Why every day should be a school day

As we get older it’s important to ensure we carry on actively learning to help enhance our wellbeing

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Happiful

Learning has been shown to have a number of benefits to our sense of wellbeing and life satisfaction.

It increases our self-esteem

Learning new skills, experiencing new things, and overcoming a challenge (however big or small) can help us feel better about ourselves. Achieving what we’ve set out to do, or becoming wiser through our experiences, can help us feel better-equipped to take on life’s challenges and achieve our larger goals in life. With the knowledge that we’ve been able to deal with challenges, we feel more confident in ourselves and our abilities, and better able to take on new ones. The practice of setting goals, which is particularly related to learning, has been strongly associated with higher levels of wellbeing.

Encourages social interaction

As we’ve written about previously, connecting with others can provide us with a sense of belonging, the feeling of being valued and accepted, and can affirm our status and self-worth. Learning often involves being around other people – whether it’s attending an educational group, trying out a new hobby, or taking on new responsibilities at work or in your local community. Although some learning happens whilst we are by ourselves, it often involves learning from other people and spending time with others, which is important for our mental health and wellbeing.

Gives us a sense of hope and purpose 

Studies and anecdotal evidence have shown how learning new skills, and gaining new knowledge, can contribute to us having a greater sense of hope and purpose in life.  Through learning new things, and having new experiences, we may begin to feel that there is more hope for the future and the direction we are going in. Setting goals, which is linked to learning, has been shown to increase our sense of well-being; by setting goals for ourselves, and working to achieve them, we gain a sense of purpose and the feeling that things are ‘moving forward’.

Better ability to cope with stress

People who carry on learning after childhood report better wellbeing and a greater ability to cope with stress; they also report more feelings of self-esteem, hope and purpose. When we are learning we are often focusing our  attention on the here-and-now. Being in the present moment, we focus our mind’s away from past experiences or future worries, which has been shown to reduce stress and promote mental wellbeing.