Methods for Continued Learning
Reflections on personal and professional development
After much deliberation about what to write about, this week's post will look at continued learning.
Not the metaphorical kind I mentioned in my post on Milan, where I pondered how unruly train ticket systems might serve to encourage us to look within for a deeper meaning (which perhaps is a bit of a stretch), but more tangible learning which is applicable to our everyday lives, and the work we do (paid or unpaid).
Likely sparked by me recently starting a new job, where there is SO MUCH to learn, I've been doing a back-catalogue listen through one of my favourite career podcasts, Squiggly Careers, and thinking about how episodes I might have listened to before apply in a new context. Meanwhile another podcast/newsletter I follow, Inner Warmup by Inner Workout, has recently introduced the concept of “integration breaks” which is something I’ve not really considered before but actually is much needed. These breaks are essentially designed to help listeners/readers integrate learnings into our lives, and take time to think about what could be blocking us from doing that, before trying to take on, or take in, anything new. For someone like myself who consumes so much content (passive podcast listening, article skimming, documentary watching in the background of a life admin session) a lot of it is perhaps consumed unconsciously. When we're always scrolling/listening/half-heartedly watching, how much can we really be taking in? Perhaps something to explore more deeply in another post ...
For now, I thought it might be helpful to outline some resources I've used for professional and personal development, lessons from along the way on approaches that work well for embedding the learning, and considerations that might help you on your learning journey.
Squiggly Careers Podcast
The podcast world is overflowing with daily, weekly and monthly episodes dropping faster than we could ever dream of keeping up with. I listen to a wide range, on a variety of topics, and could likely write a whole piece on the culture of podcast-listening (note to self …) but here I've chosen to focus specifically on one which I’ve found especially insightful on the topic of learning, and career development, and I think is worth spreading the word about for anyone who isn't familiar.
The Squiggly Careers Podcast, and wider Amazing If offering, provides a range of resources, insights, and ideas for action focused around non-linear career paths, but these are also often very useful for typical/cross-industry roles e.g. managers. It's an interesting listen as a millennial in particular as I think we often lay on both sides of the land - some of us are firmly climbing a corporate ladder, while others are fully focused on turning side hustles into fruitful careers. Others still, maybe like myself, are attempting a bit of both.
The weekly podcast is complimented by a “podsheet” rounding up key takeaways from the episode, as well as weekly live “PodPlus” zoom sessions to explore the topic further. While an avid listener of the podcast, I’ve only engaged with a few PodPlus sessions, usually when I can fit it in with work or when there's a topic I’m especially interested in, but they tend to be highly engaging and a great way to make new connections.
Through the years I have picked up and applied some great tips from Squiggly Careers’ various offerings, including ideas for LinkedIn profile updates and CV boosting tips such as hyperlinking to examples of my work. But all too often I find myself listening while on a walk or getting ready for work, without a pen and paper to hand, and don't always remember the ideas for action I want to follow up on. Or maybe I do make note, but then don't carve out the time to put these into play, which is something I really want to get better at.
I know I'm learning. I know when I'm listening along I'm really thinking about what the friendly hosts - Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper - are discussing, but this isn't necessarily reflected in my own actions for how I follow up - particularly compared to other learning methods I’ve engaged with, such as online learning.
Online Courses
Admittedly, it's been a while since I've done an online course, the type that might last several weeks with a few hours of commitment across each set of seven days, but when I have, I've really committed to the process. Earlier on in my career I actively sought out courses through FutureLearn which would add to my knowledge bank in areas I found interesting and thought would support my career development. Often I opted for courses which were likened to a single university module and that I could complete in 4-6 weeks. This was generally an enjoyable experience, filling a learning gap I found I really missed post-graduation. In more recent years I've completed slightly more random courses that I've come across through various realms, including The Science of Wellbeing, which actually is a university module (at Yale, delivered rather democratically through Coursera) but has an innate focus on the personal, rather than solely academic or professional.
What's been consistent through these online learning experiences is that I've carved out time to watch the weekly sessions on my laptop, notebook and pen at the ready, completed the related quizzes and tests, submitted pieces of work, and reviewed that of fellow students. I've been encouraged to think about how I can apply my learning, in work or in life, and done just that - saving worksheets to return to, bookmarking questions for reflection, and discussing takeaways with friends and colleagues.
While the length of time I continue to use or implement lessons learned from this method has varied according to the topic or subject matter, it has probably been the most effective form for me - something I'm only realising as I write this piece.
As such, I'm now thinking about how I can apply this to other forms. Luckily for me, the Squiggly Careers team have recently released a video book which I've got my hands on and am eager to dive into. But thinking more broadly about embedding learning from specific resources, or other more impromptu opportunities, what might this look like? Carving out an hour or two a week to take notes and action points from podcasts instead of listening on the go? Keeping sticky notes with key insights in my work notebook? Journalling about what I'm learning at work, and in life, each week? Food for thought indeed, including for how I might apply this to reading...
