From content channel surfing to cozy curiosity

Spend 4 weeks transforming how you consume content and discover how active engagement can turn scattered scrolling into intimate learning

Most of us have turned into passive content zombies without even realizing it. We bookmark articles we never revisit, watch videos that disappear into the void of our overstimulated brains and scroll through information like we're channel surfing - consuming everything and retaining nothing.

But what if I told you there's a way to transform that scattered consumption into something that feels cozy and intimate? Something that actually sticks and sparks genuine curiosity instead of that familiar brain fog?

I'm talking about active content consumption - a practice I've been experimenting with for months that's making me feel like a student again (in the best way). It's not about building elaborate knowledge management systems or perfect organizational hierarchies. It's about engaging with information in a way that honors how your brain actually works.

This is what active content consumption IS:

• Intentionally choosing what to engage with and then actually engaging
• Taking notes that capture both what you're learning and what it makes you think about
• Creating space for your own thoughts to emerge alongside the content
• Building a practice that feels rewarding rather than overwhelming

What it is NOT:

• Another productivity hack to optimize your information intake
• A way to consume more content faster
• A complex system that requires hours of setup
• Something that only works if you do it "perfectly"

Why this matters now: We're living in an attention economy that profits from keeping us in passive consumption mode. Learning how to actively engage with information isn't just about personal growth - it's an act of reclaiming your curiosity from algorithms designed to scatter it.

Over the next few minutes, I'm going to walk you through a simple 4-step process you can start using immediately. This isn't theoretical - it's exactly what I do when I settle into my hammock (more on that later) to catch up on articles and videos. By the end, you'll have everything you need to spend the next 4 weeks transforming how you consume content.

From passive to active consumption

Here's what you can expect when you shift from passive to active content consumption:

Your brain stops feeling like a leaky bucket. Instead of information flowing through and disappearing, you start retaining ideas and making connections. That article you read actually influences your thinking instead of vanishing the moment you close your laptop.

Curiosity starts to feel alive again. You begin asking "What about this matters to me?" instead of mindlessly scrolling. You find yourself genuinely excited about ideas rather than just consuming them out of habit or obligation.

Content consumption becomes cozy rather than overwhelming. This one surprised me most. As I've built this practice, my digital space has started to feel intimate - filled with my thoughts alongside others' ideas. It's become a place I want to return to rather than another task to check off.

You start having your own thoughts again. This might sound obvious, but when you create space for your ideas to emerge alongside what you're consuming, you remember that you actually have something valuable to contribute to the conversation.

Your relationship with information changes entirely. Instead of feeling behind or overwhelmed by everything you "should" be reading, you become intentional about what deserves your attention. The FOMO around content consumption starts to fade.

A 4-week journey to active consumption

Here's your 4-week journey into active content consumption. You can adapt the timeline to fit your life, but I'd suggest trying this process at least once a week for a few weeks to really feel the difference.

Step 1: Decide where you want to take your notes This could be a Notion page, a Google doc, or any digital platform that feels natural to you. The key is making it digital rather than physical - you want to be able to easily search and reference these notes later. Don't overthink this choice. Whatever you use for other writing or note-taking will probably work fine.

Step 2: Grab your piece of content Choose something you're genuinely excited to sink your teeth into - not something you think you "should" read, but something that actually sparks curiosity. If it's an article, copy and paste it into your note-taking space. If it's a video or audio and your platform allows embedding, do that. The goal is having everything in one place so you can engage without switching between tabs or apps.

Step 3: Consume actively Read, listen, or watch - but notice whether it feels right to jot things down while you're consuming or whether you prefer to go through once and then return for notes. There's no right way to do this.

A note on note-taking: If you're like me and don't really know how to take notes, don't panic. Try using bullet points and noting singular words, short phrases, or full sentences that stand out to you. Don't overthink it. Gently inquire within yourself to see if anything feels intuitive about this process. If so, notice it and maybe follow it. If not, don't dwell on it.

Step 4: Sit with what you learned This is where the magic happens. Once you're done consuming, pause and ask: Did this remind you of anything? Does it connect, even tangentially, to your area of interest or expertise? Write this down - these are your decontextualized notes. They're not direct commentary on what you consumed, but your own thoughts sparked by the content.

You might write a sentence, a paragraph, or several paragraphs. Length doesn't matter. What matters is capturing your authentic response to the ideas.

Bonus tip: You don't have to write your decontextualized notes immediately. I usually do mine a couple of days or even a week later, when the ideas have had time to percolate.

What success looks like: Success isn't about taking perfect notes or having profound insights every time. It's about noticing when you feel more engaged with what you're consuming, when ideas start connecting in unexpected ways, or when you find yourself excited to share something you learned.

A peak into my own journey

I have ADHD and anxiety, so getting myself to actually sit down and consume content is always this whole rigmarole. I need water, a snack, I forgot to call the vet, I should text my sister - anything and everything will distract me. I usually get up and sit down several times before I finally settle and start reading or watching.

But every single time I do this active consumption practice, it's so rewarding and worth it. I get up from my computer wanting to talk to someone immediately about what I learned and how it illuminated something new for me.

During the summer, I spend as much time as possible in the hammock on my porch - this really special place surrounded by plants, looking out over the river behind my house. Being in the hammock helps stop me from getting up as much (once you're in a hammock, you're in a hammock), so it's become my favorite place to catch up on articles and videos I've been saving.

What I didn't expect is that the more time I spend with this practice, the more cozy it feels. I've begun creating this little digital nook filled with ideas and thoughts - mine and others - that feels intimate in the best way. It's become a place I want to return to rather than another obligation on my list.

The transformation isn't just about retaining information better (though that happens). It's about remembering that consuming content can be a form of self-care, intellectual curiosity, and genuine engagement with ideas that matter to you.

Let’s stop the cycle, together

Here's what's at stake if we don't change how we consume information: We'll keep feeling behind, overwhelmed and like our brains are slowly turning to mush. We'll continue consuming endless content while retaining almost nothing, wondering why we can't seem to think original thoughts anymore. This is a cycle created by the establishment to keep us compliant.

But there's real hope here. Learning how to actively engage with content isn't just about personal productivity - it's about reclaiming your curiosity and intellectual agency in a world designed to scatter your attention.

Your brain is already perfectly designed for making connections and having insights, you just need to create the conditions for that to happen.

Ready to try this? Pick one piece of content you've been meaning to engage with and walk through these four steps. Notice what happens when you give yourself permission to have your own thoughts alongside what you're consuming.

And if you try this out, I'd genuinely love to hear what you discover about your own thinking patterns. Sometimes the most valuable insights come from simply paying attention to what we're actually curious about.