10 ways to stay on top of IT trends

— Today, keeping up with technology trends is as much a necessity as breathing. Since technology developments come and go very quickly, keeping up with them is a definite challenge. But there are a few simple life hacks that will help everyone keep their finger on the pulse.

1. Set time aside

New software, a fancy developer tool, a modern framework, or a fresh operating system — no matter what you need to learn, take the time to figure it out. This will help you stay up to date with what is happening in your area of ​​interest right now.

It's very easy to get caught up in your daily routine and not take the time to find out what's going to happen next. You need to make your life a little bit more difficult, because being current on your key topic is critically important. It's helpful to set aside time on your calendar to learn in any way that suits you, whether it's reading an article, attending an event, or doing a practice session.

2. Explore curated information from social media and news feeds

Creating a list of your favorite channels on Telegram, Twitter, Facebook, Discord, and other places where people of interest meet will help you dive into the exciting world of new technology trends and stay one step ahead.

3. Check news aggregation sites

There are a number of great news sites out there that keep up with all the developments in the tech world. Techmeme, for example, aggregates the top stories, sparing you from the task of searching and switching between sites to consume the day’s information. Curation sites like Techmeme and Reddit help you get everything you want in one place.

4. Join corporate trainings

If the company you work for offers training in your field or a related field, do not miss this opportunity.

5. Find innovators in your space and follow them

Follow blogs or other social networks. If you're not sure where to start, ask your mentors or others in your field who they follow.

6. Attend tech conferences and trade shows

Industry events can often be the best source of insights and education for tech pros, whether the event is linked to a vendor, or focused on technology themes. Increasingly, smaller, informal meet-ups are also a great way to stay connected with your community of peers and glean new tech skills. Conferences are also a great opportunity to network with peers, have questions answered, and find out how other people are solving problems that you are experiencing.

If you do not have the resources to attend in person, you can often join online or listen to recorded presentations from home. You can speed through sections that are less interesting and focus on what is relevant to you.

7. Tap your network

Talk to friends and colleagues about what they are working on and ask a lot of questions about what they've learned. Refer to a group of people in your network who are brilliant in various specialties for guidance in their particular area of expertise.

8. Read

It may sound simple, but reading technology news and blogs every day is one of the best ways to keep up to date on the latest trends and necessary skills. Ask people you admire professionally what books, blogs, or publications they read, and start with those.

9. Hold internal peer reviews

Sharing approaches with your teammates is a great way to stay ahead. Internal peer reviews — via code reviews or performance reviews — can be a great way to understand where you stand in terms of technical depth/quality.

10. Share information

Perhaps you want to become an expert who will broadcast the latest IT trends to the team. This will help keep you and your work environment up to date. To do this, you can create a chat or channel in Telegram / MS Teams, and also hold regular meetings to share knowledge.

Any other tips for keeping up with technology trends?