For those that believe in the added pressure of a New Year’s Resolution, I too adopted one for 2012:  Learn New Things.  So far I’ve learned that a coffee barista uses 8lbs of pressure on the tamper to make my morning latte, that it takes me exactly 11 minutes to fully wake-up in the morning, and that the “high altitude” instructions actually matter.  Why does my gym membership do the exact opposite of its intended purpose?  What items can I really recycle?  Who invented pantyhose? 

All jokes aside, I do ask myself what I can do to learn new things that will enhance my resume, boost my credibility, and stay on current trends.  I have found that learning new things online has been the format that works for me.  The busy life of a professional is often dictated by one hour increments that include lunch meetings, more meetings, paperwork ,  email with a side of telephone calls, and finally the much coveted “me” time.  Online classes fit my schedule because I can decide how and when I learn. 

With online classes that are rolled out weekly, I have a whole week to get in my “learn new things” time.  I do it from my computer at home which is sometimes accompanied by a glass of red wine and my slippers.  But I also find myself at The Bookworm sipping my 8lbs of pressure, non-fat, caramel latte, because I just need an internet connection.  If I’d rather give my mind a rest to find out if Ben picks Courtney, if Steven Tyler strips naked again, or if Christina Aguilera covers her cleavage, I can just come back to my lesson online a little later.

I have since learned how to post to a group on LinkedIn, find the short url for a YouTube video, invite my friends to the CMC Facebook page and that it was a man who invented pantyhose.

About:  Kim Blackford leads the Professional Development and Customized Business Services for Colorado Mountain College in Edwards.  She can be reached at 970-569-2933, via email at kblackford@coloradomtn.edu, and is available for coffee meetings.

Professional Development at Colorado Mountain College has online courses that allow you to enhance your workplace skills quickly.  Our expert instructors sift through the information overload and deliver the best practices to you.  Visit http://www.coloradomtn.edu/professionaldevelopment for a list of online classes.