Learning and Development: A #Bufferchat Recap

This week on #bufferchat, we shared our experiences with learning and development in our work and personal lives. Our community discussed how they make time for personal development, what they’ve learned from stepping out of their comfort zones, how work learnings have positively impacted them personally, and much more!

Read on to discover all of the awesome insights that were shared during the chat!

Catch our weekly Twitter chat, #bufferchat, at TWO times every Wednesday for valuable industry insights and to meet hundreds of other smart marketers and social media enthusiasts. Same topic, same place, just at different times – feel free to join in to whichever chat time works best for you!

4 pm AEST (Sydney time)

9 am PT (San Francisco time)

This week’s stats:
1st Bufferchat: 29 participants; 185 tweets; reach of 945,617
2nd Bufferchat: 141 participants; 1,075 tweets; reach of 1,709,466

Q1: What sparks you to choose to learn something new?

From the community:

• “I take on the challenge of something new when I’m amazed by how WELL it works, but can’t figure out HOW it works.” @SipBlackdotNET
• “For me, feeling rusty or super complacent always inspires me to learn something new. Also, when things feel too routine.” @bellametaphor
• “When I have a “there must be a better way” moment.” @maxthemarketer
• “The quote “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” has always sparked me to learn!” @ten26media
• “When I feel blocked in my job by not knowing how to do something -would rather learn than just get someone else to do it!” @RoxanaKate

See all the great answers to question 1 here!

Q2: What is one skill (for work or personally) you would like to practice and develop this year, and why?

From the community:

• “In depth understanding of data analytics + using data in very unique/creative ways.” @whatdidKAYEsay
• “Prioritizing the right thing, at the right time!” @krishadley
• “I’d say reading more and honestly, learning to say ‘no’ a bit more. Not every idea/project can get my full focus.” @easttum
• “For work I would love to learn more about design and ux, because it’s a complement to a good marketer.” @filipa_nasc
• “Mindfulness. Being present in the moment and stop overthinking and worrying about everything!” @MaggieBizz

See all the great answers to question 2 here!

Q3: How do you make time for personal development in your life?

From the community:

• “It sounds obvious; I make it a priority. It literally has a space in my agenda & my annual/monthly/weekly goals.” @SimTara
• “If work allows it, take 5-10 min a day to learn something new. A lot of learning courses are bite-sized to accommodate this.” @Ben_Soup
• “I take small breaks throughout the day and remind myself that life isn’t a race. I gotta do me on my own time + terms.” @howveryheather
• “I try to plan ahead as much as possible & stick to it. At the moment it’s 2 hours of personal development every other day.” @annaleshia
• “I always follow the 70:20:10 rule everyday. 70%- doing my regular work , 20%- improvement, 10%- learning something new.” @kashyapvartika

See all the great answers to question 3 here!

Q4: What is something you learned at work that has positively impacted you personally?

From the community:

• “Learning it’s okay to admit you don’t know something (rather than pretending you have it all together.) Ask qu’s. Learn!” @CourtneyHosek
• “Ownership. When I make a mistake, admitting fault right at the jump. It’s humbling and so healthy.” @hirenoah
• “Adapting to change and rolling with it- not fighting it. And being organised.” @helsbell5
• “Less is more, simplify where possible. True at work, true in life :)” @mintoreid
• “Let go of your ego. Sometimes your answer/solution isn’t the right one.” @JessOB1kenobi

See all the great answers to question 4 here!

Q5: Ever taken a step out of your comfort zone when learning something completely new? Any takeaways from the experience?

From the community:

• “One lesson – Remember why you began and keep pushing through. You’ll get there.” @mansilausdeo
• “Public speaking and presenting was a huge step out of my comfort zone, but pushing myself to do it built my confidence.” @smouldemort
• “Yes and it paid off. There is a whole new world on the other side of the comfort zone!” @Traci_Poole
• “It taught me how important it is to constantly be learning and adapting. Never let yourself get stagnant.” @MadFishDigital
• “Stepping out of my comfort zone has proven to me that simply taking the actions can lead to eventual proficiency. Just do it.” @luckylou

See all the great answers to question 5 here!

Q6: Have you ever taken a really impactful online course/class? If so, up for sharing the link with the community here?

A few sites recommended by the community:

• edX
• Skillshare
• Coursera
• Khan Academy
• Creative Live
• Udemy

See all the great answers to question 6 here!

Q7: How do you create an environment conducive to learning?

From the community:

• “Embrace creativity, change, diversity, and positivity. Remain flexible. Encourage others to push themselves.” @KymWrites
• “Give freedom to learners; allow teaching and learning in all directions; bring in others with different life roles.” @JeremyDBond
• “I try to avoid distractions (esp. digital ones), clean my workspace, and write up a game plan!” @sammiemlwalker
• “Music. Library, outside, my office. All depends on what I will be learning. Make it fun and exciting so you stay engaged.” @MichaelLindauer
• “It starts with one’s mindset. Get in the habit of questioning things. Once you do, your curiosity will carry you through.” @ideabloke

See all the great answers to question 7 here!

Thank you so much to our awesome community for sharing such great insights in this chat!

Do you have any comments or answers to these questions? Leave your thoughts in the comments! We’d love to hear from you!

Image sources: UnSplash