Archive for learning
What are you doing differently?
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What are you doing now that you weren’t doing a year ago? Or, what are you doing differently? What have you stopped doing? If you answer nothing to any of these, it’s time to make some changes. Technology changes things so fast it’s hard to keep up. You don’t have to stay current in everything. But, you don’t want to be left behind either. Find at least one or two new things to do every year.
Obviously, social media is changing the dynamics of communications so that is one area you have to watch.
Another less obvious way is to try new software. Sometimes we get comfortable with a tool and just keep using it. It might be a great tool. But, there might be a tool out there that does more of what we’re really needing to do. You can get trial versions of just about anything so experiment.
Another idea is to learn new features of the tools you’re already using. Have you upgraded a program like Microsoft Office? Other than getting used to that blasted ribbon (I still don’t like that thing), have you looked to see what new features came with it? Have you learned how to customize the Quick Access Toolbar? That has made the transition a lot less painful for me. One new feature in Word that you may find useful is the Navigation Pane. In Excel, I especially like how much easier it is to do conditional formatting.
The major new program I’ve started using is the Personal Brain. I’ve looked at it numerous times over the years but was never quite ready to make the plunge. This year I did. I’m really enjoying having one place to store all of my ideas, references, projects, tasks, etc. Here is an example of one of my brains in progress.
So, what are you doing differently? What new thing have you found that has made a difference?
CONTROL Information Overload – Learning
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That’s life-long learning. Because anything you know now, will be obsolete before you’ve had a chance to forget it.
So, basically, as soon as you know something, assume it’s outdated. Just keep learning. And, have strategies in mind for what you’ll learn and the timeframe you have to learn it.
For example, every year I tried to choose one area of my business to study. One year it might have been marketing, another it might have been business management. Naturally, I continued to learn new things about technology and how to use it to achieve goals every day. But, using the different hats I wore gave me a way to focus on the information that would benefit me the most at the time.
Now that I manage a dental practice, I find those strategies still work. I wear nearly as many hats in this job as I did as a computer consultant and trainer. One minute I’m doing bookkeeping, the next I’m solving a computer problem, and the next I’m explaining insurance benefits to a patient.
I also use those different hats and what I call just-in-time learning to manage the volumes of things I need to learn. I look at what I’m trying to do and figure out what I need to learn to accomplish those goals. Then, I learn it. I stay aware of what else is out there so if (actually, when) the unexpected comes up, I know what options I have to take advantage of new opportunities.
You may get tired of hearing it, but this is another way I’m using The Personal Brain to manage things. I put in all the topics I want to study along with either links to the information (online or on my computer) or paste the information directly into the program. I can even use it to keep track of books and other physical information.
What hats do you wear and how can they help you control what you need to learn?
Well, those are my strategies to take CONTROL of information overload. I’d love for you to share your strategies.
Concepts, then keystrokes
Posted by: | CommentsLearn the concepts first; then, learn the keystrokes when you need them
I call it Just-in-time learning – there’s no point in learning keystrokes you don’t need or won’t use in the near future since you’ll forget them. A better strategy is to gain a grasp of features and potential benefits. Then, when you’re ready to take advantage of those benefits, learn the keystrokes for the features. In the meantime, something new/better may have come along.
What are you ready to learn?
Be patient while learning
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It takes 3 times before something begins to make sense…so show yourself some patience
When I was learning Greek, at first I couldn’t even recognize the alphabet. Then I had to recognize words. Finally, I could start putting meanings to those words. Computers are like that, too. It takes a few times for the hooks to start forming in your brain. And, those hooks do form — no matter the age.
I have found it’s easier to learn something when it solves a problem or frustration you’ve had. So, look at what’s frustrating you and learn a new skill to deal with it. It also helps if that new skill will solve several problems.
What are you trying to learn that just doesn’t seem to make sense?
Create opportunities for serendipity
Posted by: | CommentsSpend time each week just surfing the Internet to see what’s out there. Many of the best sites I have found have been by accident. Just be sure and set a time limit or you could be at it for hours!
Learn the logic of your software’s menu system. Then, when you need a new feature, you are more likely to find it and figure out how to use it.
What are some of your favorite things you’ve just stumbled upon?
Just-in-time expertise
Posted by: | CommentsWhen I was in ROTC in college, I had a very wise instructor. One of the lessons he taught was that it is more important to know how to find out than to actually know something. Since more information is produced every minute than I could learn in a lifetime, I don’t try to know everything. I do try to know the experts in fields related to my primary area of expertise and where to go for specific information. Then, I can stay focused on my area of interest.
Going one step further, let the originator maintain the information.
When I worked with Geographic Information Systems, the ideal system was one where each department created and maintained the information relevant to their needs and mission (the transportation office was responsible for the information about the roads) and made that information available to the other departments. That way, only one department kept complete information about the roads but anyone who needed a simple street map could get it with little effort. I try to apply that principle to the information I use in my business.
The key is having solid resources that maintain the information you need. The Internet can be a great resource, but long-term reliability can be spotty.
How do you find the experts you need? What information do you let others maintain?
Start where you are
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve had a few careers in my life and have studied a variety of areas. The one truism that keeps coming up is ‘start where you are.’ Makes sense since that’s really the only place you can start. Hopefully, the reminder can help you be more patient with yourself.
In life that means I may not always act the way I’d wish, but I am making progress. And, I’ve come a long way from how I acted when I was young. I just need to keep moving forward.
It also means I have a lot of starting points. And, they keep changing as I grow and learn.
With computers, that means you don’t have to be an expert next week. Just look at what you know now and build on that. Learn a little at a time in selected areas. Along with this, remember that when someone is helping you with the computer, it’s not about what they can do, it’s about what you can and need to do. When I was doing training and consulting one of the things my clients liked most was I showed them what they needed to know, not everything I knew.
I have a feeling I’ll be posting a lot more thoughts on this one.
Where are you now? Where do you want to go? What’s your next step?