Why learning (can) sucks, but doesn't have to.
Once you stop learning, you start dying. Please don't die.
Most people stop actively learning after high school or university.
If you're reading this, you are probably not one of those. However, learning can sometimes suck because it can be challenging to find the motivation to pick up a book or try something new when you could just be relaxing.
Many factors could contribute to this:
Not enough sleep
Stress
Overworked, which leaves little time for learning
No clear goal(s)
Doubtful of your ability
Imposter Syndrome
Or you may just be unaware of the benefits that learning can have
The list goes on and on, but these are the ones that affect most people. Maybe you've experienced one or more of them?
You may be asking what to do to overcome these obstacles.
What’s the point?
At points along your learning journey, you may ask yourself what the point is. I have also found it hard to find the motivation to continue my learning journey because I feel like I have done enough. But the truth is, there will never be a shortage of things to learn or do.
‘once you stop learning you start dying.’ — Albert Einstein
I see learning as a way to keep moving, or in other words, not to stagnate. It’s a way to stay engaged and find adventure in life. Of course, it’s a way to find new and exciting things that can be of value in work, family, or friendships.
Learning keeps you alive physically and mentally.
Use the belief that it keeps you alive as motivation to continually learn.
Overcome the common factors by finding a balance between work, learning/content creation, family, and fun
Anyone’s goal is to find a balance between working, learning, family, and fun. Finding that balance can be quite difficult, and to be honest, sometimes we can just feel a bit lazy to work on ourselves when we could be relaxing.
The key to finding that balance is to put an approximate number on each type of activity. This approximate number determines how much time you will spend on each.
It’s important to realize that this number is approximate because you cannot put a number on the value of spending quality time with family, for example.
Also, you can’t put a number on quality work.
Or quality learning.
A useful technique for taking accountability for achieving your goals is by assigning them numerical values. This framework helps maintain productivity, especially during times of low motivation. Additionally, it enables you to prioritize spending quality time with your loved ones.
For each person, the amount of time spent on each of these will be different.
For example, for me, I’ll spend an hour in the morning learning/creating content and then go to work for 8 hours. I’ll come home and spend two hours with my family and then spend another hour on learning/content creation and the last hour before bed is spent relaxing/having fun (with family).
Although my schedule is not flawless, it enables me to prioritize and fulfill all the important aspects of my life.
Play around with your schedule to find the right balance.
Overcome barriers even further by prioritizing all of your learning
To overcome the hurdle of being lazy to learn after you're already done with school and university is to make learning purposeful. Know what that purpose is then just follow your curiosity. Part of learning should just flow naturally, but there also needs to be a degree of prioritization.
Your time for learning is probably brief, therefore it is that much more important to prioritize what you are learning and make it meaningful and relevant.
If it's not meaningful or relevant then it's not worth it.
As you saw in my schedule above, I only have about two hours per day where I can commit my time to learning and content creation. Two hours can go a long way but it's such a small portion of the day.
I would personally love to be able to commit more time to this, but my schedule just does not allow it therefore I need to make sure that my two hours are well spent.
You may experience something similar so make sure that whatever you are learning and creating aligns with your overall goal.
Keep up your momentum by creating a routine
It is important to establish clear boundaries to ensure that your dedicated learning time is not disrupted by anyone or anything.
One effective way to maintain uninterrupted learning and creation is by communicating your routine and preferred non-interruption times to others and requesting their respect for them. It is important to hope that they abide by your request, as constant interruptions can hinder your ability to concentrate and impede your creative flow. This can ultimately impact the quality of your work.
Scheduling your creative sessions early in the morning, before anyone else in your household is awake, can be a great option. This guarantees uninterrupted time for learning and creating, making it your most productive time of the day.
If mornings aren't your thing, consider scheduling your creative sessions for after everyone has gone to bed. It's important to find a routine that works well for both you and your loved ones.
The hardest hurdles that stand in the way come from you
It's common to face challenges that stem from our own thoughts. If you're experiencing difficulties with learning, productivity, or juggling multiple responsibilities, it's possible that something within you needs to be adjusted.
One way to address this is to experiment with different schedules, routines, and communication styles with both your family and coworkers. Remember that the way you interact with others can also impact the quality of your relationships.
Staying motivated is a difficult thing especially after you have experienced failure but you have to treat that failure as a learning experience and not let it get you down.
Reflect on it.
Take a step back.
Make a plan for how you want to move forward.
Take the necessary steps to move forward.