For the past few weeks I have been looking at the World Health Organization’s definition of mental health. I wrote that your mental health is very crucial to your overall well-being. I am of the assertion that there is no health without mental health.
In this article today, I would like to focus on another aspect of the definition which is …the ability to learn well. Without sound mental health, you can’t learn. In other words, one’s poor mental health can affect one’s capacity to learn, assimilate, and process information. Poor mental health can distort someone’s perception and reality.
Learning is gaining knowledge or skills through experience, study, or teaching. It is becoming aware of something through observation or discovery. It also means the gradual acquirement of understanding or proficiency in something over time. It can be formal and/or informal. It takes time and effort. It is continuous not a one-time affair but a lifetime. That is, learning takes place over a lifetime. That implies that there should not be any time in your life that you are not learning because there will never be any time when you will know everything. It is about self-development so that you can become more effective in whatever you do and in leading life appropriately and accurately as you ought to.
The benefits of learning are enormous: it increases your ability to problem solve, increases one’s understanding of the world, enhances intellectual capacity, promotes self-respect and respect for others, keeps you humble, exposes you to new ideas, inspires creativity and innovation, helps one to make right choices because of right information, helps you build capacity, increases your self-awareness and other-awareness, helps with autonomy and interdependence, enhances effective communication skills, and increases mastery and sense of accomplishment among others. Learning will stretch your mind.
To further increase your ability to learn, here are some suggestions to consider:
Know what you know: Personal assessment is very good. You must know what you know. Some of us don’t know what we already know and that is making us to recycle information and waste time trying to learn what we already know. It is very important to have that confidence in knowing what you know.
Know what you don’t know: It is also important to know what you don’t know. Ignorance is not bliss, and it is not an excuse. What you don’t know may be costing you a lot of resources and putting you at a disadvantage.
I suggest that you find out what your most productive time of the day is and then put it to good use to learn something valuable.
Know how to bridge the knowledge gap: Bridging the knowledge gap is about knowing what you need to learn. What do you want to know? Some of us are struggling because we haven’t been able to answer this question. Knowing what you need to know can help you consult the right people and find the right resources. It can help point you in the right direction. Unfortunately, some people are all about fun, they don’t want to learn. Bridging the knowledge gap can also help you to know what you don’t have to waste your time learning.
Develop a learning plan: Having a plan helps you to prioritize. Some of us don’t have a plan in place to learn. The thing is no one has the time, but if you want it and want to, then you must make the time to learn, otherwise you will spend your time doing frivolous activities. Everyone of us has 24 hours in a day and you must learn to make it work for you. You must learn to redeem the time by doing what is beneficial to you. Here is a suggestion, find out what your most productive time of the day is and then put it to good use to learn something valuable. Part of your plan should also include making sure you learn something new every day no matter how small it is. Have a plan in place to learn about money, ways to sharpen your skills and improve your relationships.
Develop a positive attitude: It is been said that attitude is everything. Your attitude will determine your altitude or how far you can go in life. An arrogant person cannot learn but they think they know everything. The truth is that you don’t know all there is to know, that is why you must be a continuous learner. Almost anyone can teach you something valuable. From some, you can learn what to do and from others what not to do. When you understand the dynamics of learning you will be humble to receive instruction from people. You are not too big to learn and no one is too small to teach you.
Keep an open mind: It has been said that only a curious mind can grow, if you want to learn then open your mind. A closed mind equals a limited life. There is a lot of information floating around us today so we must keep an open mind to access and make the best of it.
Understand your learning style: Self-awareness is key to effective learning. You must know how you learn or assimilate information. Not everyone learns in the same and if you are struggling or having difficulties with learning it may be because you have not yet identify or understand your learning style. Some people are visual learners. This includes reading, watching videos, or using diagrams and charts. Some are auditory learners. This involves listening to lectures, podcasts, or discussions. Some are also kinesthetic learners. This involves hands-on activities, experiments, or learning by doing. Some people also learn by reading/writing learners. This includes note-taking, summarizing, and writing out ideas. Know yourself to find out what works for you so that you can be effective in the process.
Keep updating yourself: Every day and every time you live on God’s earth is a day you must learn something. God reveals Himself to us in different ways so that we can keep learning about Him and ourselves. You don’t know all there is to know about God, yourself and others. If you don’t keep on updating yourself, you will be stuck and become outdated. Things are changing every second around us so must keep learning. To keep on upgrading yourself, you must keep on updating yourself. Life keeps on evolving so that you can keep learning. There is no boring day because a boring day is a day you don’t learn.
