One element I feel doesn't get enough attention is visual metaphors.

There's something about them that captures the essence of a message in a way words alone can't. They can paint a vivid scene, simplify a complex concept, and even inspire action.

PUTTING IT TO WORK:

We've all read stories about how too much media consumption can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Whether you believe in it or not, it is a big topic today (without even mentioning AI and what it means for our future).

As somebody who loves metaphors, I had an aha moment when I came across the metaphor referring to our regular media consumption as a "media diet".

Everybody knows what diet means as much as we know how media is so ingrained in our lives today. So putting the two together is no guesswork.

It's a flawless metaphor in my opinion. It latches onto our existing schema about food:

• Like food, media is something we consume daily.

• Like food, we can choose what media to consume and what not to.

• Like food, we don't use all our waking hours consuming media. We also need to work, sleep, socialize, and do other human things.

And so a visual metaphorical thinking exercise was born:

This is where mindfulness begins. Sure, there are apps that help us track our media use but this visual representation creates an immediate visceral understanding in a way apps can't.

It's intuitive and forces us to think a certain way.

The goal here is not to force yourself to stop consuming certain content, but to be aware of where you spend your attention and brainpower.

As a result, it gives a sense of control instead of letting the algorithms sweep you up in addictive patterns of rabbit hole scrolling and clicking.

I use this on days when I feel so much happening in my life is influenced by my media use.

Like a decision I made based on a blog post.

Or how I feel based on what I saw on YouTube.

Or the buyer's remorse I got for something I didn't need but purchased anyway because hey, 60% off.

It lets me step back and ask myself:

If media has the power to shape how I think and feel, which among these options are good for me?

Also knowing that I only have limited time every day forces me to reflect on my consumption and make mindful choices.

Check out my other shots to see how I turned ideas into simple but meaningful illustrated versions.