The secret to becoming smarter every single day (without even trying)

In recent years there's been an upwards trend of personal development, self-directed learning and growth.

Thanks to technology and the internet we now have a whole world of knowledge at our fingertips... So why not take advantage of this?

We've put together some key ways to grow your knowledge and save time while doing so - whether it's to boost your learning for career development, or simply for fun.

1. Utilise your morning and evening commute

Did you know that the average person in the UK spends 2 hours a day commuting, which adds up to 251 hours (1o days!) a year?

Think about how much you could learn and absorb per year (or even per week or month) if you made the most of this time.

Commuting is often seen as 'dead time', but it's simple to turn this into productive time.

Consider...

• Downloading free podcasts.
• Downloading audiobooks.
• Setting yourself a target of reading 1 book per week using your commute time

Commuting will no longer be time wasted, but instead be a time where you can channel knowledge-growth and even develop key skills which might get you in line for that promotion.

2. Podcasts on the go

Podcasts are one of the best ways to learn. Not only are they mostly free on platforms such as Spotify and iTunes, but you can find podcasts on any topic - whether that be current affairs, business advice, or listening to successful people to inspire you.

Want to start your own business, but no idea how to begin? Through podcasts, you can listen to successful business owners give invaluable insights and share their expert knowledge.

Podcast episodes often cater for complete beginners to a topic too, so no need to feel afraid that you won't understand.

Another advantage is that you can listen to podcasts 'on the go', in ways you can't with a book. Here are some top suggestions of way you can squeeze in podcast listening:

• At the gym: On the treadmill or bike and bored of your music? Put on a podcast instead, so you can learn and get fit at the same time.
• On a walk: Plugging your headphones in while you're on the move is a great way to learn without spending any extra time.
• While doing chores: Chores take up more time than any of us would like, so why not learn at the same time? Blast a podcast while you're doing your tasks to make the time doubly productive.

3. Apps for learning

We've all heard about how people are spending too much time on their phones nowadays.

But this doesn't take into account the idea that if you're using apps productively... then it isn't a waste of time at all - but rather a good use of it.

The App store has whole sections dedicated to 'Education' and 'Productivity', amongst others.

Apps allow you to learn valuable skills for free which otherwise would have been expensive to learn. Whether that's learning a new language, learning to code, or to cook.

So... Instead of aimlessly scrolling through your phone, get started on a learning app instead!

Remember, whatever you want to learn... There's an app for that!

Great! I can't wait to get learning. But how I can stick to it?

It's easy to have the best of intentions when it comes to learning a new skill, but if there's no one to keep you accountable then it can be easy to fall off the wagon.

Research has shown if you set and write down specific goals you're 33% more likely to achieve them (than if you only formulated them in your head).

Setting objectives boosts your motivation, self-confidence and autonomy.

We recommend something along the lines of the OKR framework. OKRs are normally used in businesses, but can be used in your personal life too.

In summary, your goals need to be specific and quantifiable.

As an example, instead of challenging yourself to "read more", set yourself the target of reading 1 book per fortnight on your commute to work. Instead of vaguely planning to "learn to code", instead, set yourself a portion of your coding app to get through every week.

Setting specific goals are a sure-fire way to increase your learning intake, week on week.

Thanks for reading! We hope you found these tips useful.

Here at Learn Amp, we love the idea of promoting self-driven and autonomous learning as much as possible, both at a personal level and at business level.

If you're interested in incorporating excellent learning practices into your business to help your employees develop and grow, then please do visit our website.

Alternatively, feel free to request a free demo to see how our learning platform offers the perfect blend of self-directed learning, expertly curated content, and insightful data analytics to help your employees success.

We hope to hear from you soon!