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HOW YOU CAN LEARN TO BE TECH SAVVY OVER 50

If you’re over 50 there’s a good chance that you aren’t as tech savvy as you’d like to be. If you are, then first of all, good for you! And secondly, you are in the minority. 

The thing is, we are all resistant to change. We can become overwhelmed and frustrated when we are trying to figure out something outside of what we are comfortable with. The best news is that growth often comes in this seemingly inconvenient package. Discomfort, anxiety. It’s biology’s way of keeping us safe and comfortable. 

When experiencing these stressful emotions, it’s easy to throw in the towel. After all, you’ve gotten along for the last 50+ years without it, right? What is so great about it? Well, the answer to that is a lot. 

In the first part of this post, I will go over why you should push through and overcome your fear. You’ll see what you could be missing out on. Then, once you’re convinced that you have more to learn, then I’ll show you easy ways to increase your tech savvy over 50.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE TECH SAVVY OVER 50

I like to stop and smell the roses. I like to look on the bright side of things. To me, the glass is half full. But when it comes to technology, I can be resistant. Perhaps it is because of my positive nature. Do I need another source of news in my face 24/7 telling me the world is going to end? Do I want to be one of those people walking around with their eyes glued to a screen, all the while missing the beautiful world around them?

The answer to those two questions is clearly no. However, there are wonderful things that you can miss out on if you are resistant to being technologically savvy.  

Technology is created and perfected to make our lives easier. It can help us with complicated math problems. It can get a letter to a friend immediately, instead of days later. The point is, if you give it a chance, it will improve your life.

Once I decided to start a blog, I knew I had to push through my fear of the unknown and forge ahead. Was it scary? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Yes, yes, and yes. But you know what, even though I’m now on a first-name basis with my computer, laptop, and iPhone, there is always more to learn. Just do your best and take it step-by-step. Read here if you want to know more about my love for my computer and how she helps me communicate and stay connected! 

WONDERFUL THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH TECHNOLOGY AFTER 50

• Virtual meetups with friends: Don’t let distance keep you from connecting, you can still meet up! Although you aren’t together, you can have a video catch-up over morning coffee or even a virtual cocktail hour! 
• Virtual clubs: Have you been missing a sense of community? I guarantee you there is a virtual club with meetups, no matter what your hobbies are. 

• Look at and share pictures
• Shop!
• Learn something new! Here are just a couple of examples of sites that offer thousands of inspiring courses:
  • Skillshare
  • Masterclass

While those are just a few examples, the reasons for upping your tech savvy over 50 are many. Next, I will show you just how to do that.

SETTING GOALS TO UP YOUR TECH SAVVY OVER 50

Darlings, achieving goals is like climbing a set of stairs. You will never reach it to the top if you don’t take the first step.  The journey to becoming tech-savvy is like all other goals. Truly, you must take the steps to achieve success. Here are a list of essential goals for learning technology after 50.

Start Online Banking

Familiarize yourself with online banking services to manage your finances conveniently and securely. Learn to navigate banking apps, transfer funds, pay bills online, and gain confidence in managing your money digitally. First, go to your local bank and ask for assistance in learning the tools that are offered and how to integrate them with your computer or phone.

Embrace E-Readers

Consider adopting digital reading by using e-readers. If you get a dedicated e-reader, the screen looks just like paper. Explore the convenience of carrying a library with you, adjusting text sizes, and accessing a wide range of books and publications online. The Amazon Kindle is an affordable way to switch to digital books.

Join Facebook

My audience of 125,000 on Facebook is primarily women of our generation.  You will be excited to find high school friends, cousins, and your close family members on Facebook. Once you set up your account, come join my private group Celebrate Life After 50, we congregate there to connect and learn from one another.

Join Instagram

If you want to keep track of your grandkids, you’ll find them on Instagram! I find joy in seeing my Grands post about their lives and adventures. There are many women over 50 who I follow on Instagram who inspire me. I am on Instagram too, once you accomplish the goal of joining, come follow along. 

Learn to Use Zoom

During the Covid-age it became so popular to use video to accomplish work, or to see the smiling faces of our family members. Unsurprisingly, this trend has stuck around and it has become a vital skill for women over 50 to learn. You can use Zoom on your phone or a computer. Here is a great video for you to watch as your first step towards accomplishing this tech goal. Zoom makes me smile. Here’s why: I get to regularly see and speak with my 12 cousins that are scattered across America. What a privilege!

Dear readers, getting started on a new goal like these can often feel like a maze. It can help to know why you want to set these goals to be tech savvy after 50. Then, you must define the steps you’ll have to take.

Attaining our aspirations isn’t always a walk in the park; occasionally, it entails a bit of a climb. However, this uphill journey is where the magic happens – it’s the effort we invest that yields results.

Achieving goals is important to me! For that reason, I’ve crafted a beautiful, easy-to-follow workbook designed to guide you through each stage of goal setting, and I will send it to you for free!

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

First of all, no matter what route you decide to go to increase your tech savvy, you will need to practice. Let go of the fear that you will mess things up. Chances are, no matter what you do, if you happen to change a setting or “mess something up,” it can be fixed. Go forth and practice. 

Most of us, particularly for technology, are hands-on learners. No matter if you take a course, read a booklet, or watch a video you must follow along. Imagine if you decided you wanted to learn to play piano and you never touched the keys. You wouldn’t get very far! To learn new things, eventually you must take action.

Instead of watching or reading what you should be doing, do it. Try it. Touch the button. Click the link. This is the only way. And like with anything else, the more you do it, the better you will become. The easier it will be. You will be more relaxed with increased success. 

Above all, take it easy and be gentle with yourself. You don’t need to learn it all at once. Master one skill and build on that.

LEARN TO BE TECH SAVVY ONLINE

This may seem to be a bit ironic, but chances are very great, that if you are reading this article, you can perform basic functions on the internet. Essentially, if you can click on an email or website, you can access classes that will help you do more.

Goodwill offers free tutorials on everything from Microsoft Excel to building your own website! This website goes beyond technology skills. Additionally, they teach other skills that you may just want to brush up on, such as math. Check out what they offer here. 

Another great free resource for learning technology after 50 is TechBoomers.com. Tech Boomers has over 100 courses, which teach you anything from an Amazon course teaching you how to set up your account and buy something, to setting up your Facebook account. 

LOCAL RESOURCES TO REACH YOUR TECH GOALS

If you’re looking to up your tech savvy over 50, but prefer to learn in person, the first place you should go is your local library. It’s likely that they have resources in place. If they don’t offer courses or similar, they will certainly be able to point you in the right direction. 

Other local places to try:

• Senior Center
• Local College or University

To sum it up, although technology can seem like an intimidating, foreign language, it’s worth learning. Even if you only learn one skill, you’ll be empowered and all the happier for it. Knowledge is power. Follow these tips, and I have all the faith in you, dear reader, that you will learn what you need to be tech savvy over 50.

What is one thing in technology that you’re grateful for? Please tell me in the comments!