Nomix - Blog #studyingNomix - Blog #studyinghttps://nomix.co.za/blogs/tag/studyingSun, 22 Mar 2026 01:13:55 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Enabling Life-long Learning​]]>https://nomix.co.za/blogs/post/Enabling-Life-long-Learning“Lifelong learning for everyone on board could well be the most sustainable advantage an organization of any flavor can have!” ―  Tom Peters ]]>
“Lifelong learning for everyone on board could well be the most sustainable advantage an organization of any flavor can have!”
― Tom Peters

Introduction

As we envision our working lives and careers, a clear divide between a period of education followed by work no longer applies. Our technology is updating, our understanding of the world is shifting, and our workplaces are changing. In order to just keep working, we need to keep learning. When you listen to the stories of successful achievers in almost any field, learning is a part of their success stories.
So how can we conceive of learning for our life-long needs or challenges?

Sharpening your saw

In his seminal book, the Seven Habits, Stephen Covey included the habit of “sharpening the saw” where he described a woodcutter preparing to cut down and tree, and regularly stopping to check if the axe is sharp. While many have referred to this as both taking care of your tools and your ability to “cut down trees”, this has also included the deliberate practice of getting better at what you do, what you know and keeping up with a VUCA context. As people, we now live and work in an environment where we need to constantly improve. Stay “sharp” is an active and deliberate strategy.
The even better news is that learning can keep your brain younger and functioning better for longer. There are studies which show undertaking qualifcations and learning in mid-life can improve brain functioning and reducing or delay aging impacts. For example Kris powers quotes research from Science Daily, that describes how our mental facilities are best protected when they are used often. Continued learning activities can even slow the physical process of illnesses like Alzheimer’s. Other benefits of deliberately learning include reducing boredom, improving self-confidence, developing skills, improving strategy and relationships, and even improving sleep.

Reconceptualising learning

Learning is a verb, it therefore requires action, deliberate intention and often planning. A traditional definition of lifelong learning is “all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective” (European Commission, 2001). And yet, life long learning is more than this. It also includes making time to deliberately reflect on your life, your relationships, your goals and where your gaps are. Documenting lessons learnt and learning from mistakes, failures and successes helps us improve. So including a reflective practice and planning how to implement what you are learning needs to be included in your learning-process.
An important shift to make, is that learning, and especially life long learning is self initiated. What this means, is that instead of someone telling you what to learn, how to learn and when to assess, like at school or post-school institution, you are now in the educator’s seat. While there are learning coaches and mentors who can help and advise, in the end it will be more up to you than anyone else. So pause for a moment and chose an area of your life that will improve other areas, perhaps your health or nutrition, shifting habits perhaps learning to type faster, perhaps MS Excel. You may want to separate your work and a personal or leisure learning goals. Once you have set a goal, explore how you can achieve this goal. You may be surprised at what is available (often at no additional cost) within your own organisation. Several large corporations provide access to LinkedIn’s learning platform or something like future learn.

Planning for learning

When you commit to a qualification, it becomes easier to put aside time to show up to lectures or classes and do required readings. Deadlines also help a person focus and prioritise. When you complete a qualification it can be difficult to sustain the pace of learning without having a structure or external motivation. So the most important part is to either set a goal or find ways to sustaing your identity as a “learner”or “student”. This may be as simple as planning to read a book each month or signing up for a course online, participating in work training or more deliberately working with your employer on a personal development plan. You may also want to meet regularly with a mentor, join a professional association (which has the added benefit of networking) or join a hobby club (which has the added benefits of developing creativity, often problem solving and improving relaxation).
While learning is important, unless you plan for it or schedule it, learning can wait in the face of urgent to do lists and people who engage… learning doesn’t pay immediately. Planning to sharpen your saw by learning regularly is about frequently investing in yourself so that you, your colleagues, your family and community can reap the rewards. If its not in your calendar, on a weekly or daily basis, its unlike to happen. So an important aspect to consider is how to make progress on a daily or weekly basis. If you choose to read a book each month, book time to purchase the book and then read 15 minutes a day. If you want to watch tutorials on how to use Word or Excel or another software better, subscribe to a learning channel and then show up once a week. Enroll in a course through a platform like Udemy or Coursera and then follow the recommended time allocations (which vary depending on each course). If you are going to listen to podcasts while commuting, pre-download a selection onto a device you can safely listen to.

