Learning new skills is fun and exciting, but it can also be incredibly challenging and daunting. Most people don’t enjoy being bad at something and failing over and over again. And yet, you’ll have a tough time learning anything new if you don’t see your mistakes as opportunities for growth, instead of as failure. Meanwhile, some skills are actually fairly easy to learn and can have a massive impact on your life.
Some helpful internet users spilled the tea about what they see as top-tier, life-changing skills that you can learn in just a few short weeks. Keep scrolling to read their suggestions. We know what we’ll be focusing on in the new year. What about you?
#21
Kicking the doomscrolling habit…!
A few months ago I deleted all those doomscrolling social media apps (I’m lucky I don’t get the urge to doomscroll on Reddit) after a long period of setting screen time limits, ignoring my screen time limits, setting them harsher etc. Just delete it!
I suddenly have heaps more time in my life to do the things I really want to do— and importantly, the motivation to do them!!! It’s really positively impacted my critical thinking skills, my impulse control, my productivity etc.
Yeah, I’m no longer up to date with the ‘trend of the day’ but the ability to form my own opinions about things has been very refreshing.
A few months ago I deleted all those doomscrolling social media apps (I’m lucky I don’t get the urge to doomscroll on Reddit) after a long period of setting screen time limits, ignoring my screen time limits, setting them harsher etc. Just delete it!
I suddenly have heaps more time in my life to do the things I really want to do— and importantly, the motivation to do them!!! It’s really positively impacted my critical thinking skills, my impulse control, my productivity etc.
Yeah, I’m no longer up to date with the ‘trend of the day’ but the ability to form my own opinions about things has been very refreshing.
Report
10points
#22
Yoga. Since learning yoga, I've fallen in love with exercise, and it's changed my habit of procrastinating on exercise. I feel a great sense of accomplishment every time I master a new yoga pose. And consistent exercise has definitely made my body better; I no longer get out of breath after climbing just a few flights of stairs like before.
9points
#23
You could get an amateur (ham) radio license in a few weeks of study and be able to communicate with people all around the world. Not to mention become more capable of surviving major disruptive situations and crises. In major emergencies access to communication is everything.
Report
9points
#24
Learning to mind your business is very rewarding. You may think I’m joking but I’m telling you when you mind your business half the stress goes away.
9points
#26
How to can and properly freeze fresh food, some degree of butchery. How to garden a multitude of vegetables. Bake bread. Some degree of auto mechanics as well. How to read topographic maps and properly use a compass.
Report
8points
#28
Basic DIY. Being able to fix small issues around the house/car/etc can save you a lot of money, stress, and time, and help you create a space you are genuinely happy with. Start with some basic tools, add to them as you tackle new projects. Also helps you maintain your property so you spend less money on replacements.
Report
8points
#29
Going to sleep early and getting a solid 7-8hrs of uninterrupted sleep, try that for 2-4 weeks.
Report
8points
#30
Learning to fold. People think they're achievers if they go all-in. But sometimes you have to call a loss a loss and not go down the drain of sunken cost fallacy. The quicker you get out of a dead end, the better. The best poker players aren't the ones that go all-in in a heads up because they have a full house - the best poker players are the ones that can fold with a full house on hand because they know they're gonna lose to a better hand.
Report
8points
#31
Practicing mindfulness. It lets go of negative feelings, thoughts, and you start to enjoy and better understand things.
Report
8points
#32
Critical thinking. Helps you make better decisions and avoid potentially bad mistakes. And helps with a lot of other things that make up everyday life that might seem small at first and on their own, but over time become larger and more consequential. Critical thinking makes you instantly smarter in almost all things that matter, without needing to become an expert in all those things.
Report
8points
#33
Take an inexpensive, short course related to your career. A little certificate can go a long way especially since most of your colleagues aren't getting them. Do a couple a year and when you're searching for a new job or trying for a promotion, you'll have a lot to show.
7points
#34
How to fingerspell and some basic signs in your local sign language.
Get the basics of sign language and you can learn new signs as you need them - it will make a big difference in your ability to communicate when you’re older.
Hearing loss is a strong cause of cognitive decline and dementia because you lose your ability to socialise. Hearing aids are a long way from perfect.
Get the basics of sign language and you can learn new signs as you need them - it will make a big difference in your ability to communicate when you’re older.
Hearing loss is a strong cause of cognitive decline and dementia because you lose your ability to socialise. Hearing aids are a long way from perfect.
Report
7points
#35
Gratitude. Take 1-3min every day before you go to bed and write down/say to yourself 3 things you are grateful for in your life or that happened today.
Report
7points
#36
Assertiveness skills. Too many people are either doormats or bullies when proper assertiveness lives somewhere in the middle. You learn how to be confident and how to advocate for yourself respectfully, and how to communicate all of that without leaving anyone feeling stressed or not heard.
Report
7points
#38
Learning to drive a manual car. To be fair it's only Americans who make a huge deal out of it as the rest of the world just does it without much thought but it really opens up a lot of job opportunities and people don't realize that. A lot of jobs that are not delivery driving may still require a lot of driving and being able to drive any car makes you much more useful than someone who can't.
Report
7points
#39
Dancing.
When you learn how to dance, you essentially become much more in-tune with your body and relearn how to simply move.
I remember how when I learned as a teen all of a sudden I started to realize how I was being inefficient with little movements and completely changed them so that I was wasting less energy and getting more out of each movement I made.
When you learn how to dance, you essentially become much more in-tune with your body and relearn how to simply move.
I remember how when I learned as a teen all of a sudden I started to realize how I was being inefficient with little movements and completely changed them so that I was wasting less energy and getting more out of each movement I made.
Report
7points
#40
Maybe not drastically change your life, but anyone can learn to type properly in just a few weeks.
El-Snarko-Saurus:
I know most people picture 1950s secretaries taking typing classes and tests as most of the jobs they could get involved that one skill. But I took a computer class in high school where one or two weeks was dedicated to typing/ten key and I work in a highly scientific field now where I watch senior scientists peck at the keyboard to write up their papers and emails and it takes them FOREVER! I guess once AI takes over it won’t be as necessary but I can say that my last 20 years have been greatly efficient!
El-Snarko-Saurus:
I know most people picture 1950s secretaries taking typing classes and tests as most of the jobs they could get involved that one skill. But I took a computer class in high school where one or two weeks was dedicated to typing/ten key and I work in a highly scientific field now where I watch senior scientists peck at the keyboard to write up their papers and emails and it takes them FOREVER! I guess once AI takes over it won’t be as necessary but I can say that my last 20 years have been greatly efficient!
6points