media overload. Janet Ozzard, 58, felt a sense of freedom after ditching her digital tracker for Shinola’s mechanical Birdy watch earlier this year. “It felt increasingly unpleasant to wear an object that collected intimate data about me 24 hours a day,” said Ms. Ozzard, a writer and editor in Redding, Conn. “It was so nice to finally take it off” after nearly a decade of use, she added. Anne Huntington Sharma, 38, an executive in Sioux Falls, S.D., is pursuing similar relief. She hasn’t decided on her ideal watch yet, but she’s clear on one thing: “We’re already too connected.” Plus, she said, she doesn’t want to model tech-obsessed behavior for her kids.