Conclusion

Life-long learning can help you achieve the goals of your life and improve the quality of your life. Making this a deliberate part of your life is essential to make this work for you. Thinking about your learning, planning to learn, setting goals and showing up to learn will be the only way to move forward.
Dr Heather Goode
Specialisation: Education, Curriculum Studies, Economics and Academic Literacy
]]>Mon, 06 Feb 2023 02:58:09 +0200<![CDATA[Degrees of Consideration]]>https://nomix.co.za/blogs/post/degrees-of-considerationHave you been thinking about getting a degree? In these tough economic times, perhaps you heard that people with degrees tend to stay employed more fo ]]>

Why would you as a working adult consider getting a degree?

Have you been thinking about getting a degree? In these tough economic times, perhaps you heard that people with degrees tend to stay employed more for longer or earn more. Perhaps you want to qualify for a promotion or new job but see that a specific degree is a requirement. Perhaps you just want to explore this further. However, if you have ever seriously explored this, you may know its challenging to get a degree or study further as an adult. One look at the fees and most are ready to run. And if that doesn’t scare you, the drop out rates or degree completion rates for working adults might. Or the time needed to study… Not to mention the idea that all the people studying are straight out of high school and…. Or maybe you didn’t do maths, or pass maths, or study in English or other stuff…
So what should you do? There are some great reasons to get a degree and some strategies for studying as a working adult. More than that, the fastest-growing group enrolled for higher education are working adults. Still, there are a few things you should know before you commit and pay to study further to ensure that this goal is right for you and your time, money and effort is not wasted. This post will tell you why you might find it worthwhile before you decide to study further, especially if you are over 30 or 50.

So what are some of the reasons working adults think about studying further to get a full qualification?

Some of you may be facing work and career requirements, where if you want to stay in a certain role or be promoted or become a manager, your company may require you to get a degree. This is great when you also want to get a degree and see that the career path ahead of you is what you want. This is even better if your boss and company are prepared to support you in getting your degree, and you can negotiate for support, accountability by adding this to your personal development KPI or apply for funding and study leave. Some companies go further, and put together groups of employees and work with higher education providers to provide a programme that fits your context. This can be a double-edged sword if your company expects you to study for a degree but won’t give you time to write exams or support your studies at all. So start a conversation with your manager or HR about what can and won’t happen. Ask to talk to people in the company who are currently studying to see if the support is real or conditional.
Another reason may be that instead of staying at a company or current job, you want to shift into a new career. Studying a degree as a stepping stone to where you want to go is a great way to set up a shift and give you a reason to apply into a new space. Again some companies may support this and others may be upset if you reveal you are planning to move on so use your discretion about sharing your next moves.
The evidence is clear that having a degree can contribute to job security, can increase average earnings or improve job satisfaction as you feel trained for the position. However, this does vary depending on the field and type of qualification, as well as the fit for your current job or company. So I will discuss this in more detail in a future blog.
And lastly, perhaps you have always wanted to but didn’t have the opportunity when leaving school or have changed your mind since you left school. You feel like there is something that you are missing that you really want to meet this goal. Maybe it’s about self-respect, or being able to be proud of what you are doing, or staying up to date with a changing world. I remember chatting with a father who started studying when his daughter was at university and his dream was to stand with her in an academic gown at graduation. It was tough to match the pace while studying part-time, but he made it. So make it clear to yourself and explore what you think getting a degree will bring you. And then check if this will happen as a result of a specific degree. So often, self-respect is not about qualifying or having a credential. Ask yourself if these reasons will be enough to work at night or study while others are out having a braai.
Choosing to study further needs some planning and research. The blogs that follow will assist you in exploring the related issues and decisions. Making sure you are doing it for the right reasons, and that this will keep you going when it gets tough is important. Keep in mind that a degree is often a 3- 5-year commitment. Although, as Dr Henry Cloud pointed out, the next 5 years will come, and in 5 years you can either have a degree or not… So what will you choose today?
If you feel you would benefit from talking to a coach about this please contact EduNomix.
Dr Heather Goode
Specialisation: Education, Curriculum Studies, Economics and Academic Literacy
]]>Mon, 06 Feb 2023 02:00:00 +0200