232: "Analog Path To Promotion: How Women Are Reclaiming Life Without Losing Momentum" ft. Alli Murphy

Erik and Alli Murphy reunite after a month-long hiatus and dig into why high-performing women (and increasingly everyone) are moving toward “analog” habits. They connect the trend to burnout fatigue, attention capture from devices, and a desire for creativity and real presence, then unpack what boundaries look like in practice without harming career momentum.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• Alli describes the push toward paper books, printed recipes, and even flip phones as a reaction to constant connectivity and the “infinite workday.”
• They compare two approaches to boundaries: external forcing functions (brick phones, screen blockers) versus internal experiments and team alignment.
• Erik and Alli explore the appeal of “romanticizing” older, simpler ways of living, including doing tactile activities like watercolor.
• Alli shares what she is seeing with clients: reclaiming life outside work can coexist with career growth, promotions, and leading larger programs.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Analog habits often function as a practical escape hatch from attention traps and 24/7 work reach.
• For some people, a physical barrier makes the behavior change easier; for others, experiments and clear agreements work better.
• The fear that boundaries will tank a career is frequently not supported by Alli’s client experience.
• Analog is not just nostalgia. It is a way to re-create focus, creativity, and presence in the middle of high achievement.

❓ Questions That Mattered

• What does it say about how hard it is to build boundaries if people feel they need a physical forcing function (like a brick or flip phone) instead?
• Are these analog shifts being driven by new content and coaching, or is the trend emerging organically from people seeking quiet and space?
• If you get your life back, does your career suffer, or does it actually change how you lead and perform?
• What “analog” practice could genuinely interrupt work-mode thinking for a person who struggles to turn their brain off?

🗣️ Notable Quotes

• “I was working on my book earlier today, and I was looking at Microsoft’s 2025 Workplace Trends Index… about this infinite workday.”
• “The forcing function is external, I think, is easier, especially when it comes to things like social media apps.”
• “The clients that I have… most of the time… the opposite is true. Getting your life back doesn’t mean your career tanks.”
• “If you’re learning to knit, you can’t really think about your KPIs… because you have to think about your stitch.”

🔗 Links & Resources

• Listen To Other Episodes Co-Hosted With Alli
• Check out Alli's Skool Community
• Microsoft 2025 Workplace Trends Index