Do you like my very lengthy title? Generally, I try to keep my posts short and sweet. However, I read somewhere that content marketers rave over the long posts and titles. But let’s open that can of worms another time.
Today, the topic du jour is continuous professional development. This morning, the second I rolled out of bed, I picked up “Everybody Writes” by Ann Handley which is what I’m currently reading. I try to read for a little bit, right after I wake up. Then I spent two hours learning Infographics (How to make Infographics. What’s the best tools to use. How effective are Infographics). And honestly I had a blast. Whether its coding, graphic design, photo or video editing, the subjects change but the routine is the same. Wake-up, learn something cool, go to work, sleep, repeat.
For me polishing my skills is a fun and a stimulating activity. I immerse myself in a new software or a subject and a few hours later, I’m like Neo in the Matrix “I Know Kung Fu”. My point is that you need more that just commitment to self-improvement, you need the passion for learning.
So, if you have the time and the budget to attend seminars, or complete a professional development course, by all means go for it. But If you’re looking for online tools to use for free at your own time, here is a short and sweet list:
- Khan Academy is one of the early online learning sites, offering free learning resources for all ages on many subjects, and free tools for teachers and parents to monitor progress and coach students.
- Coursera is a website that partners with universities and organizations around the world. This brings a wide variety of topics and perspectives to one searchable database. Coursera is a powerful tool for free online education, and includes courses from many top universities, museums and trusts.
- Udemy’s free courses are similar in concept to Coursera’s but additionally allows users to build custom courses from lessons. Working with many top professors and schools, the site mixes the customizable platform of other sites with a heavy emphasis on top quality content. This is another site however, that mixes free and paid content.
- edX is another great option for free online education. Also bringing together courses from many different schools, the site has impressive, quality information for everyone. edX covers a great range of topics.
- Duolingo is a free language-learning platform that includes a language-learning website and app along with a crowdsourced text translation platform and a language proficiency assessment center.
Also I highly recommend watching tutorials on YouTube. I haven’t had cable in years and sometimes I would binge-watch these videos like a Netflix TV show.
In conclusion, to stay relevant in your field, professional development is a priority for you and your business. So if you’re not doing this already, make it your new year’s resolution.
