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'The Internet's Best Friend': TikTok Comedian Gets Laughs While Raising Mental Health Awareness

'The Internet's Best Friend': TikTok Comedian Gets Laughs While Raising Mental Health Awareness

The negative effects of social media can be substantial. But then again, so can the positive ones. A 2019 study found that routine social media use is associated with improved social wellbeing, positive mental health and self-rated health. This suggests that social media can be a good thing if you're an intentional and mindful user.

Social media can be a powerful tool for expressing yourself, bringing awareness to social issues and sharing compelling stories that resonate with your audience. Enter Elyse Myers, a comedian who uses platforms like TikTok and Instagram to share stories (like her infamous date where she bought 100 tacos), to make people laugh and to talk about her mental health. In a world of filters that give you bunny ears, there is Myers. She has become a staple of authenticity and honesty that people look to; she's even lending her expertise to events like a mental health panel at VidCon next month.

I had the chance to sit down and talk to Myers about how she uses access to 5.3 million followers across platforms to normalize things like anxiety, depression and self-care. 

Social media can be used to talk about important topics

In the last few years, especially with the rising popularity of TikTok, social media has become a prominent tool for discussing important topics -- including mental health. If you've scrolled through Instagram or TikTok, you've probably come across Myers and her trademark "Great question, I would love to tell you." Her approachability and passion for bringing attention to topics like anxiety and depression with her storytelling have earned her the title of "The internet's best friend." 

Elyse Myers TikTok

For Myers, using her platforms to cover these topics came about naturally, she said. "I never really like woke up one day and thought, you know what, today I'm going to talk about my depression. It just naturally kind of happened because it's something that I'm so passionate about," Myers said. 

"The more we can casually drop it into our conversations and not apologize for it, I think that that's a really powerful thing, and I think that more people need to do that," she added.

She described a journey of being more open and intentional with her platform over time. Besides making people laugh, she wanted to destigmatize normal (yet sensitive) things many people live with. And it turned out that people connected to her and what she had to say. 

"Early on, I was talking about my anxiety and social anxiety. I think I was more pointed with my conversations when I realized that not a lot of people are doing it online and people really resonated with it. I just was so encouraged that people were encouraged by my videos talking about mental health."

You can create and engage in a meaningful community

Social media isn't just a place to bring awareness to things; it's also a place to build and engage in a community. Myers took the time to cultivate connections with her viewers. "I have made a huge point of being very active in my comments and creating community. It's really important for me to not just create content dumping on people that are consuming it and walking away. I don't do that in real life, and I don't want to do that online," she said.

Many have latched onto the positivity Myers offers, which has led to a remarkable community that celebrates mental health and healthy boundaries. The comment sections of her videos, which she described as "overwhelmingly positive," have become a place to connect, share stories and encourage others. And make real change in their lives. 

Elyse Myers TikTok

"I've had people share with me that because I have been so open to talking about my mental health, they've found a therapist for the first time in their life. Or that they have told their families that they've been struggling with certain mental illnesses or addictions," Myers said. 

Communities can be a really powerful thing, both on and off social media. Myers shared an anecdote about a group of Patreon subscribers who "fell in love with being friends" and threw one woman a virtual baby shower. They met through Myers' Patreon, and their friendship developed past casual commenters and into clicking "I'll be there" on an e-invite. 

But you'll have to manage the negativity 

With the good comes the bad -- and there's plenty of negativity on social media. Even with the success stories and actual friendships she has helped grow, nasty comments have been a part of the process. Myers described her experience of becoming "less of a person" to some as her platforms grew. 

"I think that people originally, when my content started coming out, still saw me as a whole person and that it was a person behind the videos," Myers shared. "As my followers have grown, as my influence has grown a little bit and my presence online has grown, people have gotten more comfortable with the fact that maybe I won't see all of the comments." And so they may feel more free to say negative things.

Myers is a comedian with millions of people viewing her content. So, yes, she may get more negativity than most, but those experiences are not limited to influencers on the internet. Not seeing each other as people on social media is a mindset that can be damaging. Comparing yourself with others can lower your self-esteem and damage how you view yourself. 

With filters and social media algorithms, it's easy to forget that the person on your screen is a real person. Managing the uncertainty others bring to social media or how it can potentially negatively affect you is difficult. However, we can all start by viewing each other as people, not products or things or images we'll never live up to.

Tips to make sure social media doesn't bring you down  

It's essential to know your limits with social media. For Myers, who uses social media as part of her job, it's sometimes hard to separate it. Myers shared that the negativity she receives is sometimes hard to ignore. "It's been pretty difficult. It really has weighed on my mental health, the last couple of months, but I'm trying really hard to not engage with it."

Use these tips to help recognize when social media is becoming a negative influence on your mental health.

Don't just post because you feel like you need to

No matter how you use social media -- for your job or recreationally -- sometimes there is pressure to post. How else will your followers know what's going on with you?

"A lot of the time you'll see somebody have initial success, and people are amped and then they feel like they have to repeat that same success over and over and over and over again, or they will become irrelevant," Myers said.

Myers suggests that you shouldn't create or post out of desperation just to get something out there. When you use social media a lot and become emotionally dependent on the feedback you get, it can worsen symptoms of anxiety or depression. Don't treat yourself like a content mill that has to post to get likes. Social media is at its best when it's a supplement to your lifestyle, not everything. 

"When I feel that pressure, that's when I feel the most burnt out, the most tired, the most resentful [toward] my audience, [toward] my job. And that's not healthy for my content, but it definitely isn't healthy for me, as a person, as a mom, as a wife, as a friend," Myers said. 

Define your red flags and take a step back when you need to

This one seems obvious, but it can be one of the hardest to nail down. Being able to identify red flags for your mental health can help you take a step back from social media. Whether it is worsening feelings of anxiety or depression or feeling disconnected from those around you, there will be signs that you need to take a break. Check in on yourself and be intentional about noticing patterns in your mood, how you feel and the quality of sleep you're getting. This will help determine when you need to step away or take a digital detox. 

Don't forget what social media can do

Social media doesn't have to be a place where you only display your best self. And it doesn't have to be a place where you engage with negative comments. When used intentionally, social media can be a really good thing. 

Myers uses it to make people laugh and talk about mental health, but you can keep up with old friends, connect with others or even find new ways to decorate your living room. Social media can be a powerful way to bring awareness about issues and connect with others, but using it should never be at the expense of your mental wellbeing.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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What is 'twee' and why is TikTok debating its return?

What is 'twee' and why is TikTok debating its return?

In 2021, TikTok unseated Google as the most popular domain on the Internet, and now it's looking like it'll take over Instagram as the ultimate home for fashion influencers. 

With one of the largest audiences on the planet, TikTok is responsible for the rise and fall of many a trend. When TikTok speaks, people listen. Lately, however, TikTok fashionistas have been divided over the potential resurgence of a very specific and iconic trend: twee. 

