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As Learning at Work Week 2017 gets underway we share our top tips for learning during work time.
Put aside the time and be strict about protecting it
During a busy work day it can be really difficult to set aside time to learn. You might feel guilty as if you’re not doing ‘proper’ work or you might feel like learning isn’t a priority. But this is the week to finally ditch your guilt – learning is good for your ongoing health (HBR).
So be strict – block out time in your calendar, say no to that pointless meeting, set your phone to silent and close your inbox. In the long run your employer (and career) will thank you.
Spend time finding something that you’re actually interested in
You’re far more likely to stick to your learning if you find the subject interesting. Spend time finding a topic that captures your attention as well as being helpful for your career or personal development. And remember – the theme for this year’s Learning at Work Week is ‘Creative & Curious’ so don’t be afraid to stray beyond the boundaries of what you usually choose. Now might be the time to try coding or even screenwriting!
Set yourself a goal
Many of us don’t pursue learning for the sake of it, we’re usually learning to achieve something specific like a promotion or career change. While goals like these are helpful, they can often seem quite remote. So try setting yourself a smaller, more manageable goal this Learning at Work Week. It might be time-related, i.e. ‘I want to spend 3 hours learning this week’, or subject-related, i.e. ‘I want to understand the basics of big data analytics’. That way at the end of the week you know you’ve achieved something concrete.
What could you achieve this week?
Make yourself accountable
If you’re worried you’re still not going to stick to your learning, try and find someone to hold you to account. It might be a colleague or a friend. They can check in with you through the week to help you keep going. Alternatively, if you’re feeling really brave, you could try agreeing a forfeit if you fail to complete any learning! How does making the team tea for a month sound?
Share what you’ve learned
Finally, one of the most important things to remember about Learning at Work Week: sharing. If we want to try and encourage as many people as possible to learn at work then we need to talk about learning more! Try doing a presentation to your peers about what you’ve learnt, or share your own advice for keeping up your learning.
Get started with your learning now, find a course.
P.S. Have you got tips for learning at work? Let us know in the comments.
The post Getting the most out of Learning at Work Week appeared first on FutureLearn.
Continue reading...
Put aside the time and be strict about protecting it
During a busy work day it can be really difficult to set aside time to learn. You might feel guilty as if you’re not doing ‘proper’ work or you might feel like learning isn’t a priority. But this is the week to finally ditch your guilt – learning is good for your ongoing health (HBR).
So be strict – block out time in your calendar, say no to that pointless meeting, set your phone to silent and close your inbox. In the long run your employer (and career) will thank you.
Spend time finding something that you’re actually interested in
You’re far more likely to stick to your learning if you find the subject interesting. Spend time finding a topic that captures your attention as well as being helpful for your career or personal development. And remember – the theme for this year’s Learning at Work Week is ‘Creative & Curious’ so don’t be afraid to stray beyond the boundaries of what you usually choose. Now might be the time to try coding or even screenwriting!
Set yourself a goal
Many of us don’t pursue learning for the sake of it, we’re usually learning to achieve something specific like a promotion or career change. While goals like these are helpful, they can often seem quite remote. So try setting yourself a smaller, more manageable goal this Learning at Work Week. It might be time-related, i.e. ‘I want to spend 3 hours learning this week’, or subject-related, i.e. ‘I want to understand the basics of big data analytics’. That way at the end of the week you know you’ve achieved something concrete.
What could you achieve this week?
Make yourself accountable
If you’re worried you’re still not going to stick to your learning, try and find someone to hold you to account. It might be a colleague or a friend. They can check in with you through the week to help you keep going. Alternatively, if you’re feeling really brave, you could try agreeing a forfeit if you fail to complete any learning! How does making the team tea for a month sound?
Share what you’ve learned
Finally, one of the most important things to remember about Learning at Work Week: sharing. If we want to try and encourage as many people as possible to learn at work then we need to talk about learning more! Try doing a presentation to your peers about what you’ve learnt, or share your own advice for keeping up your learning.
Get started with your learning now, find a course.
P.S. Have you got tips for learning at work? Let us know in the comments.
The post Getting the most out of Learning at Work Week appeared first on FutureLearn.
Continue reading...