Books and Articles
As with podcasts, articles are often something I'll have saved on my phone to skim through while on the go - usually on public transport on the rare occasion I don't have a book in my bag. At times I do have more of an active reading session, for example on a Saturday morning I might have a relaxed article-reading session on the sofa with my laptop propped on a cushion, coffee in hand. But almost never is there a notebook and pen involved.
Now, of course a lot of articles I read are not necessarily about 'learning' in a life-changing, or work-adapting, sense; they're about catching up on political shenanigans, drooling over a new restaurant opening, or pondering a nuanced feminist take on a some celebrity's controversial Insta post (to give you a brief insight into my article-browsing interests...). But even when I'm reading something that is supposed to instigate some further thinking or implementing, whether it be managerial advice from the Harvard Business Review or a nutritionist's advice to help tackle my specific gut health issues, I'm rarely in the mindset, or physically prepared, to take note. Which, given the usually short sharp nature of articles, is perhaps a bit of a missed opportunity.
Similarly when reading books, I'm rarely taking notes as I go. As with articles, while much of my literary engagement is with works not intended to serve 'lessons', I do have a slight penchant for paperbacks that might be found in the self-help category of your local bookshop. When reading such books, on occasion I have tried to jot down key takeaways or points I want to remember, but only after finishing reading, which means I'm then frustratingly trawling through the pages trying to remember in which chapter and where on the page I found an idea or concept I connected with for one reason or another.
I sometimes wish I could be one of those people who takes their pen (or pencil) to the pages of a book, customising the margins with musings galore. But I just have such a strong repulsion towards this, not wanting to ‘ruin’ the book, that it’s something I struggle to implement even thought it would likely make for a better reading experience. Earlier this year I started to re-read some books I wanted to revisit the insights of, and vowed to at least leave sticky notes throughout with key thoughts/ takeaways - which I did, for a time, but I haven't really done anything with them since, and after a while forgot that I'd even started with the sticky notes…
To give you an idea of the kind of learning I usually look for from reading books, some examples of those I've previously written my own key takeaways from, or added sticky notes to, include:
- Untamed, Glennon Doyle
- The Hidden Pleasures of Life, Theodore Zeldin
- 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman
- How Do We Know We're Doing It Right,
- Sabotage,
- Money: A User’s Guide, Laura Whateley
You can probably gauge there is a theme. These are all really focused around trying to optimise our lives, and make the most of our time on earth - apart from the final read on personal finance which actually was extremely practical and helped me with credit card queries and pension fund amendments, among other nuggets which should really be on the school curriculum. I find I don't tend to read 'learning' books to increase my knowledge or understanding of things to directly help me in my role at work, or better understand geopolitics (I read enough of those through my degree), but rather to think about some bigger picture stuff about how I want to live.
But could I be using books and articles even more effectively as tools for learning, so that I more intently apply the useful tips I'm consuming on the tube, or the insightful questions I'm being encouraged to ponder while reading in bed?
Perhaps it needn't be all about taking detailed notes or writing summaries in the same way as I have done with online courses. Instead I could use the notes app on my phone (which incidentally is where I am drafting this piece) to remind myself of an interesting article or a specific point within it - but also in that moment, jotting down what I want to do with that information. Perhaps if I am going to have more of an 'active' article reading session, treating myself to reading on the 'big screen' (i.e. laptop) I could be more intentional about which pieces I save for this time - which is to say those that might benefit from my having a notebook and pen to hand - and saving those about culture and current affairs for when I'm just in need of a browse (because as optimistic as my younger self may have been, ‘sort out world peace’ is never going to be a viable action point).
I hope this brain dump of my thoughts on a few different ways I try to continue learning, and applying new lessons, is of some use for to you. And if not, a special thanks for reading this far (looking at you, Mam).
To end, in true Squiggly Careers style, I'll offer some ideas for action:
1. Think about a few key areas you want to develop in, personally and/or professionally.
2. Consider whether you already know how you learn most effectively, or whether you need to trial a range of approaches.
3. Based on that, seek out relevant resources, exploring podcasts / journal and/or media articles / books / online courses / live events / networking opportunities etc. Be creative and open to how you might progress in your chosen areas.
4. Plan for how you're going to make note of new lessons… choosing a new notebook and pen, the notes app on your phone, using your existing journal etc.
5. Carve out time to implement what you're learning, whether that's spending 15 minutes on Friday afternoons thinking about how you can adapt some key takeaways from that week's meetings, or your sessions of an online course, into next week's product delivery plan, or perhaps it's Sunday morning in bed journalling about areas of personal growth and how you want to invest more in relationships with people close to you.
What resources do you use to learn, and how do you ensure lessons are implemented? I'd love to hear your tips and tricks in the comments section!
Until next time, happy learning!
PS…
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