@flashesofstyle How are we feeling about this resurgence? Idk yet 😅 #twee#tweestyle#tweefashion#fypシ#fyp♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

Even if you're unfamiliar with the word, you'll likely recognize the look. Think early 2013 ModCloth aesthetic -- swooping bangs, Peter Pan collars, cutesy cardigans, skater skirts with patterned tights, red lipstick, ukuleles and typewriters. 

Essentially, look at almost any image of Zooey Deschanel circa 2011-2014 to be smacked in the face with twee, or hipster fashion. It was an incredibly popular aesthetic, especially among the Tumblr crowd.

@steffydegref It's back, and I've been waiting forever. #twee#indie#indiesleaze#tumblr♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

On the one hand, some users are adamant that the trend is returning, warning fashion followers to ready their ballet flats and berets. Others, however, are dismissing it as the latest in a line of TikTok algorithm bubbles destined to burn itself out on speculation and drama. 

Regardless of whether it's back, though, it's already facing backlash. So why is an aesthetic causing so much division? 

Here's the thing: It's not really about fashion at all. When you boil it down, the underlying issues of the debate aren't based on clothing choices. They're based on deceptive algorithms, negative online behavior and the fear of a cyclical internet. 

The TikTok bubble effect

TikTok's algorithm is designed to know you better than you know yourself. It serves you endless customized videos that pay attention to your interactions, all to ensure you see the exact content you'll enjoy most. 

But the funny thing about humans is that we actually have a very poor understanding of scale and relevance outside of our own bubbles. So, if you're getting inundated with a particular sound or trend on TikTok, your brain will likely think that it's a much bigger deal than it is. 

Despite not having that many actual videos comparatively -- just under 7,000 for the main TikTok sound -- the twee revival debate is causing real-world trend forecasters to pay attention. Why? Because, as was the case when TikTok witches caused a real-world fuss by "hexing the moon," even microcosms and pockets of the internet have the capacity to create great social influence and change. 

What's so scary about twee?

The initial wave of twee came at a time when Tumblr popularity was paramount -- the more reblogs you had on a cutesy photo with a poetic caption, the more indie and iconic you were. It was an attitude as much as a fashion movement, similar to what we'd now call hipsters.

Unfortunately, however, it also came with some deeply concerning attitudes toward body types and elitism.

@wannabehayleywilliams We still have time, audio still has less than 550 videos under it. #tumblr#2014tumblr#aesthetic#twee♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

Between 2011 and 2014, Tumblr had itself a serious eating disorder and self harm problem, with countless blogs devoted to promoting and striving for anorexia and "thinspiration." Coinciding with the peak of twee popularity, the aesthetic went hand-in-hand with harmful "thinspo" propaganda – anyone who wasn't thin enough wasn't considered "twee" so much as "frumpy." It was elitist and dangerous.

As a result, the lingering perception of twee and indie sleaze for people who were on Tumblr in those days is often one of perilously thin legs clad in tights or sepia-toned cardigans covering self-harm scars.

We've learned a lot since the Tumblr days. We grew out of the mustache trend, we learned that Tom was the real villain in classic twee film (500) Days of Summer, but the Internet hasn't fully caught up with body neutrality and progress. 

To this day, social media sites struggle to keep a lid on pro-anorexia content, with Instagram coming under fire for its failure to protect teens from that sort of content as recently as last month.

With TikTok already having faced similar issues, people noticing the resurgence of twee are concerned that, while we may dust off the cardigans and tights, we haven't come far enough to leave the harmful attitudes behind. 

@rebxtat Maybe sharing a hot take whilst cleaning out my fish tank x #twee♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

@vonmunster i looked like this and listened to chelsea grin #twee#indie#tumblr♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

Do we need to worry about this?

As is so often the case online, the discourse surrounding the twee debate is bigger than the debate itself. What started as a simple trend revival has grown legs in part due to the attention that naysayers have brought upon it.

But as for whether we should be worried, it really comes down to how much faith people have in their own capacity to regulate content and how much they trust social media to keep the dangerous ideas at bay. 

The concern is that if the negative associations with twee come back alongside the trend, there could be microcosms and TikTok algorithm bubbles circulating the same dangerous ideas and mentalities that caused such uproar on Tumblr. 

In an article from The Guardian, it's suggested that TikTok could actually end up being more dangerous because of the demographic of its users. It's not hard to circumnavigate word restrictions -- we've already seen users get around TikTok censorship with intentional spelling mistakes -- and with so many young users it's a concern.

Sure, there may not be that many videos about it now, but for the people who live within that bubble, it feels big, and the power of teenage girl influence shouldn't be underestimated. 

Let's just remember for a moment that nobody is arguing the merits of the actual clothes, though I'm sure nobody wants twee revival to venture into mustache-core again. Nobody is scared of a plaid skirt and tights combo. 

But given the damage that the wider twee-thinspo Tumblr pairing did in the early 2010s, it's little wonder people are apprehensive.

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Here's How a Digital Detox Will Benefit Your Mental Health

Here's How a Digital Detox Will Benefit Your Mental Health

We go about our day-to-day lives attached to our phones. They wake us up in the morning, and we check our emails and social media as soon as we open our eyes. We spend a big chunk of the day glued to a screen, be it a computer, laptop or phone. In fact, nearly half of smartphone users in the US say they can't imagine life without their phones.

According to a February 2021 survey, 46% of respondents said they spend an average of 5 to 6 hours a day on their phones for non-work-related use. Another study conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that, on average, Americans spend around 3 hours a day watching TV. 

It's safe to say that we've become heavily dependent on our phones for pretty much everything. But, how is the use of technology affecting our mental health? And what can we do to offset that dependency?

Many have turned to digital detoxes as a way to disconnect from technology. Research links digital detoxes to the improvement of depression symptoms, among other mental health benefits. Ready to try a digital detox? Here's what you need to know.

Morsa Images/Getty

What is a digital detox?

A digital detox is when you completely abstain or intentionally reduce your time using electronic devices like smartphones, computers, TVs and tablets. The idea of a digital detox is to disconnect from the online world to focus more on the present moment without distractions. The most common things people avoid during a digital detox include:

• Emails
  
• Text messages
  
• Video games
  
• Watching TV
  
• Smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers
  

What is a social media detox?

Like a digital detox, a social media detox is when someone refrains from engaging with or using social media for a period of time or indefinitely to improve their mental health and well-being. It's one of the most popular forms of digital detox.

A quantitative study conducted on college students who underwent social media detoxes that lasted from one to seven days found that most students reported positive changes in mood, better productivity, improved sleep and reduced anxiety.

Another study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology found that limiting social media to 30 minutes a day can significantly improve one's overall well-being.

