I love this comment at the end of a fascinating article from hbr about continuous learning. Whilst, like many others, I am required to do continued professional development (CPD) in my specialist area of patents, and the wider area of Intellectual Property, one of the other areas that occasionally ends up towards the bottom of my to do list is continuous development of myself in other work-related areas (management, leadership, productivity... to name but a few).
Over the last few years I have endeavoured to ensure that working on these wider areas has been a priority, since they becoming are increasingly important as my career progresses and changes. As the article mentions (see point 2) one of the keys is to set aside time for learning - sometimes this is easier said than done, but it is so important.
I’ve used various methods to try and ensure I make time for learning, some more successfully than others. Using my commute time to listen to relevant podcasts/audiobooks; having more than one book on the go at any one time (at least one personal development related, one fictional); finding a mentor and prioritising time with them (see point 4 in the article) and allowing myself to practice things I’ve learnt at work to see how they fit.
Does anyone have more suggestions for me - I’m always looking out for new ways to learn!
Importantly, learning should never stop. Regardless of your past achievements and your present level of expertise, your future depends on your ability to keep learning.
https://hbr.org/2018/07/take-control-of-your-learning-at-work