Don’t learn random stuff. Instead learn what you need now.
Yesterday I tweeted an article by Bhumi suggesting to learn as little as possible. When the prevailing wisdom is to learn more, why would one learn less? Learning random stuff is consuming without output. Just-In-Time learning is learning to apply and to create.
The key to learning better is to focus on a skill or information that can be applied immediately. Learning only what we need now increases the chance of applying what we learn. By applying what we learn, we retain the information to connect dots later or the skill to apply later.
At the beginning of this year, I took an online course to learn Angular Javascript Framework. I was pumped to learn a new programming framework/language after a long time. It took me a month to go through the course. In the end, I was proud of completing the course.
The problem is, I don’t remember most of what I learned. Did I waste my time learning something which I don’t remember now? What is a better way to learn then?
Taking notes while going through the course might have helped me retain the information better. Practicing after learning would have helped me remember the concept even longer. A better approach is to learn only what you need now.
Earlier this year, I read the book “The Effective Executive” by Peter Drucker. The concepts of tracking time and optimizing from this book stuck with me because I was looking to manage my time better. I implemented a time tracker and optimized my time right after reading this book. By implementing a solution to an existing problem, I was able to better retain what I learned.
The concepts I learned from the Angular course stayed abstract because I didn’t apply it immediately.
Of course, Not all learning has to be Just-In-Time. Not everything we read and learn can be applied. I read a lot of books to gain wisdom and learn from history. By mostly filtering out what is not needed now, we can avoid wasting a lot of time and retain what we consume better.
Indeast of reading and learning random stuff, learn what you need now. It is easier said than done. Here are a few tips to get started with Just-In-Time learning.
- Identify what’s needed now – Ask yourself what is not working for you? Identify what skill or information can help you get better
- Immersing yourself – Take notes and connect dots
- Implement what you learn – Find a use case where you can apply what you learn. If you don’t find an immediate need, at least write and share what you learn.