Another benefit of learning new ideas and skills is that it may better position you to switch jobs by making you more marketable, career coaches said. Using your brain is like using muscles, the stronger it gets with appropriate use, said Daniel Amen, psychiatrist and author of the forthcoming book “Change Your Brain Every Day.”
“The more we learn the more we can learn,” said Dr. Amen.
Get the most out of it
Generally the more time you can spend learning, the better. But don’t become fixated on attending a certain number of lectures or reading a set number of books, said Prof. Stern. Instead, try to engage in the activities you enjoy and stick with them over time.
Choose activities or skills that involve multiple brain regions and processes to get the biggest benefit from continuous learning, said Dr. Amen.
Cooking is an activity that involves planning ahead to buy the necessary ingredients, following recipe instructions, paying attention to cooking times and performing fine motor skills, such as chopping and mincing, he said.