Further training is good – but also a form of escapism

So, hands up while reading: Who baked banana bread during the past corona waves? Downloaded a language course? Did Pamela Reif sport videos, read a yoga book, meditate, jog, start online courses for management strategies, new programming languages ​​or design?

Thanks, you can all put your hands back down.
So.
And?
Is life better now

With the fourth wave, the third phase of lockdown contemplation begins for some people. Childless are meant. And some of the people in the so-called systemically important jobs: those who are allowed to work at home, but whose children still had access to educational work during the past waves, aka emergency care.

So while half of the population will have to stretch well beyond their limits in the coming months, the other half will slowly have to ask themselves: What do I do with the freedom I have gained? Aside from commuting and social responsibility, formerly known as friendship and mulled wine with colleagues, there is suddenly a lot of time left again.

In my circle of acquaintances, the question popped up what people want to learn this winter. It was meant at least a bit ironically, because I almost only know other parents and they are rarely bored. But even among them there are people who want to keep their mental health through learning. The idea is not bad at all. Learning makes you happy. However, this only applies if there is a good relationship between work and family, reported scientists after a survey.

Let’s not kid ourselves: for many people, intellectual self-realization does not work out during the pandemic, they simply have too much to do with keeping the country and its people going. But if I look around, I would say: further training remains an issue. And I’m a fan. We just didn’t think it through.

I didn’t research it scientifically, but I would say the banana breads didn’t help. Clearing out the basement certainly helped a bit, because getting rid of ballast also frees the psyche. But learn Italian? Even more difficult: When learning, the brain forms new connections, the effect is called Neuroplasticity and is also effective when reading, watching TV, picking your nose or jumping rope. Whatever we do, it changes the brain. But learning does this in a way that can potentially make you happy. The brain cells fire more efficiently, which is a good thing. This could be counteracted by the fact that disappointments also arose during this difficult time: constantly being distracted, course broken off, a year and a half later still not having kissed a charming Italian. Too bad.

The same applies to professional development projects: They are a nice distraction from the frustrating lockdown life, and they probably won’t hurt either. But at the same time they are just an escape from emotional reality. They help you not to get too preoccupied with your own fears. But the fears do not go away. Nor is the threat situation.

The online course is pretty good at distracting from inner truths: that the job may not be the right one. That a pretty certificate doesn’t mean a promotion. That it would be time to call certain people again. That you still live in town, even though you hate everything about it. That in the near future there will probably not be a charming Italian around the corner, but that you would have to drive a few hours south to have a few to choose from.

Online courses are a nice idea, but all the theory doesn’t lead anywhere in practice.

Contact restrictions give many people more free time and that may feel uncomfortable. This time is only well used if it is not exclusively filled with distraction. We won’t live like we do now forever, but we will certainly continue to live for a while. And at some point we will run out of ideas, at some point the desire for further development fades and at some point we all have to face the truth that we don’t really know our inner truths. Felt more was always better. It felt like advancement was the way to professional happiness. It feels like a new learning project can’t hurt. In this way, life and career ignore your own needs. If the point of view does not fit, then further development leads in the wrong direction.

The fourth wave is the third chance to come back. On rest. And with all the loud silence we can ask ourselves again: What do I actually want? The answer won’t scroll through any of us through a list of online courses, sports videos, or home improvement projects. But in yourself.

We don’t need courses for that. To do this, we need some rest to face the life we ​​already have. And then the courage to implement the ideas. So this is my appeal for the fourth lockdown: do nothing! And hold out. Check out what is. Wonder how you find it. And then think about where you really want to go. This wave also subsides at some point. A clear view of the self will guide you better in the spring than another certificate in PDF format.