Visual. Visual learners prefer to use images, pictures and spatial reference in order to pick up a new concept. Colour and layout is very important, so you might want to spend time creating notes that tell a visual story, such as mind maps. Colour can also be used to group ideas by topic, or to highlight links between concepts.

Aural. Aural learners learn through their ears, with sound, rhyme and music. Mnemonics and rhymes often work best when set to a well-known jingle or song, and you can associate music with your study time for better results.

Linguistic. Linguistic learners prefer learning through words, such as speaking and writing. Reading aloud can be a good way to make words sink in better, and explaining a concept to someone who isn’t familiar with it can also be a good way to reinforce the ideas in your head. Role-plays with others can also help for learning exchanges such as sales or calls.

Kinesthetic. Those who learn kinesthetically prefer to use the body, hands and sense of touch. Using physical objects as well as drawing diagrams can both be useful activities. Focusing on feelings an sensations involved in the learning concepts is also often effective.

Logical. If you’re a logical learner, you like to know the reasoning and logic behind a certain concept or idea before you’re able to understand it. Try to understand the why behind new content and skills, and use lists to help sort and order key points in a way that makes sense to you.

Solitary/Social. These are two opposite sides of the same coin – a social learner does best when working with others, and social bonds and experiences help strengthen the learning they achieve. Contrastingly, solitary learners prefer to work on their own, and often their learning goals are part of their personal values. Finding personal interest in the study is often very important.

If you’ve found learning difficult in the past, it could simply be that you’ve been pushed into using the wrong style. Use the methods that come naturally for you for the best and least stressful results.

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Lifelong learning incorporates many different things including formal training and classes and reading, as well as just listening to people who have more life experience to draw upon. You can take up a community class to discover new life skills such as cooking or writing, or simply try reading through a blog post or news article every day. Even just browsing Wikipedia is a form of learning. Of course, we do these kinds of things all the time, but the difference is turning them into a habit so that the process of learning is stronger and can be built on further and further.

Some habits to get into for lifelong learning include:

• Going to the library more often. Although life is busy, a good goal is one book per week and make sure you actually read what you borrow. This can be fiction, nonfiction or even a graphic novel – in fact, a variety is better.
• Making an effort to go to local talks and speeches. These are happening all the time, produced by different local groups and visiting speakers. You can keep an eye out on Facebook and on the newspapers for these events as they happen. Even if it’s not something you would normally be interested in, you may find yourself with a new passion.
• Taking up classes and lessons. There are many options available for older learners, and to fit all types of schedules and lifestyles. Sometimes it can be difficult to learn without a structured environment, so these can be a good way to get focused.

Lifelong learning is something we all do, but without proper effort the results can be limited. Although there’s no need for the rigidity and structure of school, there are still many different ways you can push yourself to really make a difference, and become a more learned person all through your life.

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