MediaDiet: Catherine Jia
Catherine Jia doesn’t doomscroll by day
Catherine Jia is the co-founder of sustainable fashion marketplace Mei Mei Market, a digital creator with 27,000+ followers (@project.catherine), and a consultant in the construction and building industry. She is doing all three all at once but only has a screen time of two hours a day, which, frankly, we find confronting.
Her MediaDiet paints a very calm picture. This is someone who moves at their own pace and that pace may make you, dear reader, feel like your life is chaotic. It probably is. Catherine meditates to the same YouTube video every morning and has done for two years running. She finishes work early because she refuses to have too many tabs open at once. The main thing she and her husband send each other throughout the day are posts about cats because they are, in Catherine’s words, obsessed.
Honestly, we’re still processing the two hours stat. While we continue to do so, you should dive on in.
Wake up
I do reach for my phone first thing in the morning, but only to play my favourite YouTube meditation. For the past two years, it’s been Lavendaire’s 10 Minute Guided Meditation for Positive Energy, Peace & Light. Taking those few moments to slow down helps me feel calm, grounded and more present for the rest of the day.
Morning
I usually work from home, so I spend about an hour in the morning getting ready before sitting at my desk. I start with a freshly cooked warm breakfast, then do a few chores, get ready and ease into the day with a matcha and some journaling before logging into my laptop. If it’s not music I’m listening to while getting ready, then I’m tuning in to my fave podcast, Culture Club hosted by Jasmine Wallis and Maggie Zhou.
Afternoon
When I work from home, I don’t like having too many tabs open because it clutters my brain. I prefer to focus on one task at a time to stay efficient and usually finish work earlier in the day. Last year, my best friend Rena Zheng and I launched Mei Mei Market, combining our shared passion for sustainability in fashion, curating a marketplace of sustainable pieces. A lot of the inspiration behind Mei Mei Market comes from our own experiences growing up in Australian Chinese families and wanting to create a space that celebrates culture, creativity and connection.
I’m quite intentional with my time, so I don’t really doomscroll during the day. I’ll pick up my phone here and there to check TikTok or Instagram – either checking out Fashion Journal Magazine or what @copingwithus has to offer – but most of the time I stay focused.
My husband and I also send each other posts throughout the day, mostly cat posts because we are obsessed with cats!! We love our two lil fur babies at home, Izumi and Tofu.
Evening
In the evenings, I like to switch my brain off and let it rest rather than think too much. I usually watch calming YouTube vlogs; my favourites are Weylie Hoang and Art of Anna. It helps me unwind and consume content lightly without needing to retain too much information, which makes it easier for me to relax at the end of the day.
Catherine Jia’s Picks & Recs
SCREEN TIME: 2 hours
SUBSCRIBED TO: Mei Mei Market
SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO READ: I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO: SOFT GIRL SUMMER by Sailorr
AN UNEXPECTED GOOGLE SEARCH: “Mongolian horseback riding trip”
A LINK WORTH FORWARDING: https://www.wgsn.com/en/blog/key-colours-w-26-27
INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT I’M LOVING RIGHT NOW: @table.sogeum