Do you love to learn? Do you find excitement in gaining new skills and expanding your mind? If so, you are on the path to success. Learning new skills is not only beneficial to your professional life, but also for your personal life.

Learning new skills is not only beneficial to your professional life, but also for your personal life.

Find ways to pivot toward the future by evaluating the benefits of learning new skills. Here is why adding to your skillset is so important.

Improves Your Ability to Adapt to Change: In addition to a sense of self-accomplishment, learning a new skill can help you become more flexible and open to change. While it may be scary to enroll in a math course when you doubt your abilities, conquering this goal may give you the motivation to learn even more. Have you ever dreaded a task but conquered the fear and completed your goal? It’s common to feel fearful of something new, but getting over the hurdle helps expand your mind and pushes you to continue learning new skills. And your self-confidence soars as well.
Provides You With Transferrable Skills: Skills are necessary to succeed within your personal and professional life. However, did you know that many new skills you learn can be transferred to other aspects of your life? For instance, learning how to bake a new dish takes concentration and attention to detail. Learning how to accurately and efficiently follow directions is a skill that will aid you well in any type of career field. While many high school and college students don’t see the importance of general education courses such as English, history, or math, what they may not realize is that learning more about the English language is a skill that transfers into how you communicate with others both personally and professionally. These transferrable skills are referred to as soft skills that employers find valuable and necessary within new hires.
How You Learn: The more you learn, the more your mind expands. As a result, your learning speed increases. While it may take you a long time to learn one skill, you’ll soon realize that you are able to learn at a faster rate when you continue to expand your mind. As an efficient learner, you put yourself in a prime position to catch on faster in the workplace, opening doors for new opportunities and promotions. Learning new skills can also keep you healthy. Concentrating on learning a new skill keeps both your mind and your body active, offering physical and social benefits long term.

When embarking on a new learning experience, know that the Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is here to support your efforts and encourage you along the way. The mission of the Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is to build foundations for the future by providing educational assistance to children and adults who are members of families with low to moderate incomes. Learn more about these opportunities at The Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation.

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The Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to providing educational assistance to children and adults from homes with low to moderate incomes in the Leon N. Weiner Association properties, including those through Arbor Management. The Foundation provides after-school support, summer enrichment programs, scholarships for leadership programs, and scholarships for Elementary (K-8), High School, College, Academic Enrichment, and Job-Related Training Courses.

Target – College Students

Beginning your first semester of college is an exciting adventure. You’re entering new territory, waiting to see what you can learn and the fun you will experience. However, first-time college students need to be prepared for the workload that comes with college. If you can effectively manage your time, you can find success from day one.

First-time college students need to be prepared for the workload that comes with college. If you can effectively manage your time, you can find success from day one. A to-do list is an effective way to start your day.

Try these tips to manage your time and save yourself some stress as a new college student.

Tips

1) Make a To-Do List: Start your list with academic assignments and deadlines so you can stay on top of your schoolwork, but don’t forget to add in some fun things you like to do. Adding items, such as taking a walk or joining in a one-on-one basketball competition gives you something to look forward to – and something to cross off your list.

2) Reconsider Multi-Tasking: It’s a myth that those who multi-task get more done. In fact, sometimes the distraction of doing two things at one time can slow you down and damper your time management. Instead, do just one task at a time.

3) Set a Routine: From the first week of college, you’ll realize that you have routine tasks that need to be completed each day. Set a routine and stick to it. For instance, if you know that you are more productive in the morning, set aside time to work on your assignments or study for tests during this time. A set routine will also give you a sense of normalcy in a new environment.

4) Minimize Distractions: During the first week of classes, try and log how you spend your time. You may realize that you spend more time checking social media or texting than actually completing your assignments. After setting a routine, put your phone away during study sessions or turn off notifications that can easily distract you.

5) Tackle the Small Stuff First: That looming to-do list can be intimidating as a first-time college student. However, you’ll feel more motivated and productive if you tackle the smaller tasks first. When faced with larger tasks before tackling the smaller ones, you could be more likely to procrastinate.

6) Schedule Study Breaks: College students are often portrayed on television and in the movies as individuals who have to endure all-night study sessions. If you manage your time effectively and incorporate breaks, you can forego the lack of sleep. Time yourself so that you study for an hour and then take a 15-minute break to stretch, take a walk, socialize with friends or check your social media. Once your break is over, get back to work.

7) Delegate: It’s not realistic to think that you can delegate out your academic work, but it is realistic to ask for a helping hand with tasks that are taking away from your studies. Ask family members or friends to help out with errands or coordinate a dorm cleaning schedule that rotates so you and your roommate are sharing the work. There’s no shame in asking for help, especially if it allows you the time to focus on what’s most important at the moment.

As you’re navigating the first week, semester or year of college, know that the Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is here to support your efforts and encourage you along the way. The mission of the Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is to build foundations for the future by providing educational assistance to children and adults who are members of families with low to moderate incomes. Learn more about these opportunities at The Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation.

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