The phrase “Back to School” conjures up images of backpacks, yellow school buses, and the nervous excitement of making new friends and learning new things. Which is the opposite energy of burnout. If you want to beat burnout and prime the brain for engagement, innovation, and joy, consider learning something new this fall..
Even though you’re an adult, what would it be like to conjure some “back to school” enthusiasm for yourself? Instead of dreading computer updates that change everything and leave you feeling inept, or letting the exhaustion of yet another reorganization shut you down, why not turn this back-to-school season into an invigorating, refreshing time of change that enhances your wellbeing?
Learning is Good for Your Brain, Your Health, and Your Self-Esteem
If you want to stay healthy, happy, and positive, learning is essential. Whether it’s something personal like cooking or yoga, or something professional like computer programming, or pivot tables, the more you learn, the more you are able to learn.
Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change, grow, and reorganize its neural networks over time, is improved by learning. The more you learn, the easier it becomes to learn, and the happier and more resilient you will become. Not only does learning keeps the brain young, but it increases self-confidence and self-worth, keeps you engaged in the world. Learning makes you more relevant and potent as a human being because it increases your ability to impact the world and the people in it
For instance, none of the population who is currently over 50 grew up with computers, cell phones, or the internet. Although many people in the 50-70 age category have adapted to the use of computers and cell phones, many people in their 80s and 90s have not.
Which population do you think is happier, healthier, and more able to impact and interact with the world? The one who has kept up. Think how those in their 80s and 90s could benefit from things like Uber, Lyft, or other ride-sharing apps. People unable to drive would no longer be home-bound if they could use their smartphones. What advances might happen when you are in your 80s that you might want to take advantage of? Typically, learning new tools slowly along the way is easier and less stressful than having to learn them suddenly when you have a need.
New Learning Combats Old Burnout
In the workplace, many of us are familiar with terms like, “stress,” “quiet-quitting” and “burnout.” It’s crucial to understand, however, that burnout is often the result of a deeper issue: betrayal. Feelings of betrayal occur when expectations are broken, and either your needs or your sense of self is compromised. Burnout is not just about the volume of work, or the feelings of overwhelm; it’s about feeling undervalued in an environment where you expected to feel valued.
Overcoming this sense of betrayal and reclaiming your well-being, begins by choosing yourself. Learning is a choice, and when you make the choice to learn something, you choose the pride and satisfaction that accompanies learning something new. Self-esteem skyrockets, and you fee confident and alive.
It Doesn’t Matter What You Learn… So Pick Something FUN!
The best thing about learning is it doesn’t matter what you learn, it only matters that you learn. Learning how to use a smartphone, learning a new computer program, or learning to knit, all positively stimulate the brain, make us feel good about ourselves, and make our lives easier.
While burnout tends to be a workplace phenomenon, it is not necessary to learn work related things in order to feel better. Cooking, crafts, knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, or sewing are all new skills that can be learned. Card games such as bridge, learning to play chess, picking up a musical instrument, or learning a foreign language all stimulate the brain in new and important ways.
Furthermore, learning new interpersonal skills can significantly enhance work and personal relationships. Skills such as active listening or validating someone’s feelings without necessarily agreeing with their position are invaluable. In the context of workplace betrayal, these skills can help rebuild trust and create a more supportive environment. This can lead to improved employee experience, higher retention rates, and better overall workplace wellbeing. Not to mention everything we can learn about ourselves, our personalities, the way we think, or the way we process new information.
With such endless possibilities, and with no downsides, why would we not continue learning throughout our whole lives? It’s good for our brains, our self-esteem, our interpersonal relationships, our professional relationships, and the entire society in which we live.
So with that, what are you going to learn this back-to-school season?
FREE BONUS MEDITATION – RECONNECT TO THE JOY OF LEARNING:
Watch and Listen HERE!
This meditation guides you to remember your best school year, no matter if it was preschool or grad school, and the endless possibilities that awaited you.Using your five scenes, you will be guided to remember what it felt like to be filled with enthusiasm and joy and to return yourself to that sense of possibility in your life right now.
Next, you will be guided to remember your favorite teacher and what he or she did to make you feel special. What can you do to emulate these qualities, or what qualities do you have that could make others feel like you did about your teacher?
Lastly, take a moment and try to remember something you learned that year. What did you enjoyed learning, and why? How can you delve into the never-ending world of new content, and seek something that lights you up?
