I think the major difference you might be looking for is tasks/media that are paced and motivated by the person doing/consuming them, and for that I heartily recommend books.

audio books are generally fine, but this is the key thing they lack. ebooks do this fine as long as the device youre reading on isn't networked. read some 'art in the age of mechanical reproduction' and 'society of the spectacle', then just some Utopian fiction, maybe start with le'guinn.

its not the time. its not even the specific technologies. it's the characteristics of the implementation of them. refine what you're longing for. try shit out. don't put on the nostalgia goggles.