How social media affects mental health

There's no denying we benefit a lot from social media. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok keep us connected to friends and family while also serving as an outlet to find inspiring people. However, the constant comparison, fear of missing out and highly curated content we're exposed to on social media can come with some drawbacks.

A 2020 systematic review linked social media to detrimental effects on the mental health of its users. The same study found that those people's levels of anxiety and depression are affected by social media envy -- being envious of someone else's life as perceived on social media.

"Time spent scrolling through social media has the potential to promote unreasonable expectations as we see influencers posting an often filtered and edited version of their seemingly perfect lives. This can trigger feelings that others are having more fun or living better lives than you are, potentially causing a negative impact on your mental health. The increasing popularity of photo filters has also been linked to poor self-esteem and self-image as we manipulate our photos to change our reality online," says Myra Altman, who holds a PhD and is VP of Clinical Care at Modern Health. 

Georgijevic/Getty

Benefits of a digital detox

There may be personal reasons to consider a digital detox. It could be that you feel like technology is a distraction, or you just need some time away from the stressors of the online world. Whatever the reason may be, you are sure to see many benefits from taking a break from technology.

Here are some of the most common benefits of a digital detox.

Reduced anxiety and depression

According to a recent study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, a social media break of just a week can reduce anxiety and depression. The same study found causal evidence that even short breaks from social media can positively impact a person's overall well-being, life satisfaction and emotions.

Enhanced focus and increased productivity

This one should come as no surprise. When we are free from distractions, we allow ourselves to be more present. Mindless scrolling on social media, checking notifications on your phone and feeling the urge to reply immediately to emails are time consumers. When we set aside distractions, we allow more time to focus on our responsibilities. 

Improved sleep

Disconnecting from electronic devices a few hours before going to sleep can significantly improve our quality of sleep. One study found that people who used social media before bed were more likely to have anxiety, insomnia and short sleep duration on weeknights.

Avoiding screen time before bed also reduces our exposure to blue light, which has been associated with disrupted sleep.

Meaningful connections in real life

Think about the last time you were anywhere alone at the doctor's office, standing in line at the grocery store or waiting for your friend at a table in a restaurant. How much of that time was spent glued to your phone? The answer is probably a lot. 

A small 2019 study found that smartphones alter the fabric of social interactions. In the experiment, a group of strangers was put in a waiting room with or without their phones. The study found that those who had their phones present were less likely to smile at someone compared to those without a phone.

Setting your phone aside can help you stay engaged with those around you.

Luis Alvarez/Getty

More time for things that bring you joy

Have you ever thought about how many times a day you pick up your phone to check your emails, respond to messages and check social media? According to a survey conducted by Asurion, a global tech care company, respondents checked their phones on average 96 times a day. To put that in perspective, that's once every 10 minutes.

"One reason to consider a social media detox is to regain authority in your life and time. Many people find themselves scrolling for hours a day and then feel unproductive, leading to anxiety and depression. A detox can help put a pause on social media consumption and allow you to regain interest in other hobbies that bring happiness. The detox can also allow you the time you need to be with those you love in real life," says Raghu Kiran Appasani, MD Psychiatry and Founder and CEO of The MINDS Foundation. 

Signs that you might need a break from technology

If you made your way to this page, chances are you are already considering a digital detox -- which is a sign itself that you might need a break from your electronic devices. The best way to know you need a digital detox is to check in with yourself and see how interacting with social media and technology makes you feel.

• If you feel any of the following when engaging with the online world, it's time to say goodbye (for now) to technology:
  
• Anxiety, stress or depression after checking social media
  
• Social withdrawal
  
• Urge to check your phone every few minutes
  
• Trouble concentrating and staying focused on the task at hand
  
• Imposter syndrome or feeling insecure about where you are in life
  
• Disrupted sleep
  
• Feeling obligated to respond immediately to emails and text messages
  

How to do a digital detox

If you're ready for a digital detox challenge but aren't sure where to start, we got you. It's important to remember why you're detoxing from your digital devices in the first place. The goal is to create boundaries that ensure you're using technology in a way that benefits and works for you. Ultimately, you want to feel good about the time you are dedicating online.

Set realistic goals

A digital detox can be anything you want it to be. It can be refraining from using any type of technology, disconnecting from social media or just limiting daily screen time. The most important thing to keep in mind is that whatever you want to achieve has to be realistic. For example, if your work requires you to be in front of a computer all day, it may not be wise to set a goal that won't allow you access to your computer. Instead, you can opt to set screen time limits on your free time.

Create healthy boundaries and limits

Sometimes disconnecting completely from electronic devices isn't possible, but setting boundaries is a great way to limit how much time we spend on electronic devices. 

Here are some ideas of other times you can create limits for:

• When working out: If you want to get the most out of your workout, try to avoid any distractions. If you like to listen to music while doing so, you can download your music beforehand and set your phone to airplane mode so that you don't get any notifications.
  
• Before going to sleep: Smartphones were designed to keep us alert and productive, so the last thing we want is to bombard our brains with more information. Sleep experts recommend cutting off screen time 30 minutes to 1 hour before bed.
  
• When waking up: You never know what you will encounter when you look at your phone. Seeing bad news as soon as you wake up can trigger your stress response and leave you feeling anxious all day. Allow yourself some time to wake up without outside distractions and enjoy the present moment.
  
• While enjoying a meal: If you're scrolling through your phone while you eat, you may not be aware of how much you are eating and miss your body's cue that it is full. Instead, you can practice mindful eating and savor every moment of your meal.
  
• When spending time with the people you love: It's good to keep your phone away or silent when socializing and spending time with people. When you limit your distractions, you can have deeper and more meaningful conversations.
  

Occupy yourself with things that nourish your mind and body

You've decided to do a digital detox, you put away your phone, now what? It's easy to give in to checking your phone if you are bored, so you'll want to fill in this extra time with things that make you feel good.

If you are having a hard time figuring out what to do with your extra time, here are some ideas.

• Pick up a new hobby, something you've always wanted to try.
  
• Go for a walk or a hike
  
• Call a family member you haven't talked to in a while
  
• Go for coffee with a friend
  
• Read a new book (or reread your favorite one)
  
• Journal about how you're feeling right now
  
• Volunteer at a local charity that is doing important work
  
• Learn to cook a new recipe
  
• Sign up for an exercise class like kick-boxing, yoga or pilates
  
• Meditate or practice mindful breathing 
  

Klaus Vedfelt/Getty

Reward yourself for following through

It's easier to stay motivated when looking forward to something, so take this opportunity to celebrate your wins by rewarding yourself. It doesn't have to be something grand (though it can be if you want); it can be as simple as cooking your favorite meal or taking yourself out to the movies. Whatever you decide your reward should be, make sure it's something that excites you.

Tips for your digital detox

Some people will find it fairly easy to disconnect from digital devices, while others may find it more challenging. Luckily, there are some things you can do before you go off the grid to ensure that you have a successful digital detox.

