It’s a phrase we hear all the time, especially in the design industry, where innovation moves at lightning speed. But, if you ever actually find the time to proactively learn, where do you start?!

Step one: understand your learning style. You might know this intuitively, or you might need to figure it out. Consider how you learn new hobbies; do you prefer to find a podcast, follow a video, or have somebody show you how it’s done?

Visual learners learn best through images, diagrams, and videos.

Auditory learners absorb information best by listening – think podcasts, but also talking through something or listening to a talk.

Kinesthetic learners are more hands-on; they learn by doing, experimenting, and physically engaged, eg taking notes or drawing.

Once you know your learning style, this shouldn’t restrict you – but it should help guide your practice if you have a limited amount of time to commit to learning.

Here’s how to maximise learning, no matter how much time you have.

…as a visual learner: Peruse the magazine stand next time you go shopping, and delve into the article that caught your eye. There are some excellent design mags available in the big retailers, but if you’re based near us in Ancoats you’ll be spoilt for choice – try Village bookstore, Modernist Shop, or UNITOM.

…as an auditory learner: Ask your colleagues or friends about the last great idea they saw. Talking through an idea rather than looking at it will expand your creative vocab; a perfect way to bring more eloquence to your presentation style.

…as a kinesthetic learner: Try the ‘one idea’ rule. Every time you finish a meeting or conversation, write down one new thing you learned — from feedback, new terminology, a project challenge, or how a colleague solved a problem. Actively writing it down is important – in no time you’ll be demonstrating those same skills and level of knowledge.

…as a visual learner: Take on a design challenge like 36 Days of Type to keep outside of your comfort zone. In a recent All Agency Day talk, I learnt that lettering artist Dan Forster secured some of his biggest work through sharing personal projects – it could power up your prospects.

…as an auditory learner: Listen to our latest podcast, of course! Series one is all about how lived experience and age impacts a creative career, so you will come away with actionable points to up your game, and support others.

…as a kinesthetic learner: Follow along with a Youtube video on a piece of software you’ve been scared of. Just an hour doing this will break the back of the challenge, and encourage you to keep going! Just expect to pause and rewind every two minutes – that’s how I do it!

…as a visual learner: Go on a self-guided creative tour of your city and record what you find. The greatest design talks I’ve been to speak about the important of naivety and play to progress your practice, and this is a fantastic walk of doing that. Turn off your emails and immerse yourself in the street art, galleries, museums and nature you don’t make time for usually.

…as an auditory learner: Give constructive feedback. Offering critique, and learning to receive it well, is one of the fastest ways to grow in a creative role. It’s an absolutely essential skill, often dismissed in busy times – so dedicate a day to doing this and it will be noticed. Be positive, helpful, and make a proactive effort to share references and guidance.

…as a kinesthetic learner: Take part in a workshop. If you can manage financial investment, or your business can support you on this, there are plenty of workshops and courses available. My favourite places to find these are The Design Calendar and the DBA offer great one-day learning opportunities, and Birmingham Design Festival has a great line-up this year.

• Sign up to interesting newsletters to take the effort out of hunting. As well as the Craft newsletter, I am a big fan of Design Week, Design Taxi and Koto do an occasional deep-dive letter that I love.
• Join a book club. We run one internally to support our Constantly Curious company value and it really drives that aspect of our culture. This should meet the needs of every type of learner – so long as interesting books are chosen!
• Rework an old project with a fresh lens. What would you change if you started it today? This builds self-awareness and growth.
• Host a skill swap with your team. Someone on your team is amazing at something you’re not — spend the day exchanging insights. This could turn into a regular initiative that everybody in your team benefits from.

At every career stage, staying curious is the secret to staying ahead. Learning doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it just has to be intentional.

What’s one thing you’ll learn today?