Reading is the best way to accidentally learn new information. When attempting to navigate through the rigors of school and work, we often associate learning as something boring, or requiring intensive thought. The truth is that people can, and do learn all of the time, even if our minds aren’t fully active. One of the best ways to passively learn is to sleep with the T.V. on. No, that’s not true, just kidding around to make sure you’re paying attention you passive minder. Really the best way to get our minds into sponge mode is to read. Reading allows our brains to reconcile new information with facts, and information we’ve already digested. By engaging in this process our minds are always maturing.

Newspapers offer us the opportunity to passively learn. We can read something in the newspaper for curiosity, and then become inadvertently more intelligent for it. Newspapers are also effective because they are written in short spurts of information, similar to the concept of the 2 oz shot of whisky. The 2 oz shot of whisky contains the same amount of alcohol as a 12 oz beer. Newspapers allow us to get substantial information with less filler, like the whisky shot is to a mug of beer.

The ebook is another mode of reading that offers a shot style solution to learning. The ebook typically has a working table of contents that will allow you to scroll through the document at will. Some ebooks allow you to click the chapter, and they will whisk you right to it. Is this easier then turning the pages, absolutely it is easier. Both literally, it’s easier to scroll then turn pages, but also it’s easier to find your place on a computer than a paperback. Once you become rehearsed in using ebooks you won’t want to go back to paper.

Finally for those that can’t even find time for a newspaper, or ebook, try executive book summaries. The executive book summaries are like Cliffs Notes for adults. You want to talk about passive learning, read a five page book summery and retain 300 pages of information from it, now that beats sleeping with the T.V. on at night.