You’re trying to learn Excel but, so far, it’s outrunning you. How do you begin to understand all the formulas? How and when do you input what? When will you get to the fun stuff?
Numbers, and the terrible addition of formulas, has some of us who are less math conscious running around in circles. We don’t learn the stuff because we can’t get past the numbers. And because everything, or so it seems, is written numerically, we can’t learn the stuff.
But what if things were made simple, almost as easy as eating say, your next Hostess Twinkie?
Here’s some help:
- See yourself working through your first Excel sheet with no difficulty. Keep this in mind as you work through the process of learning.
- Get over the “I can’t do math” thoughts. Think positive.
- Use the tutorials provided by Excel rather than thinking you can learn on your own through trial and error. Tutorials help you maneuver through trial and error. Or get some from your neighbor or best friend. See if they can spend a few hours tutoring you.
- Monitor your progress. Take yourself out for a treat when certain hurdles are reached; eat that Twinkie.
- In every program there are learning cycles in which a new concept, understood, builds upon another. Learn one skill before tackling the more difficult one.
- How do you learn? Knowing if you are a visual, verbal or kinesthetic learner will assist you deciding upon the best option or combination of options.
- Manage your time. Don’t spend the entire day on the computer learning Excel; you will be burned out before you know it.
- If you don’t know something, ask. Remember when you were in elementary school and were afraid to raise your hand because you thought you’d ask a stupid question? No more of that. Ask.
Understanding anything comes easier with practice, so don’t be afraid to practice until you get it right. The fun stuff can actually be experienced NOW, during your journey, if you remember the helps above.
