I've learned a lot during lockdown. We all have. Nothing accelerates change like sheer necessity, and there's much to learn from our own personal - as well as professional - transformations in lockdown. Even if you're juggling working at home with home-schooling and supermarket queuing, most people will agree that they have more time, focus and opportunity now than we ever did in the old world (even if it is at odd times of the day - and night). And what better to do with these gifts, than learn?
Whilst the disappearance of commuting from our lives and the reduction of interruptions are welcome changes, I knew I would miss the social moments, random connections and opportunistic conversations that have always inspired me. So, like many of my friends and colleagues, over the last seven weeks I've taken to listening to a podcast or TED Talk every day in my 'golden time' to enrich and expand my thinking.
Before we entered lockdown, I'd already committed to developing new skills - specifically qualifying as a Motivational Maps practitioner to help clients to enjoy and get the best out of their work lives. The intensity of home-working has not only sharpened the desire to complete what I started but has also helped to reflect and embed the learning more deeply. And, as I look across the social feeds of colleagues and connections, I can see I'm not the only one reaping the rewards of focus.
To be honest, I'm learning an awful lot simply from being around and schooling my children. Reminders about sub-ordinate clauses and creative sentence openers have been surprisingly useful, but the real value has come from observing how my children have navigated the COVID-19 change. Their attitudes and behaviours have opened my mind and widened my perspective, bringing with it a burst of new strategies and ideas for managing change in the future.
If these three prompts have already taught me some lessons, they have also unleashed a thirst for learning and a determination to return to the new normal (whenever that might be) an altogether more knowledgeable, enriched and inspired individual. If you too have spotted this social distancing period as an ideal opportunity to learn, here are a few of the (free) learning resources I've encountered that you might also want to consider...
Podcasts. Whether you listen via a podcast app like Apple Podcasts, Pocket Cast or Google Podcasts, or you prefer consuming via Spotify, WhatsApp or YouTube, podcasts are an easily digestible format for daily news, entertainment and inspiration. If it's business, science or technology that floats your boat, or you are interested in casting your net wider into health, sport, history - even a new or existing special interest, there are so many to favourite and follow. I find humorous and well-being podcasts the ideal accompaniment to my daily exercise, or for turning supermarket queuing into a more meaningful moment.
Streamed Talks. Try TED.com for TED Talks on global discussion topics such as Business, Technology, Science, Well-being and so much more - from a range of familiar and less-well-known experts in their fields. Or, head over to TEDx Talks on YouTube for more local ideas from communities and special interest groups around the globe. I get an injection of energy from YouTube surfing and am currently loving the ever-positive Simon Sinek on inspiration and Shaun Achor on the science of happiness.
LinkedIn and LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn is a vast resource of formal and informal learning that just gets bigger. There's more free content than ever to be found via your own network and the organisations, groups and interest areas you follow. If you thirst for something more formal, LinkedIn Learning takes that up a notch. There's a fee to pay but you can try it free for a month if you sign up to LinkedIn Premium and, if you don't find it useful, simply switch off the subscription after 30 days. Personally, I love that you can set a weekly goal and receive suggested courses to try each week.
Learning Organisations. A new and rich seam of knowledge opened up to me early in lockdown in the form of formal learning with a range of free and paid courses from online learning organisations. Not for profit, EDx, was the first to pique my interest, offering courses on topics like disruption, data and storytelling from founder organisations including Harvard, MIT and Stanford as well as partners like IBM and Microsoft. The best part is, you can partake in a wide variety of free courses and - for a small fee - get the certification too. Consider also Alison, Coursera, Future Learn and Udemy who all have similar free or low-cost offerings.
Learning from others. Possibly bolstered by the wave of compassion and goodwill that has swept the nation during lockdown, many organisations and individuals are offering insights, tools or training free of charge. Whether that takes the form of personal or company blogs and opinion sharing or opening up access to courses and resources, there has been an explosion of knowledge sharing that it would be crazy not to benefit from. Whilst I'm tapping into some great opinion pieces and blog articles, within my own network I've been blown away by the offer of free 121 business coaching, two-month access to a business development course and even a learning group on LinkedIn.
So, whether it's fresh knowledge, a new skill or a formal qualification you're looking for, you're almost spoiled for choice. I know that not everyone is lucky enough to experience opportunity in lockdown, but for those who are finding they have more time, focus and openness, I'm convinced we'll come out of it all the richer.
P.S. I'm no expert on learning and open to all suggestions, so feel free to add your own discoveries and favourites in the comments...
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