Covid -19 has impacted everyone around the globe- people as well as organisations. After nearly three months, lockdown is easing and people are getting on to the things that were ‘normal’ for them once upon a time. However getting back to pre-covid state of affairs will take a while. Professionals are still balancing going to office and remote working, students have only a couple of classes that are held online on virtual platforms. This implies that people still have the time that can be used constructively. It is a fact that employees have remained home for over three months, are facing salary cuts, a few are on leave without pay and some have lost their jobs; adding to the anxiety. Countries, States, Organisations and Communities all need to adapt to the ‘New Normal’ and we as individuals need to make it part of our lives. By choosing to teach yourself a new skill not only your time is utilised well, but you could also significantly benefit your life and career as well.

The pandemic continues to impact most of the sectors, travel and tourism and education being some of the most affected ones. Students across the world are losing valuable time in their education due to the imposed lockdown. But there are numerous online learning opportunities which they can access from their homes. Making good use this period where one isn’t going to office or college every day; for skill enhancement. There are many learning resources available for people can choose what suits them. In fact all can skill-up during lockdown, here are a few ideas that can get you started.

Join Webinars

Many interesting webinars are being organised that can help you enhance your knowledge and know the latest from the experts. Most of them are free, it is a great way to spend time  while learning.

Online Courses and  Certifications

There is always a subject that we have been interested in but didn’t get to learn much about it. You can choose the relevant course and enrol in it. This is a great way to spend your time and upskilling yourself. These are valued on the professional front too; they are important for self-motivation and growth.

Develop A New Hobby

While learning a hobby may not necessarily count as a life skill per se, having our own interests is what makes us as humans unique. It’s also been shown that learning a hobby helps keep our mental health in check, which has a drastic impact on our life choices and our ability to maintain social contacts. You could also learn something creative such as playing a musical instrument or becoming an artist, or exercise focused such as yoga or indoor workouts. Pick your favourite and strive to improve yourselves at it. You never know, it could go on to shape your life and career once the pandemic is over.

Learn A New Language

Learning a new language is something many of us wish we could do, but never get around to actually doing so; now this can be looked at.  Whichever language you choose – whether it be German, French, Japanese or Mandarin; it could make a big difference to your life once we finally get through this pandemic. You’ll make yourself more employable with the new language skill.

Get Hold Of Your Finances

This is good time to learn more about finances and managing yours well. While the thought of learning about finances may fill you with dread, keeping on top of your money effectively could make a huge difference to your life. It’s important to learn to manage our finances well as there may be a deduction in income and the cost of things going upwards.

Learn The Basics Of First Aid

We are all indoors due to a health scare we understand the importance of being aware.  Knowing how to administer first aid can actually be separate life and death. While contact courses from accredited trainers provide you with a more detailed level of knowledge, there are a number of ways to learn how to administer first aid at home;  whether it be for a sports-related injury, post-operative pain, a cut, burn, or sprain. These are important life skills to learn.

Enhance Cooking Skills

This is a good time to learn the finer nuances of cooking. Learning tricks to cook food with zero wastage or using leftovers to create something delicious and innovative is a great idea.  One can also  test his or her skills by cooking recipes and ingredients never tried before. No matter what we do and where we live food is an integral part of our lives and it can bring happiness apart from giving us energy and well being.

Take Up Gardening

Gardening can not only be a highly therapeutic way of passing the time, but it can also feel incredibly rewarding when enjoying the fruits of your labour literally. Kitchen garden can get occasional harvest of vegetables such as tomatoes, chillies, curry leaves etc. Growing your own beautiful flowers and plants can also be equally rewarding, bringing beauty and aesthetics into your homes. Plants have a calming effect on us and this is a good time to develop your green fingers.

Upcycle Your Clothing

Open your wardrobe and check the clothes you haven’t worn in ages or the ones that need mending or alterations. Do it now and add some spice to your wardrobe. At the same time learning how to sew, knit or crochet could be a useful way to spend your time during the well.

Learn Photography

It is an art form that has been there since time immemorial be it the black and white era or the coloured photography that needed you to go to a studio to get your curated pictures developed. Now is the time of very advanced digital cameras that help create aesthetic photographs. Some mobile phones come with excellent cameras that can be utilised. It’s a great skill that will always add fun in your creations.

Create A Blog

If you are a person who likes to maintain a diary and log important events in any form, you could utilise this time to create a blog and update it with things that you are passionate about. Who knows you’ll end up becoming a celebrated and sought after blogger.

Times that are good or testing, will come and go but we as humans need to keep going, being mindful, living in the present and doing the very best that we can. We have no control on situations but we can have an enhanced mechanism to deal with them and emerge as the best versions of ourselves. We have good coping mechanisms so why not use them to upskill ourselves? This lockdown can help you test waters on many fronts and emerge a much focussed individual.

PS: Image is taken from google with due credits