• If you're doing a social media detox, delete the apps from your phone and sign out from your account on your computer, laptop or tablet.
  
• Let your friends and family know about your detox and the best ways for them to contact you and provide support.
  
• Schedule activities to keep you busy beforehand.
  
• Track your progress. You can write down how you're feeling each day, seeing tangible progress may keep you motivated.
  
• Mute or turn off notifications on your phone and computer
  
• Designate tech-free zones in your house, like your bedroom or dining room.
  
• Remember why you started. If you feel the need to check your phone throughout your detox, think of how you felt before starting and why you decided to take a break.
  

Be patient with yourself

Deciding to disconnect from the digital world can make you feel anxious or even scared of missing out on important things, and it's okay to feel that way. As the days go by, you'll start to feel better about yourself and have a deeper understanding of your relationship with technology. Take the time to enjoy being present and do things that bring you happiness.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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TikTok is reportedly testing 5-minute videos

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TikTok is reportedly testing 5-minute videos

If you're still getting used to TikTok's longer, three-minute videos that rolled out to the masses last month, buckle up for this possible update. The company is reportedly testing videos that are up to five minutes long, according to social media commentator Matt Navarra.

Navarra tweeted a screenshot of an account update from TikTok that reads: "Upload videos up to 5 minutes long from your device. Make sure you're using the latest version of TikTok before trying out the feature on your app or tiktok.com."

TikTok didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company first experimented with increasing its 60-second limit in December, when it began testing three-minute videos. It rolled out the longer format in July. Now it looks like users may soon start to see even longer clips.

The short-form video space is competitive, which means changes are common and frequent. In September, Instagram extended the time limit for clips on its TikTok competitor, Reels, from 15 seconds to 30 seconds. In July, it bumped that limit to 60 seconds. 

It's possible TikTok is even looking beyond five-minute videos. Navarra also posted a tweet that appears to show the company is experimenting with 10-minute videos, too. 

TikTok users will surely have mixed feelings about the potential changes, with some already sounding off on Navarra's tweet.

"YouTube is typing," one tweet reads, referring to how TikTok's longer videos now more closely resemble those on YouTube, which launched its own TikTok competitor Shorts last year.

Another expressed feelings with this timeless Michael Scott meme.

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What is 'twee' and why is TikTok debating its return?

What is 'twee' and why is TikTok debating its return?

In 2021, TikTok unseated Google as the most popular domain on the Internet, and now it's looking like it'll take over Instagram as the ultimate home for fashion influencers. 

With one of the largest audiences on the planet, TikTok is responsible for the rise and fall of many a trend. When TikTok speaks, people listen. Lately, however, TikTok fashionistas have been divided over the potential resurgence of a very specific and iconic trend: twee. 

@flashesofstyle How are we feeling about this resurgence? Idk yet 😅 #twee#tweestyle#tweefashion#fypシ#fyp♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

Even if you're unfamiliar with the word, you'll likely recognize the look. Think early 2013 ModCloth aesthetic -- swooping bangs, Peter Pan collars, cutesy cardigans, skater skirts with patterned tights, red lipstick, ukuleles and typewriters. 

Essentially, look at almost any image of Zooey Deschanel circa 2011-2014 to be smacked in the face with twee, or hipster fashion. It was an incredibly popular aesthetic, especially among the Tumblr crowd.

@steffydegref It's back, and I've been waiting forever. #twee#indie#indiesleaze#tumblr♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

On the one hand, some users are adamant that the trend is returning, warning fashion followers to ready their ballet flats and berets. Others, however, are dismissing it as the latest in a line of TikTok algorithm bubbles destined to burn itself out on speculation and drama. 

Regardless of whether it's back, though, it's already facing backlash. So why is an aesthetic causing so much division? 

Here's the thing: It's not really about fashion at all. When you boil it down, the underlying issues of the debate aren't based on clothing choices. They're based on deceptive algorithms, negative online behavior and the fear of a cyclical internet. 

The TikTok bubble effect

TikTok's algorithm is designed to know you better than you know yourself. It serves you endless customized videos that pay attention to your interactions, all to ensure you see the exact content you'll enjoy most. 

But the funny thing about humans is that we actually have a very poor understanding of scale and relevance outside of our own bubbles. So, if you're getting inundated with a particular sound or trend on TikTok, your brain will likely think that it's a much bigger deal than it is. 

Despite not having that many actual videos comparatively -- just under 7,000 for the main TikTok sound -- the twee revival debate is causing real-world trend forecasters to pay attention. Why? Because, as was the case when TikTok witches caused a real-world fuss by "hexing the moon," even microcosms and pockets of the internet have the capacity to create great social influence and change. 

What's so scary about twee?

The initial wave of twee came at a time when Tumblr popularity was paramount -- the more reblogs you had on a cutesy photo with a poetic caption, the more indie and iconic you were. It was an attitude as much as a fashion movement, similar to what we'd now call hipsters.

Unfortunately, however, it also came with some deeply concerning attitudes toward body types and elitism.

@wannabehayleywilliams We still have time, audio still has less than 550 videos under it. #tumblr#2014tumblr#aesthetic#twee♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

Between 2011 and 2014, Tumblr had itself a serious eating disorder and self harm problem, with countless blogs devoted to promoting and striving for anorexia and "thinspiration." Coinciding with the peak of twee popularity, the aesthetic went hand-in-hand with harmful "thinspo" propaganda – anyone who wasn't thin enough wasn't considered "twee" so much as "frumpy." It was elitist and dangerous.

As a result, the lingering perception of twee and indie sleaze for people who were on Tumblr in those days is often one of perilously thin legs clad in tights or sepia-toned cardigans covering self-harm scars.

We've learned a lot since the Tumblr days. We grew out of the mustache trend, we learned that Tom was the real villain in classic twee film (500) Days of Summer, but the Internet hasn't fully caught up with body neutrality and progress. 

To this day, social media sites struggle to keep a lid on pro-anorexia content, with Instagram coming under fire for its failure to protect teens from that sort of content as recently as last month.

With TikTok already having faced similar issues, people noticing the resurgence of twee are concerned that, while we may dust off the cardigans and tights, we haven't come far enough to leave the harmful attitudes behind. 

@rebxtat Maybe sharing a hot take whilst cleaning out my fish tank x #twee♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

@vonmunster i looked like this and listened to chelsea grin #twee#indie#tumblr♬ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him

Do we need to worry about this?

As is so often the case online, the discourse surrounding the twee debate is bigger than the debate itself. What started as a simple trend revival has grown legs in part due to the attention that naysayers have brought upon it.

But as for whether we should be worried, it really comes down to how much faith people have in their own capacity to regulate content and how much they trust social media to keep the dangerous ideas at bay. 

