How to Teach Yourself to Embrace New Technologies

I have a confession to make. I am slow to embrace new technologies, including new software. I see them as necessary evils. I just can’t get excited about Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn. I’m not even that into online shopping. I prefer to go to a shop and actually try things on! Crazy, I know. I’m also in the very fortunate position of being able to employ someone to help me out with all my online needs. And have another great source of support –young friends, including my teenaged daughter.

It seems everyone under 30 years knows their way around the latest software and apps. It only dawned on me recently that every toy a child gets these days has a computer chip. But if you are north of 30 years, there is no need for you to fear technology. You can be just as tech savvy as the next person. In fact being older even has advantages, in that we remember newspapers and magazines and bright layout and editorial practices that we can bring to our blogs and business websites. But how do you develop an attitude that actually creates a desire to become more technically savvy? How do I shift my own mindset that new technologies are a necessary evil? To find out I did some research, and this is what I found out. I began with a visit to the website of the Saxons Group, which provides managed IT services and IT training to business clients around Australia.

Select easy to use technology

Their first tip is to opt for easy-to-use, intuitive products. That makes sense to me. If you don’t feel that you have a natural aptitude for technology, do not start off with a really challenging piece of software. As the Saxon’s website explains, ‘avoid technology that comes with a 100-page manual’. You will find that most popular websites like Facebook and YouTube are super easy to use once you get to know them. They are intuitive. Also there are great training videos on YouTube that will teach you the basics of popular websites.

Find a go-to person

Navigating new technology – even a new phone – can be tricky. Okay, again I’m spoiled in this area. I have young friends and I employ help. But if you can find a tech buddy this makes life so much easier, especially if you want to start doing fancy stuff. Today marketing companies will tell you that you need video on all business websites if you want to attract traffic. More and more people are watching videos online and expect videos on business websites, and personal blogs. Do you know that the number of hours people are watching videos on YouTube has DOUBLED year on year for the past five years? The reality is that it is incredibly easy to shoot videos on your phone and even easier to edit them. There is lots of free video editing software online, for example I’ve heard people rave about HitFilm Express 9 and Apple’s iMovie, but again tackling new software alone can be daunting. Do you have a friend who is tech savvy and can show you the ropes?

Be prepared to pay for help

Another option is to find someone who produces multi-media for a living and ask if they would be prepared to give you some tutorials at a price. A lot of community libraries offer free training for websites like Facebook and YouTube. That training is great if you are starting from scratch, but be aware that most other people in the class are novices and you will fast become frustrated. You could also look at doing a community college course, but you will have to pay and they tend to focus on only one area, for example building a blog when you might feel you need tuition across a few areas, for example how to effectively tweet, edit video and produce podcasts. That’s why it’s essential to either find a go-to tech buddy or someone who is prepared to give you the occasional tutorial (for the right price).

Join an online group or form your own group for support

Have you ever heard of the American website, Reddit? It hosts thousands of online communities, including tech communities. Go to this page: https://www.reddit.com/r/VideoEditing/ This is an online community of video editors. 52,000 people have joined this site to share tips on video editing.

Another option is to create your own support group. Ask friends if they have other friends who like to produce multimedia. You may be surprised at the number of people who are tech-experts in your own social circle. Hold a tech morning tea – bake a cake and then sit down with your laptops and exchange information and skills. Tell them before the get-together what you want to learn.

Adopt the right attitude

When it comes to expanding your knowledge and skills base (in any area!), the most important thing is that you have the right attitude. If you tell yourself that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks then you will be lost from the outset. You need a can-do attitude because I know you can do this!
This is the advice of the US website, ‘The Business Journals’, when it comes to learning new technologies.

1. Have an open mind

The website also says you have to tell yourself that you can't do it – ‘tell yourself you might not be able to do it yet, but you're willing pay the price. Take courses, hire professionals, read books, watch educational videos, and do whatever is necessary to learn new skills that help you’. Now that is great advice.

2. Get help from the best

The website recommends you go to books, audio and video recordings, and live coaching to learn new tech skills. It says, ‘be willing to part with your TME (Time, Money, Energy) to learn’.

3. Be willing to give up activities while upskilling

This is a tough one. Basically The Business Journal says you are going to have to give up some leisure time – turn off the TV, put down your novel, forget about heading out with friends every night. Instead you have to sit down in front of the computer and learn those skills. Learn these tech-skills so you can talk apps and new software with the best of them.

4. Focus!

The truth is that you have to focus to learn any new skill. Think back and remember how difficult it was to learn to read and write as a child. You have to commit to master online technologies.

5. Practice

When it comes to learning new technologies, practice makes perfect. Tech researcher, Toyoji Matsumoto, said, “Do it 1,000 times ‘til it becomes natural — then do it another 1,000 times!”

6. Look up training videos on YouTube

The Business Journals tell us that ‘YouTube has to be one of the greatest “How-To-Learn” tools we've seen in the past 50 years. Be willing to wade through some of the junk videos to find the gems. Pay the price and spend time to learn through this rich reservoir of resources.’

7. Immerse yourself

The best way to learn a language is to go to that country and immerse yourself in the language. The best way to really get to know a new app or website is to live on it. Devote countless hours to navigating it and before you know it, you’ll be a pro.

8. Never beat yourself up

Even if you are not making progress, don’t berate yourself and tell yourself that you are hopeless. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. You might find this difficult but you find other things easy. Some people are good at music, some good at languages and some good at learning new tech. You are not stupid, you just have different strengths, so go easy on yourself and persevere.

9. Don’t give up!

I’m sorry, but you are going to have to hang in there, even if this doesn’t feel like your cup of tea. You may start off with a wet-blanket attitude, “I don't want to do this” but you also have to adopt a ‘I refuse to be beaten’ attitude. Just persevere.

10. Have fun!

In life if we don’t keep learning we start to die mentally. I promise you, that if you hang in there it will eventually become fun. The Business Journals says, ‘Learning gives you a strong competitive advantage today. It also keeps you alive mentally.’

I say go for it!