If your brain is feeling rather sluggish and you have a suspicion that you’re stuck in a rut, then perhaps it’s time to learn something new. You may be out of school for many years, but you can still engage in lifelong learning to immerse yourself in topics that interest you. Your brain will get a boost, and you’ll break out of that rut.
Choose a Topic
First, choose a topic for your learning project. You may have always wanted to pick up another language, or perhaps you’re interested in science or history. If you aren’t sure which direction you want to go, do some browsing online, taking a look at everything from genealogy research sites to scientific publication sites like Bentham Science Publishers. Something will be bound to catch your attention.
You might also ask friends what they’ve been studying lately. Talk to your local librarian, too, or even check out your local community education catalog. Be careful, though, not to choose too many topics at once.
Find Learning Resources
Next, you’ll need to find learning resources. These could be books, articles, online videos or specialized journal articles like those found at Bentham Open (especially if you’ve chosen a science-related topic). You might find an online class to take. Many of these are free. Others are quite inexpensive. Your library likely has plenty of resources available, too, so ask the librarian to guide you. As you get deeper into your topic, you might even take a formal class or two.
Plunge Into Learning
Finally, plunge into learning. Make a commitment to the topic and resources you’ve chosen. Your brain may take a while to get into gear, so stick with it. If you take a break at this point, you might not return, so work lifelong learning into your regular schedule.
Lifelong learning is something everyone should engage in. It’s enjoyable, and it keeps your brain active and your life interesting.