The concern is that if the negative associations with twee come back alongside the trend, there could be microcosms and TikTok algorithm bubbles circulating the same dangerous ideas and mentalities that caused such uproar on Tumblr. 

In an article from The Guardian, it's suggested that TikTok could actually end up being more dangerous because of the demographic of its users. It's not hard to circumnavigate word restrictions -- we've already seen users get around TikTok censorship with intentional spelling mistakes -- and with so many young users it's a concern.

Sure, there may not be that many videos about it now, but for the people who live within that bubble, it feels big, and the power of teenage girl influence shouldn't be underestimated. 

Let's just remember for a moment that nobody is arguing the merits of the actual clothes, though I'm sure nobody wants twee revival to venture into mustache-core again. Nobody is scared of a plaid skirt and tights combo. 

But given the damage that the wider twee-thinspo Tumblr pairing did in the early 2010s, it's little wonder people are apprehensive.

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TikTok Parents Are Taking Advantage of Their Kids. It Needs to Stop

TikTok Parents Are Taking Advantage of Their Kids. It Needs to Stop

Rachel Barkman's son started accurately identifying different species of mushroom at the age of 2. Together they'd go out into the mossy woods near her home in Vancouver and forage. When it came to occasionally sharing in her TikTok videos her son's enthusiasm and skill for picking mushrooms, she didn't think twice about it -- they captured a few cute moments, and many of her 350,000-plus followers seemed to like it.

That was until last winter, when a female stranger approached them in the forest, bent down and addressed her son, then 3, by name and asked if he could show her some mushrooms. 

"I immediately went cold at the realization that I had equipped complete strangers with knowledge of my son that puts him at risk," Barkman said in an interview this past June. 

This incident, combined with research into the dangers of sharing too much, made her reevaluate her son's presence online. Starting at the beginning of this year, she vowed not to feature his face in future content. 

"My decision was fueled by a desire to protect my son, but also to protect and respect his identity and privacy, because he has a right to choose the way he is shown to the world," she said.

These kinds of dangers have cropped up alongside the rise in child influencers, such as 10-year-old Ryan Kaji of Ryan's World, who has almost 33 million subscribers, with various estimates putting his net worth in the multiple tens of millions of dollars. Increasingly, brands are looking to use smaller, more niche, micro- and nano-influencers, developing popular accounts on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to reach their audiences. And amid this influencer gold rush there's a strong incentive for parents, many of whom are sharing photos and videos of their kids online anyway, to get in on the action. 

The increase in the number of parents who manage accounts for their kids -- child influencers' parents are often referred to as "sharents" -- opens the door to exploitation or other dangers. With almost no industry guardrails in place, these parents find themselves in an unregulated wild west. They're the only arbiters of how much exposure their children get, how much work their kids do, and what happens to money earned through any content they feature in.

"Once public engagement happens, it is very hard, if not impossible, to really put meaningful boundaries around it."

Leah Plunkett, author, Sharenthood

Instagram didn't respond to multiple requests for comment about whether it takes any steps to safeguard child influencers. A representative for TikTok said the company has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and pointed to policies to protect accounts of users under the age of 16. But these policies don't apply to parents posting with or on behalf of their children. YouTube didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

"When parents share about their children online, they act as both the gatekeeper -- the one tasked with protecting a child's personal information -- and as the gate opener," said Stacey Steinberg, a professor of law at the University of Florida and author of the book Growing Up Shared. As the gate opener, "they benefit, gaining both social and possibly financial capital by their online disclosures."

The reality is that some parents neglect the gatekeeping and leave the gate wide open for any internet stranger to walk through unchecked. And walk through they do.

Meet the sharents

Mollie is an aspiring dancer and model with an Instagram following of 122,000 people. Her age is ambiguous but she could be anywhere from 11-13, meaning it's unlikely she's old enough to meet the social media platform's minimum age requirement. Her account is managed by her father, Chris, whose own account is linked in her bio, bringing things in line with Instagram's policy. (Chris didn't respond to a request for comment.)

You don't have to travel far on Instagram to discover accounts such as Mollie's, where grown men openly leer at preteen girls. Public-facing, parent-run accounts dedicated to dancers and gymnasts -- who are under the age of 13 and too young to have accounts of their own -- number in the thousands. (To protect privacy, we've chosen not to identify Mollie, which isn't her real name, or any other minors who haven't already appeared in the media.)

Parents use these accounts, which can have tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of followers, to raise their daughters' profiles by posting photos of them posing and demonstrating their flexibility in bikinis and leotards. The comment sections are often flooded with sexualized remarks. A single, ugly word appeared under one group shot of several young girls in bikinis: "orgy."

Some parents try to contain the damage by limiting comments on posts that attract too much attention. The parent running one dancer account took a break from regular scheduling to post a pastel-hued graphic reminding other parents to review their followers regularly. "After seeing multiple stories and posts from dance photographers we admire about cleaning up followers, I decided to spend time cleaning," read the caption. "I was shocked at how many creeps got through as followers."

But "cleaning up" means engaging in a never-ending game of whack-a-mole to keep unwanted followers at bay, and it ignores the fact that you don't need to be following a public account to view the posts. Photos of children are regularly reposted on fan or aggregator accounts, over which parents have no control, and they can also be served up through hashtags or through Instagram's discovery algorithms.

The simple truth is that publicly posted content is anyone's for the taking. "Once public engagement happens, it is very hard, if not impossible, to really put meaningful boundaries around it," said Leah Plunkett, author of the book Sharenthood and a member of the faculty at Harvard Law School.

This concern is at the heart of the current drama concerning the TikTok account @wren.eleanor. Wren is an adorable blonde 3-year-old girl, and the account, which has 17.3 million followers, is managed by her mother, Jacquelyn, who posts videos almost exclusively of her child. 

"As kids get older, they naturally want to define themselves on their own terms, and if parents have overshared about them in public spaces, that can be difficult."

Stacey Steinberg, author, Growing Up Shared

Concerned onlookers have pointed Jacquelyn toward comments that appear to be predatory, and have warned her that videos in which Wren is in a bathing suit, pretending to insert a tampon, or eating various foodstuffs have more watches, likes and saves than other content. They claim her reluctance to stop posting in spite of their warnings demonstrates she's prioritizing the income from her account over Wren's safety. Jacquelyn didn't respond to several requests for comment.

Last year, the FBI ran a campaign in which it estimated that there were 500,000 predators online every day -- and that's just in the US. Right now, across social platforms, we're seeing the growth of digital marketplaces that hinge on child exploitation, said Plunkett. She doesn't want to tell other parents what to do, she added, but she wants them to be aware that there's "a very real, very pressing threat that even innocent content that they put up about their children is very likely to be repurposed and find its way into those marketplaces."

