Each year, we learn and grow. This comes from our day-to-day experiences in life and on the job.
However, it is also something that can be more intentional and cultivated. I think it’s interesting to do an end of year “learning” audit. Going back and documenting the courses taken. Webinars attended. Books read. And more.
We can recognize our growth and see patterns in what we are drawn to.
Below is a summary of my audit for 2024 and the insights it provided.
I hope my story inspires you to do a learning audit of your own.
My 2024 Learning Audit
Courses: On this front, I finished my 1-year MIT Certificate in Sustainability Program in July. The classes taken this year included two sustainability classes – Lifecycle Assessment and Circularity – and one elective – Design X (MIT design thinking).
Mini-Conferences: There were three events (2 online and 1 live) that were one or two days long with multiple presenters. One was marketing, one sustainability, and one future of work.
Webinars: I attended 15 webinars this year and grouped them into 5 categories – trends (3), marketing/ecommerce (5), personal branding (1), sustainability (2), and the future of work (4).
Books: I read 9 personal development / business books – 3 personal branding, 2 future of work, and 4 career development.
Podcasts: I listen to 30-40 podcasts a week averaging about 90 minutes a day – getting ready in the morning, driving, walking/exercising, etc. Which means over the year I’ve listened to over 500 hours this year. The topics were mostly focused on personal development, careers, and future of work.
My 2024 Learning Insights
My first insight is the volume. It didn’t seem like I was consciously doing so much learning. Yet, on paper there is a lot. Not counting the podcasts, I spent 200 hours on courses, conferences, webinars, and books – an average of 30 minutes per day. I’ve talked about how a 15-minute a day project around the house can make an impact – clearly it applies here too.
I also see the patterns – sustainability, future of work, and becoming a MeEO. The front half of the year was more focused on sustainability and then a shift happened to the MeEO space. Yet, I didn’t drop the ball on learning in my primary area of expertise – marketing, trends, & business strategy.
Because many of the webinars I attended were free, I know I had a couple where I multitasked during the session. Next year, if I plan to attend, I will be fully present or skip it.
Seeing this list, I also want to be more intentional with my learning next year.
Possibly keeping it concentrated in one or two areas vs. so much jumping around.
Your Turn
Have you ever done an end of year learning audit?
What sticks out in your mind as key learning events in this past year?
How could you be more intentional in the year ahead?