You can only spend so much time doing the same thing over and over again before the boredom sets in, and there’s no better time than now to learn some new skills.
Learning new skills is one of the best ways to keep your brain in tip-top shape over the years. According to Harvard Medical School, keeping your brain stimulated can result in new brain cell growth, as well as help keep your memory sharp and slow down age-related cognitive decline. Learning new skills is also a great way to reduce stress, boost your mood, and make you more self-confident.
The next time you want to pick up a new skill, here are a handful of ways to go about it.
5 Simple Ways to Learn New Skills
1. Take Online Classes
One of the best ways to learn new skills is to take online classes. Except this time around, it’s not school subjects you’re bored with—it’s information you actually want to know. Intuition has a weekly line-up of virtual expert-led classes. Unlike other classes you may find online, you’ll also be able to interact with the instructor and ask questions. There’s something for everyone, from classes on how to cook, how to use social media, and more.
2. Look to Social Media
Speaking of social media, you can learn so much by simply utilizing your phone or computer. If you’re a visual learner, turn to YouTube, where you can be guided through new skills by an instructor. Or watch tutorials on Instagram or TikTok. You can even learn about certain topics by searching within the hashtags on certain platforms, whether you want to pick up macrame or up your cycling skills.
3. Go Back to Basics
While the internet can teach you an endless amount of new skills, don’t forget about the OG way to pick up new knowledge: reading books. Rent out some books from your local library, buy options online, or download some picks to your e-reader. It’s a great way to learn new information—one that really sticks.
4. Ask an Expert
These days, it’s really easy to find people who are experts in the skills you want to improve upon. Even a quick Google search can lead you to people who love sharing their knowledge with others. You can also find experts on Instagram. If you find someone who has a skill that you’d love to learn more about, send them a message. You might be surprised at how many responses you get.
5. Seek Out In-Person Opportunities
Right now, mostly everything is being done virtually. But you may be able to find experts in your area who you can safely learn from in person. There are pottery studios where you can learn how to work with clay, art studios that teach you the ins and outs of painting techniques, and even small in-person cooking classes that practice social distancing. You’ll not only learn new skills, but also make new friends in the process.
