According to The Harvard Business Review (HBR), lifetime learners consider learning as a source of personal and professional fulfillment. The Economist recently argued that with all the disruptions in the modern economy, particularly technology, ongoing skill development is key to maintaining professional relevance.
Learning must become a habit, and so demands careful cultivation. First, developing a learning habit requires you to articulate the outcomes you'd like to achieve. Would you like to reinvigorate your conversations and intellectual activity by reading a variety of new topics? Are you looking to master a specific subject?
Based on those choices, set realistic goals, such as reading a book per week or studying English for thirty minutes a day. With goals in hand, develop a learning community, such as book clubs and writing groups.
To focus on your objectives, ditch the distractions. Multitasking and technologies such as cell phones and email can make the deep concentration needed for real learning difficult or impossible. Finally, use appropriate technology to supplement learning. Podcasts, audiobooks, e-readers, and other tools make it possible to have a book on hand at almost any time.
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