What are your thoughts on a year of self-study? Do you struggle with productivity? Have lots of lists with good intentions that never seem to come to fruition? Interests in spades, but no follow through? Perhaps you aren’t lacking motivation or curiosity, but scheduling.
When we were in school, semester by semester, year over year, we followed a curriculum to advance our learning and master the skills needed to graduate. It was an even paced, measured journey. Some subjects took years to complete, layering the material from simple to complex in bite sized pieces. Other subjects were only visited for a short time. And electives were plenty.
If you struggle with productivity in the second half of your first century, consider setting yourself a curriculum to follow, quarterly or by the traditional semester cycle. By not trying to bite off all your interests at once, you’ll allow yourself a deeper dive where desired and reduce the stress of not advancing faster than is logically possible.
Self-Study Structuring
I suggest you choose no more than three subjects per semester, and your daily or weekly class time will depend on your life schedule. I can manage four hours two to three days per week, and I don’t schedule weekends (those are for electives and free time). I calendar this into my planner, with check-ins as I go.
I no longer feel guilty when I find myself watching a show, listening to a podcast, or just sitting out enjoying the rare glimpse of sun – because I know I’ve already had “class time” and made progress on my curriculum goals. After all – we never felt guilty being out of school or failed to enjoy the free time we had as children.
And the best part is, you get to set the curriculum, adjusting as you go. Master at whatever level you choose, drop classes, add subjects – maybe even become a teacher yourself! Even if you never enjoyed school as a child, the second time around just might change your mind, or at very least expand it.
Self-Study Resources
Not sure what to study? Try Skill Share, or one of the other online learning platforms with hundreds of topics to learn. But I’m betting that if you give yourself space to dream, there are plenty of things that you’ve been wanting to investigate.
2025 Subjects I’m Studying
For this year, I’ve chosen several subjects that have illuded me over the past three years – always on my list, but never quite making it to the top.
- Writing – fiction, screenplays, poetry
- Cooking – Mediterranean and Whole30
- Astrology – Natal Chart Analysis
I’ll certainly keep you posted on my progress! Share if you decide to pursue some self-study in 2025 as well.
