Have you ever been around one of those people who just seem to know something about everything? Like you get a flat tire, and they know how to change it? Or you are in a tough situation, and they know exactly what to do to make you feel better? These are some examples of skills that can take you a long way in life, regardless of what you do.
From basic survival skills to personal, practical, and professional ones, these are a combination of life skills, will give you a greater sense of accomplishment and independence, and make your life a little easier.
First Aid
Although it’s not necessarily something that you’ll need every day, basic first aid is possibly the most important survival skill to have. It can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency or an unexpected situation.
Essential first aid skills such as CPR wound cleaning and dressing, and the Heimlich maneuver is comprised of relatively simple techniques that can be performed with basic or no equipment.
Acquiring first aid skills is vital for life sustenance. It enables you to provide help to an injured or ill person until professional medical assistance arrives. Consider enrolling for a first aid training course.
Occupational Health and Safety
Other vital skills that can potentially save lives are occupational health and safety (OHS) skills. Having essential OHS training is crucial for the workers’ health, safety, and well-being as it can greatly reduce the risk of occupational hazards and better equip them to act appropriately in case of a workplace accident.
The importance of workplace safety regulations is globally acknowledged. Necessary OHS training is ordered by law in some countries such as Australia where companies are required to provide their employees with the needed training. In Australia, you can find OHS courses in Brisbane, Perth, Sydney and all over the country, both online and face-to-face for all areas concerning work safety, including evaluation and risk control. These kinds, of course, go a long way in giving you the skill sets that will certainly prove to be useful.
Cooking
Preparing your own food can be rewarding, economical, and healthier than eating every meal out somewhere. It’s a valuable skill that makes you more self-sufficient and self-reliant, granting you a greater level of independence.
When your choices are a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at home or a chicken parmesan somewhere else, the latter is always going to win. The more incompetent you are in the kitchen, the more likely it is for you to be tempted to eat out or order in, which can be very costly. When you learn to cook your own meals, eating at home will become more appealing.
Frequently eating out doesn’t only drain your wallet, it also affects your waistline. Restaurant meals are often packed with unhealthy ingredients, fat, and calories. Cooking allows you to create healthier and more nutritious meals that can still taste great. Not only is cooking physically better for you, but it can also be psychologically rewarding, fun, and even therapeutic.
Changing A Flat Tire
If you drive a car frequently, chances are, you’re going to end up with at least one flat tire in your lifetime. Most vehicles include a spare tire in the trunk or mounted to the back for that reason. Instead of waiting for someone to help, knowing how to swap out a flat for a spare one can save you a lot of time. Imagine how handy this will be if you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere!
Sewing
Who hasn’t had a button go loose at least once before? Sewing is an extremely useful skill for both men and women. It enables you to modify, repair, or even create clothing. This is an especially valuable skill to master if you need to patch up something you’re wearing on a long trip or work event.
In addition to being a handy skill, sewing can also be a great hobby. It can be a great tool that enables you to dress in exactly the kind of style you want while saving money. Store-bought clothing isn’t always affordable and doesn’t always fit right. Sewing can save you the hassle of finding clothes that you like and save you money that you would usually spend on alterations.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking can have a significant impact on your decision making and problem-solving abilities. It improves your capacity to identify complex problems, analyze related information, and see the bigger picture, enabling you to assess your options, and develop and implement solutions. The ability to use critical thinking in different aspects of your life and rationalize your decisions will set you apart.
Having the ability to think analytically and objectively is easier said than done. It’s a very hard skill to acquire but if you put more effort and take a little extra time to pay attention to your surrounding environment, you can make better decisions both professionally and personally. This is one of those skills that will make you more capable of mastering various other skills.
Communication Skills
Starting from your initial interaction, communication skills (listening, reading and writing) are perhaps among the first set of skills that potential employers will notice. Be it the way you type your CV, or communicate via email, the way you talk over the phone, or the way you present yourself during the interview, possible employers will be observing and assessing your competence and compatibility based on your communication skills.
Luckily, with enough commitment and dedication, improving your communication skills isn’t hard to do. Pay attention to details; make sure that you proofread any form of written communication before you send it, take your time to listen to what they’re saying, and answer any questions using well-thought-out and appropriate phrasing.
The way you communicate is a direct reflection of who you are not only professionally, but also personally. Be mindful of the way you communicate your thoughts because it tells the world what to expect from you.
Professional Skills
There are a few skills that come in handy in virtually every job, regardless of what you do. If you take the time to learn these skills, you’ll greatly boost your career.
The Microsoft Office software set is essential for almost all careers in different fields. Whether it’s using Excel to create spreadsheets and organize tasks, activities, and even personal data, or PowerPoint to create eye-catching professional presentations, Microsoft has a lot of useful applications and software to offer.
Another important professional skill to have is project management. A project can sink or swim depending on the team leader’s or employer’s project management skills. Learning how to coordinate with colleagues, effectively assign tasks, and supervise as well as motivate your coworkers are some of the basics of project management. Acquiring these skills will get you a long way and make you more productive.
Whether you want to be more self-reliant, save time, spend less, be more professional, or even possibly save a life, these skill sets will be beneficial for you in all aspects of your life. Stay eager to learn and improve yourself, and remember that so long as you walk this Earth, there’s always something to be learned.
