INTHEBLACK November 2026 - Magazine - Page 58
TECH STACK
The case for
analogue
thinking
As workplaces become
more digital and distractions more
relentless, a surprising productivity
trend is emerging: going analogue.
From boosting creativity to improving
focus, classic note-taking tools are
proving they still have a place in
modern work.
Words Adam Turner
The rise of AI-powered assistants and digital
note-taking tools should have rendered pencils
and paper long obsolete. However, Sam Altman,
CEO of OpenAI, still reaches for a notepad
and pen to help him think. Likewise, Microsoft
co-founder Bill Gates always attends meetings
with a legal pad and pen in hand.
The two are among a growing number of
business executives who are putting aside
new technology when it is time to engage
in “analogue thinking”.
58 INTHEBLACK November 2026
TRIED AND TRUE
Holding a pen does not just make it easier to
sketch out creative ideas, but also helps tap into
the creative side of the brain.
While an iPad and stylus theoretically offer
the best of both worlds, dedicated note-taking
devices like the reMarkable tablet and Amazon
Kindle Scribe are growing in popularity.
They support a stylus and handwriting
recognition, but not the full suite of apps
and services available on other devices.
One of the key attractions of analogue
experiences, when a task requires full
concentration, is an escape from relentless
digital distractions. Working on a dedicated
device, whether it be paper or a note-taker
screen, removes the constant distraction of
notifications that pop-up on all-in-one devices.
Digital tools are well-suited to crunching
numbers — no accounting or finance professional
wants to go back to adding up columns of
numbers by hand. Yet, the tactile experience
