Tiffany Ferguson, #InternetAnalysis
Tiffany is a 24 year old Media Studies student in NYC. Her video series on YouTube #InternetAnalysis has helped us unpack the conflicted feelings we’ve experienced during lockdown. I can’t be the only person that’s clocked more screen time hours in lockdown - if I’m being 100% honest my TikTok obsession is getting out of control...
Our relationship with the internet, even before the world shut down, is complex and Tiffany’s series takes a look at the great and not so great impacts of growing up with the internet as a constant companion. Tiffany has been creating content on YouTube for a decade and is now a student based in Queens, New York. Her content covers topics from Our Productivity Obsession (that I want to chat more about today) to The Importance of Deleting Old Posts to The Dark sides of Flex Culture.
I don’t know about you, but during this lockdown I have been totally consumed by work and the need to feel like I have everything together and under control. A quick google or search on YouTube on “productivity” will spout endless tips on everything from bullet journaling to how to wake up at 5am everyday. I think in the course of the lockdown like a lot of people I’ve been re-examining the value I place on everyday activities like taking a walk with a friend or spending time with family.
I think it’s also about time we took another look at “hustle culture” and put an end to the glorification of the “boss bitch” on social media, at work and in our everyday conversations with friends. I’ve seen over the course of the last two months a rise in #riseandgrind content telling us to make the most of this time. The danger is that women’s empowerment becomes tied to traditional ideas of professional ‘success’. Working hard or working fast doesn’t equal progress. I wonder what the cost of this focus might be to the wider movement? As we reflect on what productivity looks like to us personally, it’s also important to call into question the impact that has on the brand of feminism we’re buying into - when we picture a successful woman what do we see and why? The common obsession with having it all feeds an illusion of control and ignores larger underlying systemic issues.
How do you define productivity right now?
Personally, I am trying not to measure my productivity on a given day based on the number of emails I have replied to, but on how I have been able to improve and protect my physical and mental health, connect with friends and family, and by learning to enjoy spending time with myself through reading and writing when it feels right for me.
Tiffany’s video “Our Productivity Obsession (even during a pandemic)” - ask the questions on everyone’s mind - should I take this time to be super productive or take time to relax? I recommend checking out Tiffany’s work for real, logical and soothingly relatable advice and shared experiences. If you’ve been wrestling with this same question, please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments - I’d love to hear how you have been feeling and dealing with the pressure to feel productive over the last few months.
To get you started, here’s the first two videos on this topic I recommend checking out:
Our Productivity Obsession (even during a pandemic)
#InternetAnalysis: our productivity obsession! especially during these ~strange times~, how do we balance productivity and relaxation?
Hustle Culture, Workaholism and Toxic Productivity
#InternetAnalysis: Let's discuss hustle culture, workaholism, and toxic productivity.
Check out Tiffany on Social too: