5 Top Life Skills Unlocked During Lockdown

Has your friend Karen posted another photo of her latest kitchen confection on Facebook? Does Uncle Mark keep bragging about the number of likes and comments he got from the latest video he uploaded on YouTube? Well, they’ve likely unlocked a new life skill during the lockdown and are proud to share their achievements with you.

With the social distancing measures and coronavirus lockdowns still ongoing in some places across the country, many people are bored and entertaining themselves by learning new skills. What’s great is that aside from keeping themselves out of boredom, these newfound learnings become life skills that can make them more competent and confident in dealing with the demands and challenges of everyday life.

Five of the most popular life skills that are unlocked during the pandemic-instigated lockdowns include:

1. Cooking, Baking, and Beverage Making

Nowadays, it’s common to scroll through photos of various dishes, pastries, handcrafted beers and other beverages on your social media newsfeed. Many of these images are not even ads but are posted by the people you are connected with. While some really look scrumptiously inviting, others are, well, not that appetising to look at. Added with hashtags like #cookingismything or #newchefontheblock, it can get annoying sometimes.

Take these posts with a light heart, though. More than just bragging, your friends are proud of their kitchen creations.

With so much free time at home, many people have decided to get creative in the kitchen and harness their skills in cooking, baking, and making handcrafted beverages.

Culinary prowess can do wonders. It not only helps people impress their romantic partner, in-laws, or friends; It can also become a million-dollar business. A lot of successful entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry started their careers by learning basic kitchen skills before developing their signature culinary style.

2. Arts and Craft

People with an interest in arts have more time doing lots of home decorations and crafts. And with so many arts and crafts to explore around the house, there’s always something for everyone to learn.

Artists who love to draw and paint can find many creative ideas and learn new techniques on YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms. The same goes out for those who love to create DIY decor ideas or design and sew clothes.

Various websites also provide a broad variety of free resources on arts for children and their parents, including the use of Photoshop and other image manipulation software applications.

Meanwhile, many professional artists are sharing their talent online. Milan-based artist Domenico Formichetti, for instance, has been teaching different ways to personalise sneakers and clothes on his Instagram account.

Arts and crafts can also become a lucrative business. Aside from selling artsy creations or working freelance for an organisation, artists can also hold online art classes for a fee.

3. Gardening

Restricted in their social activities, many people have resorted to backyard gardening to pass time and be one with nature. With various websites and video channels to inspire and guide newbies, getting into the hobby has never been easier.

What’s interesting about this life skill is that it always starts with simple planting and growing of a plant or two before developing in a time-consuming hobby.

And while everybody can plant a flower, vegetable or tree, it takes patience and some zen to nurture the plant and let it bloom. In other words, everyone can learn gardening but it’s not for everyone.

Aside from its therapeutic benefits, gardening can also transform the home’s interior and garden. The flowers and shrubs that surround the property and well as the potted plants inside the house all provide a touch of class and beauty to the abode.

Moreover, gardening can keep people healthy and help them save money. Homegrown vegetables are less exposed to chemicals and can be consumed by the whole family, providing nutrition without costing money.

Gardening can also become a lucrative business. People who have a big yard or farmland can grow plants for commercial purposes. They can also develop their farms into a garden resort, earning income not just from the plants but also from the tourists who visit the place.

4. Vlogging

The popularity of blogging has now been replaced with vlogging (video blogging), thanks to many young personalities who are contributing to the trend. Both blogging and vlogging promote creativity and self-expression, but while blogging mainly develops writing skills, vlogging focuses on public presentation. The more people speak in public through a camera, the more confident and camera-ready they become.

Unlike blogging, vloggers do not spend a lot of time organising their thoughts before publishing them online. Arm with confidence (and some cosmetic preparations), they turn the camera on, record their everyday life, and upload the film on YouTube and other video sharing sites. Many try to be unique in their content by focusing on one theme, like food, shopping, fashion, comedy, pranks, health, and almost anything under the sun.

Some vloggers are widely lauded while others get bashed. But the more views and engagements they get from their vlogs, the more popular they become. Even better, they get compensated by YouTube as more ads appear in their videos.

5. Digital Marketing

Professionals and students who want to develop their skills in content writing, placement of ads on Google, Facebook and other social media channels; graphic design and video editing, SEO, and other digital marketing functions have utilised free online resources on various websites. Some have also taken online courses that provide in-depth learning of digital marketing and earned certificates after completion of the course.

Considering that the world is going digital, being knowledgeable in various aspects of digital marketing provides a professional edge, especially in the corporate world.

The lockdowns and limitations of physical contact have also highlighted the importance of digital marketing to promote products and services. Businesses are now looking for people who can contribute to the company’s growth even while in the comfort of their homes—Digital marketers have no problem with that.

These are just five of the many life skills that people have unlocked during the lockdown. No matter what skill people want to learn, the most important thing is that it can provide them with entertainment and comfort, as well as boost their confidence and self-sustenance.