So, if you’re anything like the rest of the world right now, you’re probably stuck under lock down in your house while we try to solve the coronavirus problem.
Those days can be boring… so much time but nothing to do, right? Wrong! This is the perfect time to sharpen a known skill, or to work on something totally new! Now is the time to get creative and see what you can do when you have the time.
I’ve learned that life will sometimes give you garbage on a platter and tell you to eat up, but you always have the choice to throw it out and choose to cook your own meal. Sure, being stuck at home sucks, but there’s always a way to make lemonade out of lemons!
How To Find What Skills To Work On
One question I get a lot is, how do I know what to work on? Well, I would start by brainstorming all the potential things you might want to do. Start to think back about all those things you said you would do if you had the time – well you’ve got the time now!
Think about anything and everything you enjoy doing, and run some Google searches to see what links up with that.
I like to scroll through Youtube and throw in random ideas in the search bar and see what craziness comes out. Youtube is such a great resource for learning how to do just about anything – it’s all pretty crazy when you really think about it. Technology has advanced so far in such a short period of time!
Here’s a great little video explaining 5 random skills this guy decided to work on while he was under lock and key. The engine sound he created using the Monster can sounded so realistic! These are cool party tricks that you will be able to use for the rest of your life, so while they may seem small now, they add up.
I personally love to bike, hike trails, hack computers and play video games. I’ve had to cut down a bit on the trail hiking as most of my favorite places are closed, but I’ve been gaining computer knowledge every single day!
What About Work Related Skills?
I’ve been using PluralSight to work towards getting my IT certifications and it’s been working great. Think about something you could be improving, such as your knowledge of processes and procedures used at work, or group skills.
There are many other sites you can go to as well with a plethora of helpful things. Skillshare is one example, Udemy is also a good one too. These sites both feature experts at a task who do a video walk-through and show you how to truly kick butt at whatever you like to do.
Another great resource is MIT Open Learning, where you can find free video lectures online from some of the most knowledgeable people in the world on the subject. Technology really blows my mind sometimes – you can get a MIT level education for free, in the comfort of your own home!
They have courses in almost any subject you would be able to major in, so it’s a great way to see if you would like a certain course before you fully commit.
Show Me The Money! Let’s Brush Up On Financial Knowledge
Now, my final recommendation for lock down skills are going to be ones that make you money! What could be better than setting up a passive income stream while you are home, one that will continue to make you money even when you return to work?
For me, this is the dream and I work towards it everyday! Money skills are insanely helpful throughout your entire lives, and I think the video posted below does a great job at highlighting some truly amazing skills that will help to make you more money.
One of the big ones that I like to focus on is speed reading. If you can read more than the average person, you can make more money than the average person. Cut and dry. I believe speed reading would be the first skill I would attempt to master as I can guarantee you will see HUGE results from it throughout your life.
Another great money skill is copy writing – if you have any interest in marketing, sales, or writing you absolutely need to learn copy writing. You can instantly start to earn more money from your products and web pages if you can successfully get people to buy from you.
Finally, if nothing here is floating your boat, I wanted to drop a big list of stuff to learn to get your mind moving!
- Train your cat to use the toilet
- Learn new yoga skills
- Discover Qigong
- How to fix a faulty toilet
- Multitude of Ted Talks
- Improve your memory
- Build your own birdhouse
- How to moonwalk / pop and lock
- Clean your headphones
- Improve posture
- Job interview skills
Drop a comment below and tell me what you really want to or have been learning during this quarantine time.