Ways to organize the learning process
When you get on the path of improvement and self-development, it must be as comfortable and convenient as possible. Easy access to study materials, booked slots in the schedule for training, tracking progress – such little things help maintain the right motivation level and complete courses and training.
Let’s look at how to organize your learning process properly without being distracted by side tasks like casino games at Bollywood and surfing the Internet on your smartphone.
Growing up
We constantly learn throughout life, and learning is only distinguished by its systematic nature. At school and university, we are in a framework with clear deadlines, a system of penalties for failure to perform the task, and a curriculum. Usually, the process is strictly structured, but adherence to the framework helps us devote long periods to learning and eventually completing it successfully.
As adults, we still need to learn – to gain new knowledge, improve our skills, to learn more about topics that interest us. Now, however, we are forced to do the process ourselves. Often there are all kinds of obstacles that prevent us from learning thoroughly: the need to devote time to the family, the pressure of work, and limited personal time.
Faced with this problem, many take full-time or part-time courses to feel the pressure of the deadline again and thus “force” themselves to learn the discipline. There can be several developments of the situation: either it will work, which happens very rarely without prior preparation, or the person loses interest and motivation in the process but will finish the course, or he will just quit the class halfway through, notwithstanding the money and time spent.
And if, with paid courses, we can keep the availability of invested funds, then with accessible sources or methods that do not have a deadline, the case is worse. Their completion rates tend to be much lower than their enrollment rates. So why does this happen? Let’s figure it out together.
Motivation
Motivation is divided into two types: the need to learn and to maintain interest. The need to know is worth understanding before it starts.
Ask yourself a few questions:
- Why do I need this course?
- What problem will I solve with its help?
- What knowledge do I want to gain?
- How will I apply this knowledge in practice?
Also, describe sixteen reasons why you want to take this course. The main thing is that they are essential to you, so don’t try to find a benefit in every paragraph. If you enjoy studying Japanese literature or want to research pottery thoroughly because it’s your favourite singer’s hobby, those are great motivators and a good source of motivation.
Organizing Sprint Learning
In long courses or programs, it is the length of the training that can be discouraged. The same factor confuses students who have decided to change careers or dramatically take on their qualifications. It begins to seem that it will take more than one year to get a result, and motivation immediately drops.
It is advisable to divide the training process into three weeks and alternate them with a week of rest. Then, after putting maximum effort in three weeks, you allow the body and mind “battery” to recover in a week and start training with renewed vigour.
Such a flexible schedule will prevent burnout and keep the desire for new knowledge even for long distances.
Environment
Learning in the company of people who share your aspirations and passions can be a vital source of motivation. People are very socially-oriented, and interacting with people triggers interest, excitement, and a desire to “keep our face in the dirt” in front of others. The effort, multiplied by the group’s support, yields impressive results.
You can join an already organized community, if it is a group course, or create your own. For example, ask friends, acquaintances and social networks if someone wants to keep you company in the system. Of course, these should be people about your level of knowledge so that you can move at the same pace and without stress.
Time
Suppose you’re taking a course with a scheduled appointment; reserve a time on your calendar for the lesson so that outside circumstances can’t claim it. It should be as significant an event as a meeting with your supervisor, a workout, or a doctor’s visit – to be completed on time.
Keep in mind that in addition to the lecture itself, you’ll need to do homework or repeat what you’ve learned – also, designate free hours per week for this activity so you can complete tasks promptly.
If you’re taking a course or studying a topic on a freelance basis, booking time to study in your schedule will also work and serve you well – it’s often the discipline and consistency we need to finish what we start.
Instructional Materials
Once you’ve approved the schedule, choose a program to organize the process and all the materials. With a little effort, in the beginning, you will be very grateful to yourself for them as you study, as having all the study and reference materials at your fingertips saves a lot of time.
For personal study, a free program with the ability to attach files, mark the date of tests or exams, and group notes and references by topic is best. Here are a few options that meet these requirements.
- Notion. There is a calendar and presentation of information in different views – kanban board, database, list, and gallery. You can attach files in preview mode or download links. There are reminders. The free plan is enough for all needs. There is no time limit for storing files, and you can always go back to the passed material. Notion is available on all platforms.
- Trello. The workspace can be broken down into projects, and inside, you can use the boards to track each stage of learning, separately stack additional material, and publish links and files. The size of each file in the free version is up to 10 MB, and the number of boards is limited to ten. There is a mobile application.
- Evernote. Despite the many modern alternatives for organizing information, Evernote is difficult to find a similar app in terms of functionality. You can attach files and group notes into notebooks and use a web clipper to save information from the Internet.
Self-development and continuous learning are essential skills you need in any field. No matter what level of the career ladder you are at, remember that learning, curiosity, and the desire for current knowledge are what make us top-notch professionals. We hope that you will devote even more time to improving your knowledge and skills after our article.
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