10 Clever Ways to Keep Learning Without Going Back to School

If you’re trying to improve any area of your life — keep learning. 

Being hungry to learn can help you get to the next level in your career. 

Learning shouldn’t stop once you leave school. And it doesn’t have to be boring.

Let’s talk about creative ways to constantly learn without breaking the bank. And how continuous learning can improve your life.

Why is it Important to Keep Learning?

You want to keep learning because education gives you options.

Being educated means you’re more likely to demand your worth.

A study on adult skills by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that across the 22 countries studied, an increase in skills always led to an increase in pay. 

What does this mean for you? The more you learn. The more you earn.

How Learning Can Improve your Life

How learning improves your life depends on your situation. The beauty of learning is that it’s one thing in life that you can control.

You can’t do anything about your past. You can’t change your childhood. But here’s what you can do. Learn constantly to improve your future. 

How to Keep Learning Without Going Back to School

There are lots of ways to keep learning throughout your career. Here are some easy things you can do to get started.

1. Change how you’re entertained 

If you love to binge-watch tv, that’s fine. But if you’re serious about learning, rethink how you spend your free time.

Replace mindless television and social media scrolling with educational content.

Here are some educational ways to entertain yourself. 

• Read daily
• Listen to Podcasts
• Watch educational tutorials 
• Visit the library
• Go to a museum  

2. Study people who’ve failed 

It’s normal to wanna learn from people who’ve made it. But you can also learn a lot from people who’ve failed. They can teach you what not to do on your journey. And how to bounce back from failures.  

3. Make friends from other backgrounds

Challenge yourself to hang out with people who think differently than you. Friends with different life experiences will force you out of your comfort zone.

If everyone in your social circle is just like you. It’s time for an upgrade. 

4. Get comfortable saying “I don’t know”

Saying “I don’t know” puts you in a position to learn. The next time you’re in conversation with someone.

Don’t feel pressured to have all the answers. Let them teach you something new.

5. Change your environment 

If you’re serious about lifelong learning, change your environment.

It could mean traveling and visiting new places. Or changing careers and going back to school.  The most important thing is to leave your comfort zone. Nothing special happens there. 

6. Ask to sit in on a class

If you love being in a classroom setting but aren’t ready to commit to higher education. Here’s what you can do. Find a local instructor teaching a topic you like. Ask to sit in on one of their classes.

Now you can learn more before enrolling in the course.

7. Teach what you know

Studies show that teaching others improves your learning. What topic do you know better than most people? 

Think about teaching it to others. It’ll make you more educated and look like an expert.

8. Follow current events

Staying on top of global events is a way to learn about the world around you. It doesn’t mean you have to watch the news all day.

Instead, set up alerts for topics that make sense for you and your industry. 

9. Take online courses

Today learning is easier than ever thanks to online courses. There are many platforms like NetWerk® University, that can help you develop personally and professionally. And you can learn at your own pace.

10. Subscribe to newsletters 

Join 3 to 5 newsletters related to where you are in your journey. It will help you constantly learn new things. You can start with our newsletter for more professional development tips straight to your inbox. 

Keep Learning

Being hungry to learn is a sign that you’re leveling up. If you follow these tips, you’ll master lifelong learning in no time. 

To get started, join our community of thousands of learners worldwide! You get instant access to our Career Level Up Center when you subscribe. 

Over To You 

How will you challenge yourself to keep learning? 

Head over to our comments section on social @netwerkmovement and let us know which of these tips helped you the most.

Share this with someone you’d love to inspire!