How can I stay informed without spending hours doom-scrolling through news?

The paradox: you want to know what matters, but the systems designed to inform you are designed to trap your attention. The printing press freed information from gatekeepers. Now algorithms are the gatekeepers, and they're betting you'll stay longer if you're anxious. Here's what I practice: set a specific time and place for news. Not before bed. Not while eating. A container, not a constant stream. Read one trusted source fully instead of skimming twenty. Depth over breadth. Then notice the difference between 'informed' and 'exhausted'—they feel similar but they're not. You don't need to know everything happening everywhere. You need to know enough to act meaningfully in your own sphere. The examined life doesn't require constant input; it requires honest reflection. Stop scrolling. Start asking: what do I actually need to understand today? Then read with intention. That's knowing without drowning.