It is said that learning is the key to success. Many of us no longer have the desire to learn new things on completing our education. However, we should remember that lifelong learning has numerous advantages – it helps us develop, trains our memory and... improves our mood. By constantly expanding our knowledge and acquiring new skills, we gain a lot of benefits. Are you wondering if it's too late to start learning, or maybe it's too early?

Too old or too young to learn?

Learning is usually associated with our school and university years. Sometimes, employees enrol in training and courses in order to broaden their professional skills. However, they don't always do it of their own volition, realising the benefits of continually expanding their horizons. According to the concept of lifelong learning, there is no wrong age to start learning. For example, it is often said that it is best to start learning a foreign language in our earliest years. Young children quickly pick up words and phrases in another language. It is believed that the speech apparatus becomes less flexible after the age of 6-7 years, which decreases our learning efficiency at this age. The best time to learn a foreign language is between the ages of three and six. It is not advisable to start teaching children younger than three because they should first listen to their native language in order not to confuse phrases, which is a common problem in bilingual families.

There is also nothing to prevent you from starting at an older age. There is no limit beyond which the brain is unable to absorb new information. Moreover, our brain is designed to constantly adapt and change throughout life. A study comparing brain capabilities in younger and older people found that each group appeared to have structures associated with learning in their brains. So it is never too late to start learning online.

Book, lesson, training platform

Learning has more than one name. In line with the concept of lifelong learning, there are a variety of ways to continue learning after our formal education ends. There is no one correct path to follow – it all depends on our personal preferences. The easiest way to start the learning process is by reading books. They don't have to be scholarly, complicated volumes. It is worth reaching for popular science books, for example, those using reader-friendly language, although in fact any book is an excellent workout for our brain. It is best to choose a topic according to our interests.

The development of technology has made learning much easier today than it was just a few dozen years ago. Many apps have been created, for example, apps dedicated to learning foreign languages. It only takes 10 minutes a day to master a new language at a basic level within a few months. Thanks to the fact that these apps are also available for mobile devices, we can learn at home, on the bus, while queueing at the doctor's surgery and in many other situations.

Training platforms are also popular. Many courses are available in e-learning format. The format of a training course depends on the subject matter, but most often the content is divided into modules. Each of them consists of articles, videos or audio recordings that discuss a given issue. Then, to consolidate the knowledge we have gained, we usually have to complete a test. Exercises and quizzes summarising entire sections help us memorise new information. Online learning is a convenient way to expand our knowledge without leaving our homes. We can learn anytime, anywhere, so it's easy to fit learning into our work or school schedule. It is also worth considering traditional methods of learning, i.e. stationary courses. Many schools provide training in the form of lessons taking place in a classroom. As long as the hours are suitable – it's also an excellent way to learn and expand our skills.

10 pages a day...

It's been known for centuries that learning is the key to success. The question remains how much time we should devote to learning in order to achieve great results and give our brain a workout. Is it best to devote a few hours each day to studying or complete a multi-hour marathon once a week? First of all, it's a good idea to create a learning rota by listening to your needs. Everyone is different, and a lot depends on the field being explored. The general rule of thumb is this – it's not worth doing marathons because most of the time this method of learning won't be effective anyway. Humans maintain focus for 25-45 minutes at a time, so there is no point in artificially extending that time. One block of learning should be followed by a break, about 7 minutes long, and then we can go back to learning. When planning our schedule of activities, it is also recommended to take into account the intellectual low which takes place between 2 and 4 pm. This is when our brains are least effective in absorbing new information.

Of course, the key to productivity and visible results is regularity. So it's best to plan your learning in such a way that you can revise the material at least several times a week. The most important thing is that it should be done systematically, that is, for example, after each module on the learning platform, you should take some time to revise what you have learnt. This approach will make the training really effective.

Learning and its results

According to the concept of lifelong learning, regular learning gives us a lot of advantages, especially from the professional point of view. Continuous expansion of our competencies allows us to:

• increase our chances of a better position on the labour market, giving us broader career prospects and chances of earning more,
• improves the quality of our life,
• improve our satisfaction from life by developing our competencies, acquiring new knowledge and skills,
• improve the employment situation of people of all ages,
• it's easier to change jobs, change careers and gain new qualifications.

Also importantly, by learning regularly, we can improve the functioning of our brain. Just as training at the gym strengthens our muscles, mental training benefits our brain. People who are lifelong learners – and not just as part of courses, but also by reading books or watching films – are less likely to develop symptoms of dementia, or they appear later in life. Learning also helps us to delay the atrophy of grey cells, whose number decreases with age. What's more, a Harvard study shows that people who study regularly are less likely to suffer from depression, as well as heart disease. In addition, thanks to the continued expansion of our knowledge, it is easy to ensure ourselves constant occupation, which continually activates us and forces us to action. This means that we have no time for boredom, which in turn leads to higher levels of happiness and a sense of self-satisfaction. Particularly interesting is the state described in psychology as "flow," or engagement in learning or work and the resulting happiness.

In conclusion – it is worthwhile to learn systematically, regardless of our age. Expanding our knowledge not only allows us to keep developing but also has a positive effect on our health and mental wellbeing, delaying the atrophy of grey cells.