Seeking Knowledge Will Give You Power
A lot of people think they don't have time to learn new things or to expand their knowledge because they're overworked and stress-filled. Others might believe that learning would take away from other important tasks in life. Both of these beliefs are wrong, and here's why: learning a new skill or knowledge can actually make you more productive in your work life.
When you learn something new and bring it into your life, you're essentially expanding and creating a larger space for growth. If you can fill that space with knowledge, your mind will be better able to process information at work and elsewhere.
If you're the type of person who is constantly overwhelmed or spread thin, this article is specifically for you. You've probably heard all the "just do it" mantras before. Just take action! Just do it and see what happens! Well yes, but I'm talking about doing something specific – something smart and calculated- that will give you long-lasting results instead of just another quick fix.
Here are the skills and knowledge that you need to get started on building a better work life.
Knowledge of your Profession
You should learn as much as you can about your occupation, as soon as you can. This will give you the information necessary to create a successful career, whether you're a writer, artist or designer. Don't feel like this is a waste of time, either. Many professionals feel they failed out of college because they didn't study marketing or accounting but rather the things that made them passionate – writing and painting, for example. You can learn everything they know by applying it in your chosen field and learning more about it along the way.
Arts
While you're in school, or even before, go out and try something new. Don't just study the same subject all of the time; try out a new medium or style. Yes, this will cost money – a lot of money. You'll want to buy art supplies and find ways to promote yourself. That's why I've put "art" in quotes above; you want to promote what you do and create a fanbase who will spread your work even further. I'll talk more about promoting your own work later in the article, but first let's go over some other ways to expand your knowledge:
Read Books . Find authors whose work grabs you and keeps you going back for more. Read more than just the synopsis. Learn to appreciate their style and structure and the way they tell their stories. Lay out an informational biography of your favorite author, then use it as a model to create your own books or creative projects.
You'll want to read for different reasons and see what you come across that attracts you. You can run into some great free reads on Wattpad, which is a site that lets you post stories electronically for others to read and comment on .
Teach Yourself . This is another excellent way to learn new things about yourself. I've done this with several different subjects, and it's a great way to expand your knowledge. Memorize flashcards for vocabulary words and try to put them into context so you'll use them in your own life. For example, I memorized the Japanese alphabet, then went through the process of converting it into an English name that I could easily remember. This let me learn what my kanji looked like as well as how they changed from one sound to another. You can also work on your grammar and learning new things about your own language: sayings and idioms .
Keep a Journal . If you don't have a journal already, it's time to get one. I use mine as a scrapbook of all the different things that I've learned over the years. I've found that if I write down what I'm learning and how I'm doing, it helps me improve and achieve more in my life. It's also easier to flip back through your journal and see what you've done over the course of your life instead of trying to remember things on your own. Create a new entry every day or every time you learn something new.
Check out Books on Demand , a downloadable app that allows you to read and learn at your own pace, even if you've never used a computer before. It's great for business professionals who have to travel often as well as students.
Explore the World . The more you experience, the more knowledge you can gain. Many times it's just something as simple as going outside, but if you want to do something on the larger scale, try traveling around the world and seeing how things work in different cultures. I recommend this for those who are extremely passionate about a certain culture or people group. You'll find plenty of opportunities to volunteer at orphanages or help teach English on an international level with programs such as Youth For Understanding .
I've learned so much about myself and what I'm capable of by traveling around the world. I've toured in Southeast Asia, seen with my own eyes how life is in America's neighbor to the north and helped out at a school in Cambodia. After doing all this, I feel like I'm set up for success on my career path, because I have a better idea of what I want and need to do with my life. If you're curious about other countries, there are several online programs people can use to learn more about a certain culture – This Is Your Country , for example.
Books on Tape . Okay, I know that this is an older method of learning, but it's still an excellent one. I've read several books on tape and they are fantastic. They take you step by step through a story so you can learn at your own pace, rather than just reading a chapter and forgetting it. This is also useful for people who have trouble remembering information or people (more on this later).
I personally have both tape sets and CDs that I listen to when I'm working out. It's a great way to keep your brain engaged with something new, especially if you're doing something difficult like jogging or HIIT workouts.
Health and Wellness
I'm not going to tell you to work out because most people have heard that a million times. I do want to tell you, though, that if you haven't taken care of your mind and body, it's time to start. If you let this slide, your health will suffer for it. Take care of yourself. Work on getting healthy and fit. Eat right and make sure that you get enough exercise each day so your mind isn't clouded with fog from a lack of oxygen while working out.
Do Yoga . This is an excellent way to stay in shape and learn how to control your breathing. It's also a great way to relax after a stressful day at work or school.
Conclusion
There are so many different ways to learn in this day and age. However, it's important to be selective about what you want to learn. You don't have limitless time on this earth, so make sure that you're using your time as effectively as possible.
Another thing I learned while writing this article is that it's not something to rush through.