School is back in session for many. It’s the time of year when we adjust to new schedules, new traffic, new weather, and maybe even new neighbors. Even if you’re not in school, it’s a season for learning.
Most learning takes place outside of a classroom, and continues throughout our lives whether we actively seek educational experiences or not. There are, however, benefits to independent study at any age, and it’s never been easier. Learning new information, skills and hobbies keeps your mind sharp. You are building and strengthening the connections in your brain, which helps with concentration, memory, and sleep. After all, your brain needs that sleep time to cement your new knowledge. Learning also improves our ability to adapt and cope with these inevitable changes.
There are many opportunities for learning these days. Many topics are available as online videos or even courses (check out Udemy and Skillshare). Television might be a helpful source of ideas that spark your curiosity. Books are still great for learning, because you can bookmark pages and revisit details as you go. If none of the above works for you, just take time to observe the world and people around you. If something piques your interest, ask questions. People love to show off their knowledge of a subject. Not quite comfortable approaching yet? Just watch. If you see something and think, “That’s something I could do,” by all means give it a try!
Don’t give up on something that interests you just because it’s not making sense yet. It may be that you have a different learning style.
Visual/Spatial needs information they can see; charts, graphs, maps.
Auditory needs to hear new information; music/rhythm are helpful.
Verbal/Linguistic does best speaking/reading/writing; taking notes.
Kinesthetic learns from a hands-on approach.
Logical/Mathematical needs numbers and patterns; organization is key.
Interpersonal learns best in a group setting; discussion and feedback.
Intrapersonal needs time alone to think about a subject in detail.
What’s your learning style? If you’re not sure, you can test at learning-styles-online.com. Will this change the way you try to pick up new skills?