What are the most useful skills to learn while social distancing?

All this time alone can be frustrating. But let's not forget that Shakespeare allegedly wrote his masterpiece 'King Lear' while in quarantine from the Bubonic Plague. As the titular character in that great play states “Nothing can come of nothing.” Don't despair - use this time to learn valuable skills, so when you do emerge from this pandemic period, you do so stronger, wiser and ready to take on the new world.

Language skills

An irony of the coronavirus is that as individuals are increasingly isolated, the world becomes more united. Learning a new language is the perfect way to sustain our global community long after the coronavirus has disappeared.

Get a basic working knowledge of a foreign language

When else will a person have so much free time to dedicate to language learning? When lockdowns are lifted and people reenter the job market, knowledge of a foreign language will be a desirable skill which may improve employability.

Writing skills

Sharing your experiences with the world is more vital now than ever before.

Start a blog

Keep a digital record of your day-to-day that will inform generations about the corona pandemic. Blogs will one day provide a window into the locked down households of the past .

Write a short story

The pandemic feels lifted from a science fiction. When reality is stranger than fantasy, the opportunities for imaginative storytelling are endless.

Create a Parlia map

Want to write, but want to stick to the facts? Have knowledge you'd like to share with the world? Make your mark on the world's first encyclopedia of opinion.

Revitalise your correspondences

Whether love letters or stoic words to encourage the self-isolating, make your words count and put them to paper.

Mood and mental health skills

The world might be a mess, but you don't have to be. Learning how to remain calm in the age of uncertainty is needed now more than ever.

Practice mindfulness

Know what it is to let go and live, calmly, in the moment.

Meditate

Why has meditation has sustained since ancient times? Because it works.

Domestic skills

You're going to be spending a lot of time at home, so optimise the experience.

Master the soufflé

Upgrade your kitchen skills from cereal to cordon bleu and master the art of the soufflé while stuck inside.

Be a good neighbour

Look out for those that live beside you and might not be able to go outside.

Spring clean

Cleanliness is Godliness, right? Either way, it's good for peace of mind.

Digital skills

Thanks to the internet, even when alone, the world is at your fingertips.

Learn to code

These days, every industry needs coders. You might not know what the job market will look like when normal life resumes, but you can ensure you're a valuable asset once it does.

Become an influencer

With so much time on your hands, why not work on your personal brand?
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This page was last edited on Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 15:27 UTC