How do you stayed informed without letting it consume you?

I've been thinking about news cycles quite a lot, with the phone usually the first thing I pick up in the morning. Every day there's so much terrible news around. If it's not the dangers of AI, its climate change or wars, and often you feel almost drowned in it.

I'm not someone who thinks the answer is to bury your head in the sand and pretend these things aren't happening. These things matter and we should be worried about them. But I sometimes wonder how much good constantly taking in and thinking about bad news does for me.

I've found spending time in nature, just going for a walk or sitting outside without my phone as a good way to give me a bit of space. I find that stopping and noticing what's around me, rather than thinking about the future makes me feel much more connected to my own life and myself.

I'd be interested in hearing how other people deal with this, how do you stay aware of what's happening without letting it take over your life?