I order my groceries using an app. And they magically get delivered to my house. I can order my morning coffee using an app so I don’t have to wait longer than a few minutes to get my caffeine every day. I even get my oil changed at a place of business that doesn’t require me to get out of my car. Am I lazy? Well, that’s debatable. But like most people, I’m looking for things to be easier, faster, and more convenient. We live in a world where time is limited and the greatest perceived advancements in technology are those that make our lives easier and save us time.

In this day in age, we want instant results. We want things to magically happen without effort or time commitment. If you’ve made it this far in this post, congratulations. People don’t read things like articles and the written word like they used to. It takes too much time. So, when it comes to learning and education, we want the same instant results.

Can’t I just put a book on my head and learn by osmosis? Nope. It’s not a real thing. If I could wave a magic wand and instantly give you the knowledge to boost your bookings, improve your bottom line, and manage your business and staff better, I would. Really, I would do that for you. Unfortunately, I can’t. But I can give you a few tips to continue educating yourself in an efficient and less time-restrictive way.

Podcasts. Find podcasts that interest you and take advantage of them while you are picking up that morning coffee or getting groceries.

Articles. Don’t have time to read a whole magazine? Some articles will speak to you more than others. Head to the table of contents and pick a few to read when you have a few minutes to spare.

Webinars, or better yet, view on-demand webinars. There are great webinars out there like the ones ALP provides. Most webinar providers, like ALP, archive their content for viewing at any time. Take advantage when you can.

In-person educational events. We can’t all be everywhere all the time, but in-person events are great and provide value you can’t get from webinars or articles. Choose the events that will give you the most ROI and line up with your schedule.

Blogs. Find some blogs that cover topics you are interested in. Blog posts, like this one, tend to be shorter and more direct.

Social Media. Follow content providers that do the work for you and who post the best and most relevant content to what you are looking to learn. They’ve already weeded through the news, research, and trends so you don’t have to.

Unfortunately, in order to learn and educate yourself, you have to put in some time and effort. I strongly believe in order to truly succeed we must always be learning and growing. It may sound cliché, but we get out of it what we put into it. That doesn’t mean we can’t find shortcuts and more efficient ways of doing it. Make an effort each week, even if just for a few minutes, to set time aside and continue your education. If your business and career are a priority for you, then I promise you won’t regret it.