4 ways to learn, not just consume more information

By Brian Maynor

 

Over the past 30 years, the amount of information we consume on a daily basis has grown over five times.

While a lot of that has to do with social media, there are other reasons.  E-learning has exploded both for personal and professional use over that time, especially within the last decade.

However, consuming all of this additional information has not translated to increased knowledge.  In fact, the average American’s general civic knowledge has remained the same for the last 80 years, and professionally we tend to only apply 15% of what we learn in professional programs.

Fortunately there are ways we can become better, or at least more productive, learners.  Here are four of the best:

1.   Focus our information consumption.  With all of the information flying around us, it can be very distracting.  The average attention span is short enough as it is; so one way to counteract that fact is to limit the topics we follow.  Obviously if we focus our learning to one topic we can learn more about it, and that information has a greater chance of building upon itself, but there is another benefit as well.  Neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley believes our brains are actually wired to remember better with fewer distractions.

2.    Structure what we learn.  If we leave information floating around unorganized in our brains, it is harder to retrieve and use it, much like scattered files on a computer.  When we organize them into folders, they are easier to locate.  This idea of creating mental frameworks was first introduced by Jean Piaget back in the 1920s, so it’s hardly a new concept.

3.    Regularly combine what we learn.  Learning isn’t just about collecting more information.  We have to make sense of it and piece it together with what we already know.  That is also what makes it hard.  Synthesizing what we learn is not the same as merely summarizing it.  Instead, it is internalizing the information and forming an opinion on what it means and why it is important to us.

4.    Take a break from learning.  It can be easy and tempting to binge learn, especially on topics we are interested in, but we need to balance the learning process.  If we are constantly learning we never have time to process and apply what we previously learned.

With access to limitless information, it would be a shame not to capitalize on it.  Instead of just reading and storing information, let’s practice becoming better learners so we can actually use it.

 

 

I’m always excited to hear from you, so please email your questions, quandaries and conundrums to [email protected].

 

About Brian Maynor

Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.

 

Sign up here to start your free subscription to MidlandsLife!