As children, learning is an important part of our lives. We continue on as young adults through college and learning on the job. But then, by the time we hit our thirties, many of us stop learning on a regular basis. We may pick up something new here or there, or learn a new piece of software or equipment at work. But for the most part, we feel that we’ve acquired all the knowledge we need in life. While that’s technically true, there is a lot to be said about lifelong learning.
Does this mean that you should go back to school as an adult? Not necessarily. While that’s certainly an option, formal education in a school or university setting isn’t the only way we learn and there’s a lot of advantages to self-learning in a variety of ways. Lifelong learning keeps your mind strong, helps you stay up-to-date on technology in a fast paced and ever changing world, and improves quality of life.
Independent or self-paced learning can take a lot of different forms. You might simply decide to read up on a particular course through a variety of google searches. You can teach yourself a new skill through online articles and YouTube videos. Listening to audio books or formal lectures like those available at the “Great Courses” website are another option. And of course there are plenty of online and local courses you can take on all sorts of topics. Take a workshop, learn a new language, or find a new hobby that requires new skills. There is an almost unlimited about of knowledge out there that you can learn.
Learning is wonderful because it keeps us curious and our mind active. There’s a lot of pride and confidence that comes out of mastering a new skill, or figuring out a tough problem. Think of learning as a way to exercise your mind. Continued learning helps us understand the world around us, and the people in it better. That in turn will make us more compassionate and of course well-informed individuals. As an added bonus, self-paced learning is a great way to practice self-motivation, a skill that will come in handy throughout life.
Think about what you’re doing already that is part of lifelong learning. What are some things you would like to learn? Start making a short list of knowledge and skill goals and then start tackling them one a time. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit, or you’re interested in medieval history. Maybe you want to build your own computer, or learn how to operate a lathe. Make a plan and start making life-long learning a habit.
Over the past few days we’ve taken a look at how we spend our time, what we spend it on and what may be sucking time away from us. In other words, we started to be more intentional on how we spend our time and what we spend it on. That leaves quite a few hours each week open to new things. When we’re no longer watching TV mindlessly, or let social media suck us in, we have time to do the things we thought we simply didn’t have time for.
In yesterday’s blog post we talked about the time we spend vegging out in front of the TV or computer and how that time slips away from us. Today, I want to tackle another big time thief – social media. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing tool, but it can also be quite distracting. It doesn’t matter if it’s Facebook, Pinterest, Tumbler, Instagram, or your social media platform of choice.
Here’s a scary question for you. How much time do you spend each week sitting mindlessly in front of the TV, surfing the internet, playing video games and such? If you’re anything like the average American it’s a lot more than you’d like to admit or even think possible.
We all get stuck in a rut sometimes. We go through the motions, and have the days roll by without much fun or excitement. We are doing what we’re supposed to be doing without questioning things or changing them up. We’re all guilty of this at some point or another. We get into a comfortable routine and are afraid to step outside of our comfort zone and try something new. While that may be a safe and secure way to live life, we end up spending our time merely existing instead of truly living life to the fullest.