Contemplation & Integrating Insights

[Waves]

I'm starting to feel a bit saturated with all the information I get from books, videos, and podcasts. I love learning and being exposed to different perspectives, but I feel I'm off balance, especially after these months: I take too much in and process/implement it too little. I want to integrate and squeeze more out of experiences and external sources. I want to get a more solid, independent understanding, have more original insights.

Thinking about this led me to the conclusion that I need to start contemplating more regularly, and shift the balance towards more practice, although at the same time I don't want to abandon books/podcasts. 

So I'm curious to know:

• How do you integrate external insights and make them your own? Do you deliberately stop and think/journal about what you've come across?
• Are you contemplating habitually and rigorously with a journal? How do you find yourself naturally contemplating? How do you choose what to contemplate?