How to Become a Lifelong Learner
8/6/20263 min read
Learning has never been easier and more accessible. Many people want to learn a new skill by themselves or to fill their time with more beneficial habits. As people are continually busy with their jobs or studies, how can we adopt the habit of lifelong learning?
Lifelong learning includes formal, informal, and non-formal learning. The difference between informal and non-formal learning is that the latter is acquired through planned activities, like learning a new skill at work, while informal learning is acquired during our daily life.
Lifelong learning (LLL) is learning at any age, in any place, and across all areas of life. [Source]
In this blog, I will discuss a couple of ways that help individuals become lifelong learners naturally.
Benefits of lifelong learning:
1. Individuals who learn throughout their lives gain new skills and knowledge. LLL can also shape their values.
2. It can increase people's wisdom and help them adapt to change.
3. Learning new skills gives individuals an opportunity to socialize.
4. LLL allows people to find meaning in life.
5. A person with more education is less likely to develop dementia in old age.
6. A community made up of educated people will become more innovative and productive, while it also supports the economy.
How to develop the habit of LLL:
1. Manage Your Time:
Proper time management allows us to fit new learning goals easily. It includes eliminating our current bad habits or time wasters and knowing what our specific goals are and how we can practice them regularly.
There are many methods that help people to manage their time, like time blocking and deep work. If you want to read more about time management, you can check this article [How To Manage Your Time].
2. Know Yourself:
Write a list of all the things you're interested in and the skills you want to start learning. Think about which movies interest you. It could be historical or science fiction and search or read about that topic. If you're interested in fashion, you can learn about colour theory or learn sewing, and so on.
You can apply this to any other media. This should help you create a list of topics and skills to add to your learning goals.
3. Set Clear Goals:
Now that you have a list of all the things you enjoy and the skills you want to learn, you can create a self-study program that aligns with your daily life and responsibilities. Make your goals realistic and small.
As you get used to these habits you can expand your learning goals. For example, at the beginning of learning a new language you can set 30 minutes for a study session and after a while you can increase the time to an hour.
Also, try to prioritize your goals. You won't be able to set an equal time for each one. For example, if you want to know more about the current state of the world and learn a new language, you can read an article every morning and set an hour for language learning sessions.
4. Experience Different Methods:
Exploring different ways of learning allows you to know what methods keep you engaged, whether it's structured learning like in a course, listening to a podcast, or reading a book. It enables you to understand which one is more engaging or enjoyable.
You might enjoy all of them, and varying your study methods prevents boredom. Also, having different sources to learn enables lifelong learners to study anywhere, at any time. So, instead of relying only on study sessions, you can use an e-book you carry with you, a vocabulary app, and a writing practice website.
5. Microlearning:
Microlearning is a short form of educational media that focuses on a single topic. It could be through a video or an online course. The power of microlearning is that you can practice it any time. So, instead of scrolling between your classes you can watch a video on a topic you're interested in.
One study found that 77% of participants felt more confident in performing a task accurately after taking a microlearning course on that topic. It can increases your engagement and utilization of a topic. It can also help in retention of knowledge for a longer period of time. [Source]
6. Growth Mindset:
Having a growth mindset allows individuals to develop and continue their learning journey. A person with a fixed mindset believes they are either gifted or not. So, they might think to themselves, why bother learning? [Source]
A student with a growth mindset benefits from feedback and criticism and can learn from their mistakes, while a fixed mindset student only focuses on the feedback rather than focusing on improving. [Source]
In conclusion, learning throughout your life can benefit you mentally and cognitively. It can also affect society and the economy positively. Adopting this lifestyle can be frustrating in the beginning, but knowing your goals and creating a clear routine allows you to learn without feeling that learning is a chore. Habits like microlearning allow individuals to learn in small chunks throughout the day while still getting learning benefits. What's important is enjoying the process of learning.