Taylor Cassidy Shares Her Phone Habits Ahead Of Her Book Launch
The 22-year-old content creator is now a published author.
In Chronically Online, Elite Daily asks people to get real about their phone habits by tracking their screen time over seven days. This week, content creator and author of Black History is Your History, Taylor Cassidy, shares the apps she used the most while promoting her first book and attending CultureCon in New York City.
Taylor Cassidy is using her platform to educate. The 22-year-old content creator, with over 2.2 million followers on TikTok, quickly grew an audience on social media from her series, Fast Black History, in 2020. In each video, Cassidy highlights iconic Black figures in history, like Harriet Tubman and Olympian Jesse Owens.
Scrolling through the Emmy-nominated Nick News correspondent’s IG, you’ll also see she’s someone to follow for ‘fit checks, Monday motivation, and overall good vibes. When Cassidy is not attending creator events or living life in NYC, she’s most likely working on her next project. Right now, the member of TIME100’s inaugural class of 2025 Influential Creators is focused on promoting her debut memoir, Black History is Your History, which dropped on Oct. 14. In her book, Cassidy weaves in personal stories with what she’s learned from Black history to help inspire others.
Leading up to Cassidy’s book launch, below, she shares her daily phone habits and what it’s really like being a full-time content creator for a week.
Occupation: Author and content creator
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Age: 22
Weekly Average (Oct. 5-Oct. 11): 8 hours, 8 minutes
Day 1: Meeting Jennifer Hudson At CultureCon
I spent the day at CultureCon, where I had a panel with the amazing climate activist Wawa Gatheru. I used my Messages app a lot to communicate with the crew and prepare. Before I left, though, I made sure to put on CeraVe’s SPF Moisturizing Lotion because I didn’t expect for the weather to be so hot.
At the convention, I spent most of my time filming my experience on Instagram Stories, meeting followers, listening to panels, and hanging out with my friends Ava and Sophi. Since they were there, we were texting each other all day on Messages to make sure we didn't get lost in the crowds.
The highlight of my day was listening to Jennifer Hudson at her panel, and getting to give her my book at the end.
Most Used Apps: Instagram, Messages
Screen Time: 5 hours, 27 minutes
Day 2: A Full Day Of Content Creation
On weekdays, I wake up at 7 a.m. and try to be in my office by 9 a.m. to start creating. In the morning, I use Spotify to listen to music that makes me feel at ease and a sense of readiness for the day. Today, I listened to a lot of Samara Joy and Laufey.
I had a bunch of content to film for a brand deal that was due, so I spent a lot of time on Final Cut Pro and Google Chrome. I also edited a YouTube video I have scheduled for later this week. I’m a little shocked by my screen time, but most of it was for work and creating content on Instagram. I ended my day watching Safiya Nygaard on YouTube to decompress.
Most Used Apps: Final Cut Pro, Google Chrome, Instagram
Screen Time: 13 hours, 36 minutes
Day 3: An Easy *And* Early Day
I went to sleep a little earlier than I usually do, so I woke up with the sunrise. This is shocking for me, because usually I wait till I’ve hit the snooze button multiple times to fully wake up. I decided to do my favorite guided meditation on YouTube in bed.
Later, I had a couple meetings, stayed on top of my email with Google Chrome, and spent most of the day editing on Final Cut Pro and TikTok. I took a break to meet a friend who was visiting NYC and we got coffee. I ended the day by starting the book Plundered by Bernadette Atuahene. While I'm not far into the book yet, I'm astounded at how different property laws in Detroit have affected Black families for generations. It's super interesting to learn about how much it's contributed to the racial wealth gap today.
Most Used Apps: Google Chrome, TikTok, Final Cut Pro
Screen Time: 11 hours, 15 minutes
Day 4: Work Day With PinkPantheress, Shower Heads, And Anne With An E
I woke up a little later than usual, but I still made it to my office by 9 a.m. I got to work on Notion, an AI workspace, replanning a few videos I had on the schedule. Along with answering emails via Google Chrome and editing via Final Cut Pro, I listened to PinkPantheress on Spotify and drank tea. Garnier sent me some goodies, including a filtered shower head by Jolie, so I made a video installing it and trying out the products.
My day ended behind the computer, making a few more edits on Final Cut Pro, naturally. Then, I spent my evening watching my all-time favorite autumn show, Anne With an E, under a blanket.
Most Used Apps: Notion, Instagram, Google Chrome
Screen Time: 12 hours, 17 minutes
Day 5: Scheduling In Book Interviews
Thursday was busy. I woke up for an 8 a.m. interview for my book, then went straight to my friend’s apartment to help them move.
I rushed back in the afternoon for another radio interview and to edit a YouTube video on Final Cut Pro before going to an event with Instagram. I used Google Chrome to keep up with emails about the two interviews I had and to research graphics and quotes for the YouTube video I edited. It was a book announcement video, so I ended up on TikTok for a while gathering old videos to compile together. I then spent the evening having a drink with my two friends. It was a really nice way to finish off a busy day.
Most Used Apps: Final Cut Pro, TikTok, Google Chrome
Screen Time: 7 hours, 29 minutes
Day 6: Getting My Hair Braided
I woke up with a mission today: braid my hair. So, I spent most of the day in a chair marathon-watching shows while putting my hair in boho braids. Doing my hair is an act of self-love, so I’m not on my phone as much. I’m locked in.
There are moments in braiding your own hair where you zone out, though. Your arms get tired and you've been sitting in one place for hours, so to take a break, I ended up scrolling on TikTok and Instagram and answering texts from friends. I basically switched from each app for entertainment while I let my arms rest before diving back into the next braid. When I finished, I made dinner and played on my Nintendo Switch.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Messages, Instagram
Screen Time: 4 hours, 26 minutes
Day 7: A Full Fall Day
My friends and I took the train upstate to her hometown for fall activities. When we got there, we went apple picking and visited this graveyard event where actors dress up as the deceased and tell you about their life. It was not far from what I do with my web series. It was a really wonderful day. When I’m not working or editing, I try my best to not be on my phone because of how much screen time I have during the week. I’m glad to see how low my phone usage was today.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Messages, Photos
Screen Time: 2 hours, 28 minutes
Final Thoughts: A Little Detox Is Good For You
I’m proud of myself this week. I stayed super consistent with my goals and on track for my book’s release. Most of my screen time went to editing content, having interviews, and keeping up with my email. It felt really good to have a little detox from screens over the weekend and take some time to reflect. Now, I feel like I can go into launch week more focused, less overwhelmed, and ready for what’s next.
This as-told-to has been condensed and edited for clarity.
