Knowing your way around technology is crucial in today’s digital world. Being tech savvy is integral to your employability, as well as making your day to day life easier.
Adults spend on average 3 hours a day on their devices. With this amount of time, you‘d think we’d all be extremely tech savvy and know every function our devices can perform. Turns out, most people know only the basic functions of their devices and the computer programs they use on a daily basis.
There are multiple hacks for our devices and programs we just don’t know about. These tricks enable our tech usage to become more efficient, streamlined, and less time-consuming!
Want to become a wiz with technology? Read on to find out how.
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What Do You Want to Learn?
Before going down a research rabbit hole, establish what it is you want to learn first. Do you want to know how to use your devices more efficiently? Or maybe you want to learn a specific skill such as blogging or coding?
Where Can You Learn Tech Tips and Tricks?
Once you have established exactly what you want to learn, you can go about finding the information you require.
Yes, books are great. However, if you’re trying to improve your capability at using technological devices and programs, the internet will most likely be your best source of information. Technological change is rapid, books often can’t keep up. The internet is updated every second of every day!
Watch Online Tutorials and Videos
The World Wide Web is your best option for learning tech savvy tips. Where to look first? Try YouTube. The site is filled with videos on how to be tech savvy which has been created by experts, as well as people just like you who are self-taught.
Many successful entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals have learned their skills via content on YouTube. The variety of content is vast and best of all, it’s all free!
Read as Much as You Can
Yes, watching videos is great to become more tech savvy but seeing the information in writing is also very useful. Search for blogs that explain and outline what it is you’re looking to learn.
Whether you’re looking to print screen one monitor or optimize storage on your smartphone, a simple search will bring up the best blogs with information on the niche you are looking for.
These articles will usually include a step by step guide with screenshots and images which will make it simple for you to just follow along.
You can also subscribe to newsletters from these blogs, so you receive up to date insights and information without even looking for it. With thousands of updates being made to software daily, it’s impossible to be on top of everything. Just keep in the know about changes being made to the technologies you are using most frequently.
Learn by Doing
The only way to become a technology native is through practice. So you’ve watched all the videos and read all the information for a specific task you want to perform. Chances are you will quickly forget what you learned. If you want to perform tasks with technology from memory, you need to get practicing.
Frequency is important, the more often you perform a task, the more intuitive it becomes. So practice, practice, practice!
Take an Online Course
Maybe there’s a topic you want to get deeper into because it particularly interests you. Perhaps you think it will bring future employment opportunities. Whether it’s coding (one of the most sought-after tech skills) or web development, you will be able to find an online course on the subject.
There are thousands of online courses about every subject imaginable available online these days. Finding the right one can be a challenge. Keep in mind that many top universities from around the world offer courses in technological subjects for free. Yes, you read correctly, free! They are called MOOCs and you can find the top-rated ones using a website such as Class Central.
Make Sure You Understand Web Security
With the use of technology, comes several risks, whether it’s hacking, weak security, or risks to your privacy. You should know the basics of privacy settings. Understanding the data that tech companies are storing about your technology use, will help protect both you and your employer.
If you are able to help others enhance their privacy, and therefore security online, then you will be an invaluable asset to an employer.
Ask Your Employer for Training
If you think becoming tech savvy will be beneficial to your career then try speaking to your employer about what personal development programs they may offer. Learning new tech skills will not only be beneficial to you but also to them. You will have an improved skill set and be able to work more efficiently.
If there are no continuing personal development courses offered by your employer, then perhaps ask if you can be mentored by someone at your workplace who is more knowledgeable about digital technologies.
Why Should You Become More Tech Savvy?
You may be thinking, why is it so important that I upskill and advance my technological knowledge? Like it or not, technology is not going anywhere soon, our integration with it in our everyday lives is only going to increase in the next decade. If you don’t learn how to use it, you’ll likely be left behind.
Not only is becoming more tech savvy great for your personal development, but it will also open up windows of opportunity for future employment opportunities. Upskilling is never a bad thing and if you future proof your skills, you will be one step ahead in the job market.
Get started on your tech savvy journey by checking out some how-to guides that will enhance your knowledge and simplify your day to day use of technology.
