“I want to learn to enjoy things more.”
“(I’d like to take) professional development and personal development courses on LinkedIn learning or Coursera.”
“…(I want to) make more money so I’m not just working poor anymore. Go back to school, have time to go to an actual yoga class. Have time to make it to therapy and realistically be able to maintain my work boundaries without blowing up my life and job.”
“(I want to) learn new hobbies.”
Do you feel closer to your goals? Whether you need regular workouts, a better job, to start therapy or a business, if it feels elusive you may have more to learn. We’ve heard from over 3,700 parents, mostly Moms (97%) since March of 2020 in our research study about what they really want.
Although we navigate a lot of change for our kids, too much change at once, can feel jarring. So, at times, we resist more transitions. But your dreams rarely happen without effort. They’re on the other side of learning how to get there. And no matter what you want to learn, there are options for even the most time constrained among us.
Pay Attention to Your Priorities
In our research study, when surveyed Moms were asked, ‘what they’d like to become a bigger part of their self-care regimes?’ they responded with a mix of health and wellness, relationship, career and fulfillment goals. Mostly, the items at the top of the Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs.
The most popular categories include: more exercise (69%,) more quality time with their spouse or partner (63%,) more sleep (62%,) to pursue a hobby or interest (59%,) more time outdoors (56%,) more quality time with their kids (54%,) eating differently (52%,) and saving more money (52%.)
And Career Goals
Raising a family is joyful and expensive. So, as the economy continues to wobble, many are prioritizing financial wellness or stability. Although more than one quarter want to work less (28%,) most Moms in our current study wave are either seeking career advancement to increase income (30%) or want to spend more time working (22%.)
You Can Learn at Any Lifestage
If you’re concerned that growth mindset is really just for kids or young adults, you’re wrong. If you are caring for a baby right now, know that your brain is growing faster than at any other period in your adult life. But your ability to grow doesn’t end. Although it’s true, aspects of aging can appear inconsistent with learning. Like lapses in memory or energy, the brain can and does continue to adapt throughout life.
And Take Steps to Enhance the How
Neuroplasticity is real and basically means that your experiences continue to shape and evolve your brain. Whether you want to learn Spanish, piano, or how to dance the fox trot, you can actively overcome self-doubt and challenge your mind to expand.
As shared in Psychology Today, “…it is not only possible but necessary to use your mind and your body to reshape your brain. Enhancing synaptic connectivity through any of a variety of means actively promotes cognitive and mental health.”
There are also behaviors that improve brain health. Like eating nutritious meals, managing stress, avoiding toxins and exercising regularly. But learning, isn’t just about your professional or financial goals. It can help you solve vexing problems in your relationships, community or society.
Consider Your Preferred Approach
Although the concept of having better educational outcomes based on “learning styles” has been debunked, you probably have some preferences and experience with what has worked well for you. Do you retain information by listening to it? Then audiobooks or podcasts, will probably work well for you. But if visuals help make ideas more concrete for you, then you may need to allocate your self-development time differently. You may prefer a class with visual aids, reading a physical book with images or watching videos with graphics or maps, for the desired result.
If you crave hands-on experiences, then maybe you need a personal trainer, golf pro or executive coach. Or a class with worksheets, and writing prompts, tailored to what you’re trying to do. So, that you can put new skills into practice. There’s no right or wrong way to acquire new information. Just know what works for your style, circumstances, schedule and objectives.
And Ideal Environment
Remember you don’t have to learn how to do everything or feel isolated in the experience. The people you spend the most time with have incredible influence on your mood and outcomes. So, when surrounded by people who encourage, inspire, educate or hold you accountable, the growth can happen faster. But even if you have exactly the right network, community, or resources for support, do you need to ‘do’ whatever ‘it’ is by yourself?
If Appropriate, Outsource
Life can be pretty messy, and unpredictable most of the time. So, ask yourself, are you trying to force a learning approach or goal that doesn’t really fit?
If so, you might be able to outsource whatever it is that’s frustrating you. For example, if you feel stuck learning to build a social media presence or clearing your garage, if it’s affordable and desirable, it might serve you to hire someone.
Learning Doesn’t Mean Upending Your Life
If you’re inspired to learn something new, it doesn’t have to look like quitting your job or returning to school full-time, as you’ll see below there are many different approaches to make the time. You might want to shift into a different type of role or department for your current employer. If so, your employer might help offset the costs to help you re-skill.
Opportunities Can Fit Your Schedule and Style
It’s rare for Moms to have much discretionary time. But there’s a way to learn, whether it’s in 15 minute or 15 week increments, that suits your season of life. If your professional schedule at work, or children’s needs are wildly unpredictable, choose a self-paced learning option.
But if you crave the structure and accountability of a live experience, consider starting with a one-time conference or short class. And if needed, line up your childcare coverage and set expectations with your partner, if partnered, in advance, to set your learning goals up for success.
Online and Self-Paced
Like YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, or through online courses. There’s content that can teach you anything, from how to braid your child’s hair to incorporating AI into your business.
Online and in Real Time
There are so many wonderful courses taught by gifted people via Zoom. If you want to get better as a speaker, dancer or self-advocate, there’s probably someone who can teach you. Whether they’re local or on the other side of the world.
Offline and Self-Paced
Let’s not forget about books. Sitting down with a physical book can be much harder, depending on the ages and independence of your children. But you can start with an audiobook to explore a topic. Then, if you’re eager to learn more, when your schedule permits dig deeper with a class or something more hands-on. For example, you might read about the fundamentals of tennis, but when it comes to exercising what you’ve learned, you’ll need some court time.
Offline and in Real Life
Learning with other people in real life, who share your interests can be powerful. Especially when it’s something very physical like singing, fly fishing, or TEDx speaking. Consider your many options from classes to professional conferences.
It can be formal, like a certificate or degree program offered by a local University. Or community-based learning that’s very informal, like: Meetups, adult education centers and library programs.
Or, One on One Instruction
This can work really well if you’re already fairly expert at what you are interested in. Or need an instructor who works closely with you to address nuances, which is exactly why many people hire coaches, or trainers, to assess their specific needs. There’s a higher level of accountability with an appointment on the calendar and someone to cheer, or challenge you, as needed.
Reclaim Space for Your Growth
Millions of Mothers were forced to pause everything during the height of the pandemic. And according to our research, self-care is still down significantly, with 79% citing they’re doing ‘terribly’ or ‘not as well as usual’ in the current survey wave.
But you can reset. And there’s no bad time to honor your priorities. As one surveyed Mom shared, “Forced introspection has been good for my personal development.” So, remember, if you are interested in moving your goals forward, just start. It can be as lightweight as listening to a book, or as involved as enrolling in a degree program. Enjoy the process of self-discovery in ways that feel natural for you and your current schedule.
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