Naivete vs. exploitation

When parent influencers started out in the world of blogging over a decade ago, the industry wasn't exploitative in the same way it is today, said Crystal Abidin, an academic from Curtin University who specializes in internet cultures. When you trace the child influencer industry back to its roots, what you find is parents, usually mothers, reaching out to one another to connect. "It first came from a place of care among these parent influencers," she said.

Over time, the industry shifted, centering on children more and more as advertising dollars flowed in and new marketplaces formed. 

Education about the risks hasn't caught up, which is why people like Sarah Adams, a Vancouver mom who runs the TikTok account @mom.uncharted, have taken it upon themselves to raise the flag on those risks. "My ultimate goal is just have parents pause and reflect on the state of sharenting right now," she said. 

But as Mom Uncharted, Adams is also part of a wider unofficial and informal watchdog group of internet moms and child safety experts shedding light on the often disturbing way in which some parents are, sometimes knowingly, exploiting their children online.

The troubling behavior uncovered by Adams and others suggests there's more than naivete at play -- specifically when parents sign up for and advertise services that let people buy "exclusive" or "VIP" access to content featuring their children.

Some parent-run social media accounts that Adams has found linked out to a site called SelectSets, which lets the parents sell photo sets of their children. One account offered sets with titles such as "2 little princesses." SelectSets has described the service as "a classy and professional" option for influencers to monetize content, allowing them to "avoid the stigma often associated with other platforms."

Over the last few weeks, SelectSets has gone offline and no owner could be traced for comment.

In addition to selling photos, many parent-run dancer accounts, Mollie's included, allow strangers to send the dancers swimwear and underwear from the dancers' Amazon wish lists, or money to "sponsor" them to "realize their dream" or support them on their "journeys."

While there's nothing technically illegal about anything these parents are doing, they're placing their children in a gray area that's not explicitly sexual but that many people would consider to be sexualized. The business model of using an Amazon wish list is one commonly embraced by online sugar babies who accept money and gifts from older men.

"Our Conditions of Use and Sale make clear that users of Amazon Services must be 18 or older or accompanied by a parent or guardian," said an Amazon spokesperson in a statement. "In rare cases where we are made aware that an account has been opened by a minor without permission, we close the account."

Adams says it's unlikely to be other 11-year-olds sending their pocket money to these girls so they attend their next bikini modeling shoot. "Who the fuck do you think is tipping these kids?" she said. "It's predators who are liking the way you exploit your child and giving them all the content they need."

Turning points

Plunkett distinguishes between parents who are casually sharing content that features their kids and parents who are sharing for profit, an activity she describes as "commercial sharenting." 

"You are taking your child, or in some cases, your broader family's private or intimate moments, and sharing them digitally, in the hope of having some kind of current or future financial benefit," she said.

No matter the parent's hopes or intentions, any time children appear in public-facing social media content, that content has the potential to go viral, and when it does, parents have a choice to either lean in and monetize it or try to rein it in.

During Abidin's research -- in which she follows the changing activities of the same influencers over time -- she's found that many influencer parents reach a turning point. It can be triggered by something as simple as other children at school being aware of their child's celebrity or their child not enjoying it anymore, or as serious as being involved in a car chase while trying to escape fans (an occurrence recounted to Abidin by one of her research subjects). 

"Frankly, this is all just a large social experiment."

Sarah Adams, who runs the TikTok account @mom.uncharted

One influencer, Katy Rose Pritchard, who has almost 92,000 Instagram followers, decided to stop showing her children's faces on social media this year after she discovered they were being used to create role-playing accounts. People had taken photos of her children that she'd posted and used them to create fictional profiles of children for personal gratification, which she said in a post made her feel "violated."

All these examples highlight the different kinds of threats sharents are exposing their children to. Plunkett describes three "buckets" of risk tied to publicly sharing content online. The first and perhaps most obvious are risks involving criminal and/or dangerous behavior, posing a direct threat to the child. 

The second are indirect risks, where content posted featuring children can be taken, reused, analyzed or repurposed by people with nefarious motives. Consequences include anything from bullying to harming future job prospects to millions of people having access to children's medical information -- a common trope on YouTube is a video with a melodramatic title and thumbnail involving a child's trip to the hospital, in which influencer parents with sick kids will document their health journeys in blow-by-blow detail.

The third set of risks are probably the least talked about, but they involve potential harm to a child's sense of self. If you're a child influencer, how you see yourself as a person and your ability to develop into an adult is "going to be shaped and in some instances impeded by the fact that your parents are creating this public performance persona for you," said Plunkett.

Often children won't be aware of what this public persona looks like to the audience and how it's being interpreted. They may not even be aware it exists. But at some point, as happened with Barkman, the private world in which content is created and the public world in which it's consumed will inevitably collide. At that point, the child will be thrust into the position of confronting the persona that's been created for them.

"As kids get older, they naturally want to define themselves on their own terms, and if parents have overshared about them in public spaces, that can be difficult, as many will already have notions about who that child is or what that child may like," said Steinberg. "These notions, of course, may be incorrect. And some children may value privacy and wish their life stories were theirs -- not their parents -- to tell."

Savannah and Cole LaBrant have documented nearly everything about their children's lives.

Jim Spellman/WireImage

This aspect of having their real-life stories made public is a key factor distinguishing children working in social media from children working in the professional entertainment industry, who usually play fictional roles. Many children who will become teens and adults in the next couple of decades will have to reckon with the fact that their parents put their most vulnerable moments on the internet for the world to see -- their meltdowns, their humiliation, their most personal moments. 

One influencer family, the LaBrants, were forced to issue a public apology in 2019 after they played an April Fools' Day Joke on their 6-year-old daughter Everleigh. The family pretended they were giving her dog away, eliciting tears throughout the video. As a result, many viewers felt that her parents, Sav and Cole, had inflicted unnecessary distress on her.

In the past few months, parents who film their children during meltdowns to demonstrate how to calm them down have found themselves the subject of ire on parenting Subreddits. Their critics argue that it's unfair to post content of children when they're at their most vulnerable, as it shows a lack of respect for a child's right to privacy.

Privacy-centric parenting

Even the staunchest advocates of child privacy know and understand the parental instinct of wanting to share their children's cuteness and talent with the world. "Our kids are the things usually we're the most proud of, the most excited about," said Adams. "It is normal to want to show them off and be proud of them."

When Adams started her account two years ago, she said her views were seen as more polarizing. But increasingly people seem to relate and share her concerns. Most of these are "average parents," naive to the risks they're exposing their kids to, but some are "commercial sharents" too.

Even though they don't always see eye to eye, the private conversations she's had with parents of children (she doesn't publicly call out anyone) with massive social media presences have been civil and productive. "I hope it opens more parents' eyes to the reality of the situation, because frankly this is all just a large social experiment," she said. "And it's being done on our kids. And that just doesn't seem like a good idea."

