5 reasons why learning is good for wellbeing

Many of us are working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. However, although we’re not in the office, that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn new things.

It’s known that learning is good for our wellbeing. According to the government’s Foresight Challenge Report:

“For children, learning plays an important role in social and cognitive development. The continuation of learning through life has the benefits of enhancing an individual’s self-esteem, encouraging social interaction and a more active life.”

Learning helps us feel better about ourselves, the world around us, and can even help you advance within your career.

The New Economics Foundation categorises wellbeing as:

• Functioning well
• Experiencing positive relationships
• Having control over our own life
• Having a sense of purpose

Learning has been found to help with all of the above.

1. Functioning well

Research from the Mental Health Foundation concluded that participants in the Learn 2b programme (a series of community-based adult learning courses) experienced better wellbeing and less severe symptoms of depression and anxiety after finishing the courses.

After all, if you’ve set your mind to something – and finished it – why wouldn’t you feel better about yourself?

2. Experiencing positive relationships

As with many activities, taking courses can help you build positive relationships with the other participants. The shared experience can lead to camaraderie and friendships.

While we’re socially distanced from other people at the moment, online communities are growing for eLearning courses. Some have thousands of members who actively network, debate, and take part in webinars.

3. Having control over your own life

Taking a course or learning new skills in your own time can be very rewarding. When learning in our own time, it’s something that we have almost total control over. In many cases, if you put the work in then you’ll succeed. This builds confidence and self-esteem.

4. Having a sense of purpose

Learning often involves having a series of goals to aim for. Setting targets and hitting them can create the feeling of achievement. Research suggests that wellbeing is associated with something called ‘goal-directed behaviour’. This is when a person’s goals are self-generated and fit in with their personal values. When learning fits in with who you are, it’s almost impossible not to become invested and truly engaged.

5. Developing a growth mindset

This might be the most important of our five points. The growth mindset theory was developed by Carol Dweck, who identified two types of people – those with a fixed mindset, and those with a growth mindset.

Someone with a fixed mindset believes that their character, intelligence and creative ability are traits that cannot be changed. They believe that success comes because of that inherent intelligence and any failure is a sign of weakness. Because of this, they aim to maintain the illusion of success at all times.

A growth mindset on the other hand shows a willingness to learn. It is where you allow yourself to fail, so you can learn from past mistakes and not make them again. If you follow this path, you will eventually succeed, feel more resilient and self-confident.

Have you learned anything new during the coronavirus lockdown? What was it and how did you do it?