Learning to Learn

Why mastering your job starts with mastering how you grow

We talk a lot about technical skills in project controls - scheduling, reporting, logic, float, and systems. But underneath it all, there’s a skill we rarely discuss:

👉 How to learn… and keep learning.

It sounds simple. But most of us were never taught how to do it intentionally.

We absorb info, take notes, attend training, nod through inductions then forget half of it by the end of the week.

This year, I’ve been making a conscious effort to improve how I learn. Not just what I learn, but how I absorb, retain, and apply the skills that matter in my role and career.

Why Most Learning Doesn’t Stick

Here’s what I’ve realised: a lot of the ways we’ve been taught to learn just don’t work.

❌ Re-reading notes

❌ Skimming through slides

❌ Sitting through passive training sessions

These feel productive in the moment, but they don’t hold up over time. Especially not when you’re working under pressure, with multiple priorities, and limited time to reflect.

So What Actually Works?

I’ve started to explore more evidence-based approaches that feel uncomfortable, but actually work. A few that stand out:

✅ Active recall – testing yourself instead of re-reading

✅ Spaced repetition – returning to the same topic over time

✅ Application over theory – learning through doing

✅ Reflection – taking time to think about what worked and what didn’t

Learning is a loop, not a one-time event:

Learn → Apply → Reflect → Adjust → Repeat

The Role of Deep Work

Real learning needs real focus.

In a world full of distractions, multitasking kills retention. What’s helped me:

🕒 Blocking out time for undistracted learning

🔕 Turning off notifications during study or analysis

📅 Using deliberate sessions to go deeper on one topic, not five

The same tools that help me plan better—structure, clarity, space—are helping me learn better too

What I’m Currently Learning

Right now, I’m focusing on three areas:

🗣 Communication – speaking clearly, listening well, and tailoring how I share information depending on the audience.

📊 Cost loading & management – building my understanding of the commercial side of project controls to round out my scheduling skills.

📝 Note taking – experimenting with better systems (like the Charter Method and AI tools) to create clearer, more useful records for updates and handovers.

Final Thought

“Learning to learn” sounds like a soft skill. But it’s one of the most technical investments you can make, because it shapes how quickly and deeply you develop everything else.

So whether you’re brand new to project controls or 20 years in, take time to review how you’re learning, not just what you’re learning.

Because the real skill isn’t knowing everything.

It’s knowing how to keep getting better.