Mental Health Week 2022

Five Ways to Wellbeing: #4 Keep Learning

• Try something new
• Rediscover an old interest
• Sign up for that course
• Learn a foreign language
• Try and understand a topic from a different viewpoint 
• Take a different route to work
• Read a new book, or listen to a new podcast
• Take on a different responsibility at work
• Take on a DIY project
• Visit a museum or art gallery
• Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food

We often think of learning as being something important for children. However, we know that learning is important for people of all ages for happiness, health and wellbeing. Why? Learning new things is important because it can help give us a sense of achievement. This in turn can help us to feel more confident, build our self-esteem and maintain our mental health. In fact, for people who have experienced depression, regaining a sense of achievement is one of the key paths towards feeling better. Learning is also important for mental health because learning new things can help us be more active and connect with others. It can also help us find new meanings and purposes in life. And it can just be fun!

Learning is also good for keeping our brains healthy. It has been shown that people have the ability to learn something new at any age, and that adult learners can rewire their brain due to neuroplasticity. In addition, learning in your early years is one of the biggest protective factors against dementia in later life.

Broadening our minds is good for our brains, and can help us gain insight into ourselves, others, and the world around us, which is good for our overall health and wellbeing. Learning also helps us to set goals, which is strongly associated with wellbeing. 
 

How to Do It

• Learning is about challenging ourselves to do something – or think about something – in a different way to what we have done before. It doesn’t have to mean getting more qualifications or sitting exams. It isn’t about going to school or uni. Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, it is easy to fit learning into your daily routine if you are interested – it might be listening to a podcast on the way to work or while you walk, learning to cook something a new dish, or driving a different way to work. 
• Top Tips: 
  • Pick a topic you are interested in learning more about / will enjoy learning more about. 
  • Schedule the time and make learning a part of your life. 

Need some inspiration? Check out these websites:

• Come to an ARV event! https://www.aquaticsandrecreation.org.au/events/
• Popular educational podcast cover everything from the most pressing political issues, history, managing money, to the answers to all sort of fun and quirky questions. Check out popular educational podcasts on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/genre/0JQ5DAqbMKFEKYLBUxreJF
• Check out fun and interactive classes in Melbourne and online: https://www.lanewaylearning.com/
• TED-Ed provides a wide range of classes from visual arts to mathematics, health studies and business: https://www.youtube.com/teded
• Learn more about nature, science, travel and culture on the National Geographic website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpVm7bg6pXKo1Pr6k5kxG9A
• Coursera offers free online courses from world class universities and companies: https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=free
• Learn more about psychology and philosophy from the School of Life: https://www.youtube.com/user/schooloflifechannel?app=desktop
• Learn a new language with duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com/

Read Article #5: Five Ways to Wellbeing: #5 Give