Take some time to learn

I know. You’re busy.

The staff at work is smaller than it used to be, but there’s more work to be done. You grind through the day and just want to go home and binge Netflix. I’ve been there.

But I’m asking you to take some time to learn.

Since I’ve stepped out of the daily grind for a bit, I’ve had the liberating opportunity to learn. I became certified in content marketing through an online course from Hubspot. I learned about building a website with Squarespace, creating designs with Canva and enhancing Microsoft skills through Lynda.com. I learned tips about creating video stories and became certified in public relations brand building through the Poynter Institute for Media Studies NewsU program. I played with Hootsuite and looked at Blurb. Whatever your interest or curiosity, there’s a webinar or tutorial to get you up to speed on your timetable.

And for the most part, they’re cheap. Hubspot’s course is free. Lynda.com has a charge, but in some places you can get free access through your library card on your home laptop, tablet or phone. Libraries also offer some of their own courses or technical help for free. Poynter webinars run about $30. The branding certification package ran $150 for six hour-long courses. YouTube also is an option, though the quality of instruction varies more than the previous options.

Take some time to learn. Whether it’s in doing current job or the next one, you’ll be better off.