Hopefully in my last article, I convinced you that it's important to keep up with the news. Today, one of the biggest obstacles that we have to doing so is time. Fortunately, many news outlets have picked up on this and have created daily newsletters to catch you up in no time at all. Here are my seven go-to ways to catch up on the news in seven minutes or less:
1. The Daily 202
Washington Post reporter James Hohmann produces this daily newsletter that quickly summarizes the headlines of the day. It is a little politics-heavy and is certainly on the longer side in comparison to other newsletters, but it is very informative. In addition to politics, it touches on world news and pop culture. It is complete with photos, videos, quotes and tweets you might have missed. If you just want brief headlines, this probably isn't the newsletter for you. But if you have more time to spare, want more information and want more complete coverage, then I highly recommend this one. Want it? Click here.
2. The Skimm
The Skimm is a very easy-to-read newsletter that briefly touches on the main stories of the day. It doesn't cover nearly as much ground as The Daily 202, but it is written in a conversational way and is a pretty easy read to get a basic understanding of what's going on in the world. My favorite part about The Skimm is the "guides" they publish about hot-topics in the news like The US-Cuba Relationship Status, The Many Names Of ISIS, or even The Oscars 2016. The Skimm is best for people with limited time who want to read the news in a less news-y way. If you're interested, you can sign up here.
3. The New York Times evening briefing
The evening briefing is great if you want the top 10ish headlines delivered to your inbox promptly at 6:30 p.m. (or in the morning! There is also a morning briefing option). The email will typically list the top two stories (along with their summaries), and then link you to the full briefing. Each headline is accompanied by a 3-4 sentence summary and link to the full story if you are interested in learning more. The briefing doesn't cover everything that's going on, but gives you a pretty good feel for the important stories. If this sounds like it's more your style, get set up here.
**The New York Times also has several other newsletters you can sign up for if you're interested in cooking, business, science, sports, etc.
4. BuzzFeed News newsletter
The BuzzFeed News newsletter comes five days a week and goes through a few major stories in depth while also listing some other key stories in a bullet point list. The stories are broken down into chunks that are easy to understand. It is supplemented with photos and links to longer stories and interesting non-news BuzzFeed articles. Want to try it?
**BuzzFeed also puts out other newsletters like Dog A Day, Food, Health and Beauty, and This Week In Cats.
5. POLITICO playbook
If you're interested in the D.C./politics side of the news, then this is the newsletter for you. The majority of influencers in D.C. read the playbook (think: White House chief of staff, senators, staffers on Capitol Hill, reporters, lobbyists). Every morning, Mike Allen wakes up at around 4 a.m. and writes a concise summary of the major happenings in D.C. and around the world. Other newsletters will probably give you a more general idea of what is going on, but the Playbook is widely read in D.C. and is worth checking out.
6. Need2Know
Need2Know lists 11 important articles from different news sources. The top few articles are the main breaking news stories. The list then breaks out into categories like politics, business, tech, sports, entertainment and "other shtuff." It mixes important world news with pop culture so you get a good sense of both. Want to try it?
7. The Daily Beast's Cheat Sheet
Similar to Need2Know, the Cheat Sheet lays out the top 10 "must read" articles of the day from various news sources. Each of the listed stories is complete with a photo, summary and a link to the original article. Even just reading the headlines will give you a general idea of what's up with the world. Click here to sign up.
Skimming any of these newsletters will keep you in the loop. Personally, I get a bunch of them, but it really depends on what kind of style you want to read. Who knows, maybe something will spark your interest, and you'll want to spend more time learning about what's going on.
