Week 2
September 20 2021 || Visual Essay
Brainstorming and Picking a Research Topic
I first began brainstorming by creating a mindmap to help me think of potential research topics for my visual essay. I focused on topics that interested me or topics that currently relate to me.
I then narrowed it down to four topics that interested me the most and expanded on them: Culture, Health/Work Habits, Pets and Interpersonal connections. I did some surface level research on each of these topics to see which one I want to focus on more.

Culture
I have always been very interested in Ancient China history and Chinese mythology. Because of my religious parent and family, they have always told me stories revolving around Chinese beliefs and history. This sparked my interest in doing more research around the culture and history. Another sub-topic that interested me is cultural foods and the meaning and cultural importance behind the dishes.
Sources
https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2016/feb/08/top-10-chinese-myths
https://www.britannica.com/art/Chinese-literature/Literary-use-of-myths#ref282214
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40636-015-0026-x
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0029665182000342
https://www.wathi.org/food-identity-of-culture-and-religion-researchgate/
Work Habits/Health & Wellness
Another topic that interest is work habits/Health. Especially with the change that the Pandemic has brought, it has dramatically changed the dynamic of how we interact and work. I wanted to do some research on how it has changed the landscape for future
Sources
Yoga and Mental Health: An Underexplored Relationship
Effect of Yoga on Mental Health of Adolescents
https://www.economist.com/briefing/2020/09/12/covid-19-has-forced-a-radical-shift-in-working-habits
Pets
One of the topics that relate to me on a personal level is pets. During quarantine, I brought home a pet and it has dramatically changed my lifestyle. I wanted to do more research regarding this topic and how pets influence a person's lifestyle, mindset.
Sources
https://now.tufts.edu/articles/how-animals-help-us-during-covid-19-pandemic
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-03-qa-pets-healthier-lifestyle.html
Interpersonal Connections
I wanted to explore the topic of interpersonal connections. I wanted to explore different levels of relationships through different platforms, maintaining and making meaningful connections and the idea of "spark" in relationships.
Sources
Finalizing my topic
After some initial research, I decided to focus on procrastination/productivity and how it's influenced by their mental health, work habits and the work environment.
Who
- students
- work from home
- working adults
When/Where
- During pamdenic
- from home
- workplace environment
How/What
- Mix of physical and digital product
- interactive installation
Why
- research of different lifestyles/mentality
- the impact of covid on productivity
Inital Research
After finalizing my topic I decided to do some research behind the topic.
Video Sources
Other Resources
Mental Health
https://hive.com/blog/productivity-mental-health/
https://cmha.ca/brochure/mental-illnesses-in-the-workplace/
https://www.business.com/articles/stress-and-productivity-what-the-numbers-say/
Work Habits/Psychology behind procrastination
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination
https://time.com/5322514/stop-procrastinating-tips/
Psychology behind Productivity
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/productivity
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/201901/what-do-if-you-have-work-addiction
Work Environment
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/17410401011052869/full/html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705811029730