Make the Most of Your Online Reading With a Learning Plan
Think that you should read that well-written, high-quality article your friend just shared on social media? Think again. It might be a huge waste of time. Rather than reading any interesting article that crosses your path, make a conscious learning plan.
I lost my own clickbait virginity to Upworthy. They were great at hijacking my mind. They would send me ten psychologically manipulative headlines an hour, and you’ll be shocked when you hear about #6!
These days, the problem isn’t clickbait, it’s high-quality content. Too much of it. Way too much. When you find articles on topics you love, you read them: science, health, wellness, fitness, cooking, the politics you follow as a concerned citizen … and all your other hobbies and interests.
You may have learned to resist low-quality dreck like Billy Bob’s “The Real Truth” conspiracy blog, but that doesn’t mean that what you do read is the best use of your time.
6 Ways to Make the Most of Your Online Reading With a Learning Plan
1. Separate quality writing from useful writing
When clickbait tricks you, you know you’re being hijacked. But high-quality content feels meaningful. You read articles about the Big Bang. Someone’s around-the-world diary blog. An essay on poultry farming conditions. (Maybe there is such a thing as too much roast duck). Each is fun when it shows up. But after ten years of reading, I’ve found it adds up to nothing.
The articles informed you, but they were chosen to get you to “engage,” not to help you become who you want to become.
What if you chose your own topics, like in the olden days of yore? It’s a bit more work, but then you get to decide who you become.
Billy Bob’s “The Real Truth” conspiracy blog? Low-quality. Anything you read—no matter how well written—so you can feel outraged? Also low-quality.
2. Choose a higher purpose
Take back control. Choose a purpose and then get reading. When articles, videos, or books cross your path, pursue the ones that fill that purpose.
Take back control. Choose a purpose and then get reading.
Are you concerned about the politics in Nauru? (And who isn’t?) Just read articles on Nauru. You don’t even need to wait until they cross your feed. Search for many sources to get a rich understanding of Nauru’s complex dynamics. Not only will you be a hit at cocktail parties, but your impressive knowledge might give you a shot at the Ambassadorship.
4. Set a learning agenda
If you want to learn, then really learn. And not like watching TED talks. They’re mental popcorn. Each one tastes great for 22 minutes, then you’re on to the next. That’s not learning. That’s skimming.
If you’re reading to learn, decide what you want to learn. Like the history of the kazoo. Don’t just click any article that pops up. Click the kazoo articles. Read about different aspects of kazoos. Read from different kazoo sources. Read scientific sources, practitioner sources, amateur sources, professional sources. Go deeper, wider, inner, outer, slower, faster until you’ve got knowledge coming out the kazoo.
If you want to discover new topics, you can still do it without becoming social media’s mind slave. Ask a friend what they recommend. Even if the Evil Algorithm shows they shared an article on the mating habits of naked mole rats this morning, still ask. They might recommend something different.
4. Set a time frame
It can seem scary to limit yourself to one topic. Actually, it just focuses the mind. You aren’t setting your learning agenda for life, just for a while. Decide in advance when you’ll revisit your purpose. Put it on the calendar. Heck, you can even tie your learning to the calendar: January you’ll read to learn the history of World War II. February, you’ll learn how to use Photoshop to retouch faded photos. March, you’ll read dystopian fiction to get ideas for your post-apocalyptic survival plans (and you’ll remember that it’s fiction. Fiction! Billy Bob read it too). And so on.
You aren’t setting your learning agenda for life, just for a while.
5. Beware news
News is especially dangerous. We all know fake news and low-quality news is bad for us (even though we consume it like hotcakes). But even high-quality, well-researched news may be a bad use of your reading time.
If you watch news so you can feel outraged at the latest Thing Politicians Did, or how “They” Are Ruining the Country, then you’re really just reading to get a self-righteous burst of adrenaline. Own it. Then go sign up for a Rugby team and get your aggressions out properly without also polluting your mind.
If you read news to be an informed citizen, get clear on why. You want to learn about candidates so you can vote based on a candidate’s competence rather than hairstyle.
You want to learn about current events so you know which policies are important. You don’t want to waste your time on equal rights for flightless water fowl when immigration policy matters to you more.
You want to learn about other countries to know which policies have worked elsewhere, so you can call the competent candidate you elected and urge them to adopt those important policies.
Then when you know why you’re reading news, follow the news stories that will help you reach that goal.
6. Build your mind deliberately
Once upon a time, it was hard work to find good information. The Internet made that easy. Now the hard work is resisting the algorithms that manipulate your attention. Make sure your media consumption isn’t random. Make it add up to a stronger, smarter, more capable you.
Don’t just read something because it’s interesting or good, or because someone you know shares it. Mold your own mind! Choose what you want to learn. Choose a timeframe. Read deeply about that topic for that time. Supplement it with other writing on the topic so your reading adds up to expertise or knowledge.
Don’t just read something because it’s interesting or good, or because someone you know shares it. Mold your own mind!
Be especially thoughtful about politics and know why you care, not just that you do care, before reading an article. And make sure your news is serving you, not just upsetting you.
You have a lot of amazing potential. Aim it in one direction, and use it to create the “you” that you want, not the “you” that the algorithms decide to make you.
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I’m Stever Robbins. Follow Get-It-Done Guy on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to Get-It-Done Guy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. If you’re an executive, entrepreneur, or sales professional and you want a partner to help you get even better at what you do, hire me as yoru coach. Learn more at SteverRobbins.
Work Less, Do More, and have a Great Life!
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About the Author
Stever Robbins was the host of the podcast Get-it-Done Guy from 2007 to 2019. He is a graduate of W. Edward Deming’s Total Quality Management training program and a Certified Master Trainer Elite of NLP. He holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BS in Computer Sciences from MIT.
