Never has learning been easier.
In generations past, learning meant apprenticing yourself to a master or signing up for an expensive university program. Today, technology has seen the rise of webinars and podcasts from a variety of experts or pseudo-experts, readily available online. Digital classrooms have opened university doors to anyone with an Internet connection.
Whether you’re a younger person planning for a longer lifespan than anyone ever did before or an older person considering the ways to spend your retirement, it’s a good idea to incorporate learning opportunities into your plan.
Health Benefits
Ongoing learning may literally lengthen your life. In fact, study after study has correlated ongoing education with a longer life span.[1] Some of this may be obvious: People who are better educated have access to more reliable health information, so they are able to establish healthier lifestyle habits. They tend to eat better and exercise regularly. They tend to avoid smoking. And they know how to advocate for themselves when they do have a health problem.[2]
But it’s even more than that. When it comes to older adults, active learning can actually delay the symptoms of aging. For example, learning a new skill – such as learning to speak a foreign language or play a musical instrument – is associated with a better memory.[3] The method of learning is less important than the learning itself, which allows the brain to make new connections and keep active. For Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, the new learning can even keep mental decline to a minimum, at least for a while.[4]
Social Benefits
An in-person classroom or community learning opportunity comes with social benefits. Each session is an opportunity to meet new people and create new relationships. Simply showing up at a community event is an opportunity to discover a new interest. Each of these staves off loneliness and isolation – major challenges of older Canadians.[5]
For those interested in a more serious course of study, working on a degree program can create a sense of purpose, regardless of age and stage. It can pull you out of work drudgery by helping you focus on something else. And it builds confidence.
On a less serious note, studies have shown that the act of reading – often a critical component of learning – actually makes people happier. Reading puts the reader in a “pleasurable trance-like state” that leads to better sleep, lower stress levels and higher self-esteem.[6] The conclusion: Pick up a book once in a while!
Financial Benefits
It’s common knowledge that earning a bachelor’s degree is associated with higher earning power. In Canada, workers with a bachelor’s degree earn 53% more than those without a degree.[7]
In addition, any ongoing learning that you can report on your CV can keep you and your skills current and open new doors in a career that will last longer than ever before. New learning can also improve chances for mobility and career advancement. This may mean the learning is intentional, thought out and intended to prepare you for your next position. Or it may mean the learning is just for fun or opportunistic – and the studying opens a door that wasn’t available before.
Whatever the reasons for the learning, it’s the act of learning that makes the difference. Consider the opportunities that are available to you, and pick something to focus on. Your brain – and your bank account – will thank you.
[1] National Bureau of Economic Research, “Education and Health: Evaluating Theories and Evidence,” June 2006.
[2] University of Massachusetts Global, “Education and health: 7 ways learning leads to healthy living,” accessed October 11, 2022.
[3] Harvard Health Publishing, “Back to school: Learning a new skill can slow cognitive aging,” April 27, 2016.
[4] Second Wind Movement, “5 Lifelong Learning Benefits That Could Change Your Future,” accessed October 11, 2022.
[5] Government of Canada, “Social isolation of seniors – Vol. 1: Understanding the issue and finding solutions,” accessed October 11, 2022.
[6] The New Yorker, “Can Reading Make You Happier?” June 9, 2015.
[7] Bank of Canada, “Learning and earning: The payoffs of higher education,” accessed October 11, 2022.