In a recent post, I discussed the importance of investing in yourself. In this post, I’m sharing a great list of no-cost ways you can do that. No-cost means no funding required, no need to open your wallet and/or use your credit card.
But of course there is a cost. Investing in yourself will require time. It will require effort. It will require that you value yourself enough to nurture your growth. And it might require you to take a risk and try something new!
-
Free Online Courses from Top Universities
Ever want to go to Harvard? MIT? UC Berkley? edX offers free, online educations, across a wide variety of topics at no cost. Almost too good to be true.
-
Use YouTube
You Tube has more than videos that make you laugh. Check out their education channel for an amazing array of topics, ranging from pre-school to college to life-long learning. I recently use a YouTube video to fix my car and averted a trip to the shop.
-
Read
Let us be grateful to Guttenberg for making books so readily accessible. We have a treasure trove available at our fingertips. Go to the library. And, if you like to read on your electronic device, check out Freebooksy, which lists over 500,000 free books you can download.
-
Attend Free Seminars
If you look, you’ll find free seminars in a variety of place. In your community, at your local college or university, or online.
-
Watch the History Channel
Learn about the past on the History Channel. If you happen to miss one on your favorite History Channel shows, you can watch them online (even Swamp People – which I have to admit eludes me as to why it is in this line up).
-
Find a Mentor or a Teacher
Most individuals are reluctant to ask someone to take time to teach you what they know. At the same time, most individuals are honored and happy to teach someone about the things they do well and enjoy. So get over your reluctance and reach out to that person who knows how to do what you want to learn. Chances are, they’ll be honored and say yes.
-
Listen to Podcasts
Podcasts are informational series that are broadcast and can be downloaded to listen to at your convenience. You can subscribe to a series or search for individuals ones – and then listen to them on your devise (phone, pc, iPad, iPod). Here is The Atlantic’s list of the best podcasts for 2016 to get you started.
-
Go to Museums
If you happen to be in Washington, D.C. you’ll have many museums to explore at no cost. Even if you are not, check out your local museums, as many of them offer free days. They may not be at peak times, but you won’t have to contend with big crowds.
-
Subscribe to Blogs
As you might suggest, I’m a big fan of blogs. I like getting bite sized information over time. Many blogs are written by experts in their fields and present me with information, new perspectives and ideas. Simply Google this search: Blogs about <topic> and most likely someone will have curated a list of the top blogs for your area of interest.
-
Explore Newspapers
Old school, I know, but newspapers are still a great source about a variety of information. Find them for free at your local library – every day! Pick up a newspaper from a different city or country, and the learning will be rich.
-
Subscribe to The Skimm
This is summary of the top, daily news that’s delivered to you inbox every morning. Filled with crisp writing, they live up to their name, and this service is offered at no cost.
-
Job Shadow
Ask someone if you can shadow them for a day. You might do this to learn about a new career opportunity or just to learn what others in your organization do and how your work impacts their work. Even local law enforcement agencies often offer the chance to do “ride alongs”.
-
Watch TED talks
If you have an extra 18 minutes, find a topic of interest and prepare to be informed and inspired. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today it covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages.
-
Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to learn, to expand your horizons, meet other people and do good along the way. Whether your interest is building homes or helping the homeless, art or sports, education or the environment – there is an organization who would be thrilled to have you.
-
People Watch
Sharpen your observation skills and simply watch and see what you learn. Observe people you admire and discern what you can do to be more like them. Notice how people react in certain situations and learn something about group behavior. The key here is to be a true observer – and to leave the judgement behind.
-
Talk with Someone New at Networking Events
If your tendency at networking events is to a.) avoid them, b) only talk to those you know or c) hide in the bathroom and exit as soon as possible, you might want to experiment with reaching out to someone new or different at the next one. Just try it and see what happens!
-
Experiment
Which leads me to the next way to learn something new. Positioning something as an experiment allows you the freedom to try something “just to see what happens”. That mindset allows you to be freer, less judgmental and more open to the inevitable flub ups that come with first attempts. Think about the difference between “learning to play the guitar” to “experimenting with the guitar”.
-
Download Learning Apps
As of January, 2017, there were over 2.2 million apps for iOS devices. Not all are educational, but a large number are. Just one example: Dualingo is a free app that enables you to learn an amazing number of languages – for free.
-
Physical Training
It sounds odd that teaching your body something new would impact your brain, but it does. Research shows that moving our bodies and improving physical performance has carry over benefits to brain functioning and wellbeing.
-
Play
Too often we equate learning with work. Hard work. Play is integral for learning – and not just for 3 year olds. Take up a hobby. Watch a funny movie. Hang out with preschoolers. Break out the board games. Take up a team sport. You’ll have fun and be mentally sharper as well.
Bonus!
I’m adding a bonus tip for you – taking our count to 21. You might be surprised at what it is – SLEEP! Our brain needs deep sleep to connect and store all those neural pathways that we are forming and wanting to cement. So learn, play, connect and then sleep, baby, sleep!
Many thanks to the great folks at Simon Property Group, who in a recent workshop, Learning at the Speed of Life, helped generate this list!
Remarkable women leaders, join us for a 24-hour multigenerational retreat experience on May 4-5, 2017 at Wooded Glen Retreat Center.
During our time together, you will work, play, and honor your mind, body, and spirit with a transformative program. Experience influential relationship building, mastermind, small group, and full leadership sessions, delicious food and restful
accommodations.
Learn more at http://remarkablewomenleaders.com/.
