If you’re like me, you have likely had some frustration with various facets of technology. Maybe someday I will figure it all out, although I highly doubt it since technology is constantly changing. In the meantime, here are some tips for getting to know it better.
Google it or watch a video
My husband is the go-to-guy in our house when it comes to figuring out problems on the computer – at least he used to be. Years ago he told me that I should just google the problem to figure out the fix since that is what he would do too. And you know what?! That advice works quite well. It really is nice to be self reliant and be able to figure out how to fix whatever is driving me nuts at the time without having to wait for someone else to fix the problem. I have found that finding the answer to my problem on the device that I am not trying to fix works best. So, for example, if I am trying to figure out how to do something on my computer, then I’ll search for the solution on my phone. That way I don’t have to toggle between windows to do my troubleshooting. This is definitely akin to googling something but since a picture is worth a thousand words, videos can be quite helpful. Once again, I recommend pulling up the video on the device that you are not trying to fix. Youtube has information on just about anything you need to fix.
Ask a friend or family member – the younger the better
Let’s face it. The younger someone is, especially teenagers and 20 somethings, the more they know about technology. These people have grown up with it, so it is second nature to them. Draw on the knowledge they have. Take notes. Set up multiple sessions for them to teach you various things. Not only will you learn a ton, but you will have a great time getting to know a son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild or some other amazing person better.
Take a class or watch a tutorial
How familiar are you with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Canva, Photoshop, Procreate, Google Docs, Notes, Sheets, Slack, Trello, and all of the other amazing tools/software/apps out there? Watching a tutorial or taking a class will help you gain knowledge about many facets of an app and introduce you to many of the features that you may not be aware of. Many times the company that creates an app has tutorials or classes available. You can also find a multitude of classes online at sites such as coursera.org, udemy.com, and goskills.com. Even LinkedIn has a platform for learning technological skills. Through the public library in my city I can take advantage of these courses with my library card. What a deal!!! You can also often find classes offered through community education programs that focus on learning more about technology. Another way to find classes is to simply google, “Classes on (insert whatever you want to learn about)”. That search will pull up more options than you’ll know what to do with.
Go old school and check out a book at the library
You could of course hop onto Amazon and buy a book to help you learn more about technology but why not head on over to your public library? You’ll save money and you can actually thumb through the book to make sure it will be helpful to you.
Just go for it
There really are so many amazing things about technology that enrich our lives. No need to shy away from it. Get out there and learn about it!!! Use the amazing resources that are out there and become an expert – or at least someone who knows how to go about finding the solution!
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