For Barkman, it's been "surprisingly easy, and hugely beneficial" to stop sharing content about her son. She's more present, and focuses only on capturing memories she wants to keep for herself.

"When motherhood is all consuming, it sometimes feels like that's all you have to offer, so I completely understand how we have slid into oversharing our children," she said. "It's a huge chunk of our identity and our hearts."

But Barkman recognizes the reality of the situation, which is that she doesn't know who's viewing her content and that she can't rely on tech platforms to protect her son. "We are raising a generation of children who have their entire lives broadcast online, and the newness of social media means we don't have much data on the impacts of that reality on children," she said. "I feel better acting with caution and letting my son have his privacy so that he can decide how he wants to be perceived by the world when he's ready and able."

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TikTok May Have a Music App in the Works

TikTok May Have a Music App in the Works

A TikTok Music app may in development for the US market, according to a filing made by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

As earlier reported by Business Insider, ByteDance filed a trademark application with the USPTO on May 9. The application lists a variety of potential goods and services, including "allowing users to purchase, play, share, download music, songs, albums, [and] lyrics," as well as "live stream audio and video interactive media programming in the field of entertainment, fashion, sports and current events."

The application also lists some potential social functions for the app, including the ability to "comment" on songs and albums, share lyrics and quotes, a karaoke function and sending messages and multimedia among users.

While the trademark filing is new to the US, the idea of a TikTok-adjacent streaming service isn't. ByteDance already has a music streaming app called Resso, which is available in India, Brazil and Indonesia. The streaming app incorporates many of the potential social elements that could be a part of TikTok Music, like sharing lyric images, commenting on tracks and sharing playlists.

According to the Patent and Trademark Office, an examining attorney will be assigned to the trademark application approximately six months after the filing date, meaning the application would likely be looked at in early November.

While exact development and release plans for the app are unclear, a TikTok Music service could complement the impact the main app is already having in the music industry. TikTok's short-form videos regularly spell out meteoric fame for songs and musicians, with tracks like Old Town Road by Lil Nas X, Stay by the Kid Laroi and Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo all becoming viral sensations on the app before charting on Billboard. TikTok could use the music interest of its existing users as an on-ramp to a new service. 

But TikTok's surging growth may not necessarily translate to a disruptively popular music service. YouTube, the world's biggest source for online video, is the go-to place to watch music videos, but after years of operating its own music-streaming service, YouTube Music's share of global streaming-music customers is still a fraction of Spotify's. YouTube, which dominates global music listening online because so many people go there to "listen" to music videos, has more than 2 billion monthly active users; TikTok has more than 1 billion. 

TikTok and ByteDance didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Facebook Is Testing a Way to Add Multiple Profiles to an Account

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Facebook Is Testing a Way to Add Multiple Profiles to an Account

Facebook says it wants to make it easier to showcase your alter ego on social media. 

The social network has a rule that bars users from having multiple Facebook accounts but gives businesses, organizations and public figures the option to create pages. Now Facebook is testing a way for users to create up to five profiles linked to one account. Facebook said that switching between the profiles will require only two taps. 

The experiment shows how the site has been trying to evolve beyond just a place to share updates with family and friends. Facebook users could create profiles dedicated to their hobbies, such as cooking, design or travel, the social network said Thursday. They could also have a separate profile where they correspond only with certain family members or friends. 

Facebook has been facing more competition from apps such as TikTok, where people share short videos about a variety of topics, including their interests. In February, the social network reported that it lost daily users for the first time in its history, but that number jumped up in the first three months of this year. A total of 1.96 billion people logged in to Facebook daily in the first quarter, the social network said. Facebook has also been encouraging users to join more groups on the platform so they can chat with people who share similar hobbies. 

The social network said that Facebook profiles will have to abide by the platform's rules, which prohibit people from posting certain content, such as hate speech and threats of violence. The profiles can't be used to misrepresent a user's identity or impersonate other people. The company declined to provide an estimate of how many users are part of the test.

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The Productivity Hack That's Taking Over TikTok

The Productivity Hack That's Taking Over TikTok

If you've spent any time on TikTok lately, chances are you've scrolled past a livestream of a single person, head down, silently working. They may have a sign indicating their schedule and goals, but for the most part there's no fanfare. There are no attention-grabbing alerts or noises. 

It's dead quiet, save for the scratching of pens or clacking of keys. Most people will keep on scrolling, because it doesn't scratch their neurological itch for content.  But for some people, this silent space is a deeply necessary tool that helps them get through their workday. 

It's all thanks to the phenomenon of body doubling, and it's part of a productivity wave that's beginning to wash over online spaces.

What is body doubling?

Body doubling is the practice of actively and intentionally completing tasks in the presence of someone else, and it makes a tangible difference for those who struggle to retain focus. The double doesn't have to be doing the same task as you, they just need to be present (whether in person or via a livestream screen) and focusing on a project for the same amount of time. 

Body doubling has also long since had a reputation as a recommended self-help strategy for neurodivergent people, especially those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 

When everyone worked in an office, there was a degree of accountability present in just having your colleagues beside you. It's much harder to get away with scrolling on your phone for 10 minutes if your deskmate can practically see over your shoulder.

But with remote work now more common, people are stuck operating solo, without company to keep them on task. 

For Emily Kula, a content creator who was recently diagnosed with ADHD, the practice of body doubling has made a world of difference. 

"It helps me stay grounded and focused," said Kula. "If left to my own devices I'd keep finding other distractions or remembering other tasks I need to complete … but for some reason just having someone else there helps keep me on track, like a physical human sticky note."

"Regardless of if we are working towards the same goal or not, it's nice having someone present to hold me accountable, even just by being within proximity of me."

While having someone nearby doesn't sound like it would make much difference, for some it has a substantial impact on productivity and functionality. 

The reasoning is twofold. First, there's a degree of accountability to the other person's time. They're working with you, and just like when you've booked an appointment, you feel a responsibility to make sure you're not wasting this person's time. 

Second, it gives you a model, a living reminder of what you're meant to be doing. If you're body doubling to get study done, seeing another person also study will serve as a reminder. Mirroring their actions keeps you on task. 

@dr.kojosarfo A unique way to potentially increase your productivity for individuals w/ ADHD! 💪 #adhd#adhdtips#adhdinwomen#bodydouble♬ Honobono suspicious comedy comical fagott - poco poco music

The jury is still out on the cognitive reasoning behind why it works so well -- some say it's behavioral modeling, others say it's all down to good collaborative vibes. Others even suggest mirror neurons could be responsible. Social learning theory suggests that observation and imitation are some of the most powerful learning tools at our disposal. 

But regardless of the neurological trigger, what's shown online is that for many people, it just works. And it's also not limited to work or study. The same can also be said for cleaning, self care and even just general day-to-day life. 

