Learning new skills can be useful but it can also positively affect our mental wellbeing.
There are many ways to bring learning in to your life, it doesn’t have to mean getting more qualifications.
Evidence shows that continuing to learn throughout life can improve and maintain our mental wellbeing . Mental wellbeing means feeling good about yourself and the world around you and being able to get on with life in the way that you want.
Learning can boost self esteem, help build a sense of purpose and, because it often involves interacting with others, helps to build and strengthen social relationships.
Tips and ideas
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.
Keep Learning is one of the Five ways to Wellbeing, evidence based steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing developed by the New Economics Foundation. The other ways are: Connect, Get Active, Take Notice, and Give. Take a look at our other tips for staying well.