Continuously learning through reading can lower stress levels.
Continuous learning entails a commitment to expanding our knowledge and learning new skills on a regular basis. And it’s a crucial concept in our fast-paced, continuously evolving world – especially in relation to the modern workplace. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 54% of employees believe it is critical for them to obtain training and gain new skills during their careers in order to keep up with workplace developments.
Continuous learning requires that you be self-motivated and consciously and voluntarily choose to gain new skills or expand your knowledge in a certain field. Here’s why it’s great and how it can influence not only your career but your health as well.
Maintain your relevance
It doesn’t take long to fall behind career-wise, considering the rapid introduction of new technologies. You simply have to keep up with the current, adapt, and hone new skills to maintain your value at any job.
Moreover, it’s not only about keeping up with change. By mastering the most trending skills, you can become a leader in your industry. Employers seek qualified candidates for leadership positions who are capable of promptly adapting to new changes and understanding them. You could even be the first person to present new technologies to your company if you can stay “in the know” about emerging innovations.
Become multi-functional
You may become an even more valuable addition to your organization with some cross-training. You’ll have a better grasp of the business and will be able to collaborate more effectively with employees in related roles. Also, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the entire business as well as the industry. Lastly, expanding your knowledge will help expand your imagination as well, so you’ll be better able to contribute to solving complex challenges at work.
Discover new perspectives and ideas
If you keep learning throughout your life, you’ll continuously be exposed to different perspectives. It might help you think more rationally and embrace diverse points of view. The more you learn, the better you’ll be at recognizing different perspectives on the same problem, allowing you to get a firmer grasp on issues.
New ideas go hand-in-hand with new perspectives. You will eventually be able to connect multiple ideas or tools and develop your own innovative solutions that have been inspired by everything you learned. This will also enable you to come up with creative answers to challenges that are presented to you. And with all those creative problem-solving experiences, who knows – you might even come up with a fantastic new business idea.
Improve your CV
You can add more items to your CV as you expand your skills through continuous learning. Even if you’re not adding another “formal” degree, you can add a “skills” section to your resume and highlight the skills and abilities you’ve learned on your own. You can also help your career development by learning a new language on the business level. This will look great on your resume and it will be incredibly beneficial when dealing with overseas clients.
Have more self-confidence
Continuous learning will give you a sense of success, help you develop independent thinking, and increase your self-confidence. It gets you ready to take on new tasks and venture into unfamiliar territory. With improved critical thinking and problem-solving skills, you will be more confident in various scenarios.
If you don’t have the experience of continuous learning, you might find yourself often feeling apprehensive. With it, you’ll be ready for the unexpected, and you’ll find it easier to overcome various curveballs that your professional as well as your personal life may throw at you.
Cognitive function
Simply put, learning new things is beneficial to the human brain. According to research, learning keeps brain cells functioning at their best, which can help prevent cognitive deterioration as we age. Your brain, like your body, needs exercise and activity to maintain its strength. The best aspect is that education can take many different forms. We maintain our brains healthy as long as we keep learning new things.
Live a longer life
Continuously learning through reading can lower stress levels. This includes reading books, documents, and blogs on a variety of topics that interest you. According to a study conducted by the University of Sussex, reading for just six minutes can reduce stress by 68%. In addition, it lowers heart rate and relieves muscle stress.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt about it – continuous learning will help you grow both personally and professionally. We hope you recognize the importance and how it could significantly impact your career and health.
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” – Henry Ford
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