"Part of the power is in seeing other people doing all sorts of various tasks and allowing it to be normalized -- that the everyday ins and outs are not glamorous," said Anna Pugh, co-founder of body doubling and monotasking website Spacetime Monotasking. "We have this storytelling that we're trudging through, doing all of these things that nobody else has to do, but [body doubling] helps to dissolve this illusion of separateness."

Pugh's co-founder Marisa Mayes echoed the sentiment, saying, "We have people who use it to clean, to make lunch for themselves and take a shower. … It's amazing to see what people are using it for and what they need help with."

Spacetime and its origins

Pugh started Spacetime Monotasking in early 2021, after a series of videos she'd made on monotasking and productivity suddenly surged in popularity. 

Monotasking, which refers to the practice of staying present on one task or project for a specific period of time, is often found hand-in-hand with body doubling as both participants disregard outside distraction for the designated time period.

"When I started talking about it, the conversation that was happening in my comment section was a lot of people saying, 'Oh, this is body doubling,' she said. "I wasn't familiar with that term specifically, but then when I looked into it I thought, I've been doing this my whole life in order to get by … And so I started doing some live body doubling sessions.".

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From there, Mayes joined the team, and the livestreamed sessions turned into a fully fledged website, which seeks to provide a space for people to work alongside each other, taking one or two hours out of each day to participate in a community-driven flow or focus session.

The concept is simple: Over Zoom, users can provide body doubles for each other without the awkwardness of asking friends or colleagues to help, and without the distraction of wanting to chat about miscellaneous things.

Pugh detailed the process, explaining, "We usually open it up about five minutes before the beginning of the hour, and then we start the session about five minutes into the hour. So there's about a 10-minute window where you can join, you can connect with people, you can share your intentions for the hour, and the goal is to get clarity around where you're headed. … And then we go on mute."

With forced mute, nobody can be distracted by the clanging of a dropped item, or the barking of a disgruntled dog. They are simply there to be present with their fellow body doublers, working toward separate goals but with a common focus.

"The accountability of the group is enough for a lot of people," Pugh said. 

"We hear this feedback often: People will think, 'There's 10 minutes left in the session, I could just bounce right now, but this task I'm working on just needs a little bit more,' and as you go to click the leave button you see everybody else is still working and you're like, 'I can stick it out for 10 more minutes.'"

It's not a walk in the park

Committing to body doubling isn't as easy as you might think. The same room part is doable, but staying on task, without chatter, without questions, without distraction? It doesn't come naturally to everyone.

"We get people who try it out who'd never come back, because maybe it's not for them or it's also really hard to do – that's the thing that a lot of people don't understand, is that it's hard work to show up and to stay with something," said Pugh. 

This is even more prevalent in people experiencing brain fog after contracting COVID-19. In these cases, researchers believe brain fog can be attributed to inflammation in the brain, which leads to lessened concentration, inability to focus and weakened memory function. 

For people who had difficulty regulating their time prior to contracting the virus, it adds a whole new barrier to functionality. Those who haven't experienced it before have to adapt to entirely new methods of work.

"I think it's a big mindset shift because we're so used to bouncing from thing to thing and feeling busy," said Pugh. "But not actually feeling productive and not making true progress on things."

Standard productivity vs. gentle productivity

With hustle culture and a push to always be grinding, standard productivity models tend to skew to the perspective that if you're not succeeding, you need to try harder. Rigorous time management schemes and productivity hacks dominate social media sites like Pinterest, with the underpinning "motivational" message often making readers feel guilty for not pushing harder. 

Some lucky people may derive all the motivation they need from hustle culture without it affecting their health. For others, however, it can very quickly lead to burnout, exhaustion and toxicity. 

Erin Griffith of The New York Times spoke of toxic hustle culture leading to the idea of "toil glamour," where it's not enough to push yourself to the limits, but you also have to outwardly profess to love doing so. And it's not sustainable for most people.

"On TikTok specifically, it's hard to get people's attention with, 'Hey, let's be nicer to ourselves about productivity, and be gentle, and not be assholes to ourselves as we're talking about how much we're getting done every day'," said Mayes. 

It's all part of the growing gentle productivity movement. Characterized by an examination of goals, intentions and capacity, the movement seeks to release some of the pressures we've placed on ourselves as a result of hustle culture.

Body doubling and monotasking are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to gentle productivity methods on TikTok. In rebellion to the toxicity of hustle culture, the wider gentle productivity movement has found a welcoming home on the platform, with 1.4 million views under the #gentleproductivity hashtag. 

@annasinwonderland I'm trying to help myself move away from isolation, so my current bar is to leave the house at least once a day 😌 #gentleproductivity#selfcompassion#selfacceptance#creativeprocess#mindfulness#slowdown#productivity#healingtiktok#healing @annasinwonderland ♬ original sound - shekinah

It's not about allowing things to fall by the wayside in the interest of self-reward -- it's about consideration of what you need in order to get tasks done without causing distress or lack of functionality. Setting reasonable and flexible goals and expectations of yourself is paramount, which runs counter to the 'aim high' hustle mentality. 

Instead of routinely setting the bar out of reach, gentle productivity suggests relying on goals and strategies that are less hustle-focused, and trusting ourselves to get the job done regardless.

"We're going the other direction and saying it's actually those little moments of trusting yourself that really make a difference," Pugh said.

After two years of pandemic-related working changes and disruption, it's all the more important to develop an awareness of how your working environment and context may require tweaking in order to avoid burnout. 

According to the World Health Organization, "Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." This is further characterized by feelings of energy depletion and exhaustion, increased mental distance from work and reduced professional efficacy.

By focusing on gentle productivity tools like body doubling and monotasking, the goal is to address burnout with preventative measures as opposed to remedial action. Instead of taking a vacation when your burnout reaches its peak, advocates suggest reframing your working style to incorporate these gentle techniques.

"We have a few business owners who are offering it as a resource to their employees and covering the cost of their membership," said Pugh. "I think about this for myself: If I had access to something like this, it probably would have reduced a lot of the friction on my inability to follow through, on my inability to stay focused. 

"I would have been a better employee if I had access to something like this."

Finding space and time

If it sounds a little counterintuitive to use a social media platform designed for 15-second sound bites to keep focused, that's understandable. But the value of body doubling sits comfortably in the extended livestreams, which have the capacity to break even the most hyperfocused doomscroll. 

In livestreams and Zoom sessions around the world, people are reconnecting by sharing that same space, focusing together despite working apart. Not only is the community growing, but the gentle productivity ethos is gaining traction all over the internet.

So if you're finding it hard to focus on tasks or feel isolated after working remotely over the course of the pandemic, perhaps body doubling could be a good starting point. 

It may not be as glamorous as the "work all day, hustle all night" culture, but practicing gentle productivity and body doubling is much kinder than forcing your mind and body into a lifestyle that doesn't work for you. In the end, that's all we can really ask for.

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