29 Jan Feeling stuck? Learn something new…
It’s easy to feel stuck at any time in life. But when life throws curve balls like national lockdowns, the feeling of being trapped, hemmed in and out of control can spell trouble. This is particularly troublesome if you’re the leader of a business and quite frankly, don’t have the time or band width to get stuck.
But don’t worry, there is a way out.
Learning, any kind of learning, can massively grease the wheels of productivity and creativity.
The benefits of learning
Developing your brain is always a good thing to do. As children we hurtle through life at breakneck speed, learning new skills and interesting facts. All day, every day. And life felt exciting and new back then, didn’t it?
As adults, why does the learning have to stop? There are always new things to learn in life and when you feel stuck in a rut or backed into a corner, learning something new can open up so many possibilities.
When we learn new skills or engage in developing existing ones, our brains grow and reorganise themselves. This process is known as neuroplasticity – our neural pathways whip themselves into shape and set about classifying the new information we’re feeding them. It’s fascinating stuff.
Neuroplasticity massively contributes to creativity and problem solving, so it’s an amazing area to focus on. Novelty is a key factor in keeping our brains malleable so introducing new skills, practising a hobby or even brushing our teeth with the opposite hand keeps our brain on its toes.
Further benefits of learning a new skill are well-documented (check out this lovely little blog from The Goodlife Centre) and, as leaders, those benefits shouldn’t be underestimated.
Learning a new skill
When I look back at 2020, one of my highlights was when I embarked on a new course.
As an antidote to feeling down and maudlin, I chose to focus on developing my brain as a way of banishing the feeling of, well, stuck-ness.
My learning of choice was an advanced copywriting course to develop my writing skills. And I loved it. I realise now that that course was liberating – I could travel in my brain, even if I couldn’t leave the house. I felt inspired and motivated again.
Invest in learning
My key message to you is this: invest in learning. Don’t simply use it as an emergency ‘break the glass to get unstuck’ option. Remember it constantly. Strive to develop yourself and your team frequently. Equip yourself and your people with the skills, knowledge and freedom to achieve anything.
In times of great stress, focus on what you CAN do, not what you CAN’T.
Because learning ignites a different part of the brain (and soul if you’re that way inclined) from the everyday activities involved in ‘doing your job’. Invest in learning and you’ll increase your creativity, your motivation and your opportunities.
Need help with your team’s learning? Ambient Tribe can help – talk to us about our training and development services and let’s learn together.
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