The depressing part about graduating from school is that the torture isn’t over. The learning never stops. That’s right. It goes on forever. Even when you feel like you’ve mastered the art of whatever it is you do, a year, a month, a day later and there’s something more to learn. It’s the sad truth.
Maybe you decide to quit that whole learning thing altogether. Unfortunately, things won’t turn out very well for you. Whether it’s more knowledge in your specific industry, a separate field, or a random interest, additional knowledge will help you go more places, stay relevant, and remain competitive. In other words, you need the learning to never stop if you want to be successful.
This can be difficult to accomplish, though. It’s already a struggle to keep up with your job and personal life. Add schooling to that, and things can quickly spiral out of control. But that’s a “can” and not a “will.” There are less invasive ways to increase your knowledge than what you’re probably aware of currently—ways that won’t take up too much of your time or affect your workflow too drastically.
Below are a few simple suggestions to consider.
Online Blogs
You made it to this blog, so why not expand your reach? Blogging is a great way to learn new things and if you go to the right places, the learning is oftentimes free, engaging, invaluable, and humorous. Pick a topic and read to your heart’s content. Obviously, you can start with a quick Google search, but if you pick a topic like technology or baking or farming, then you can usually find a well-researched blog on any large company connected to the industry.
Meetup
If you prefer to learn from a physical human being or if you like to learn in a group setting, then Meetup is the avenue of education for you. This website will connect you to other likeminded individuals who want to expand their knowledge and learn new things. Usually, a Meetup consists of 5-20 people who meet in a public setting to discuss a specified topic. This meeting takes place a few times a month and can last about an hour.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning gives you access to thousands of courses on topics such as business, leadership, design, big data, and marketing. Complete courses on your own time, and even subscribe to ongoing series like Monday Productivity Pointers and Excel Tips Weekly. Learn how to create a movie, maneuver through Instagram, set employee goals, and build a website from scratch. You start with a free month and the payment options are reasonable past the free trial.
Udemy
Udemy is a lot like LinkedIn Learning except you purchase individual lessons instead of subscribing to the site altogether. They offer the same types of content but expand to include very precise and nontraditional topics such as happiness, search engine optimization, instructional design, home improvement, and personal transformation.
Books
We may live in the 21st century, but books will always remain an important source of knowledge—whether this content is digital or printed makes no difference. Join a targeted book club or hop onto a website like Wired.com to receive a book of the month suggestion. The trick to reading a book is not to feel rushed. Take your time, and read a few pages every other night. For those of us who always feel really busy, this is extremely important. The less of an impact the actual reading of the material has on your daily life, the more likely you are to actually finish the book. Reading before bed is a great way to calm your mind, disengage from your digital world, and learn something new in the process.
