As the COVID-19 lockdown continues, many of us find ourselves with more free time than usual. Why not learn during lockdown in this blog we have outlined some ideas for how to expand your learning and potentially revamp your career post lockdown.
What are you looking to achieve?
First, take a look at your aims, what are you looking to achieve during this time? There’s never a bad time to learn something new, but having a goal in mind before you start can help you on your journey. Here are some popular learning outcomes to help you choose a goal.
Boost your employability
Although the world of work seems a little chaotic for many of us right now, things won’t always be so up in the air. When you’re considering what to learn during lockdown, you may want to improve your professional skills, ready for when the world reopens.
With new technologies and processes being created at a fast pace, closing the skills gap can give you a significant advantage in your career. Whether you’re learning a totally new skill or improving on an existing one, it’s the kind of thing that can make you stand out from the crowd.
You don’t have to delve deep when you first start on your learning adventure. By taking an introductory course or studying the basics of a new subject, you can get a feel of whether it’s the right fit.
There are all kinds of hard and soft skills that you can start learning about. Even a small amount of study can support your existing knowledge and broaden your horizons. From there, you can think about the types of areas that will be most beneficial or interesting to you.
Build better relationships
If you’re not quite sure what to learn during lockdown, it’s worth giving some thought to improving your relationships. Emotional intelligence is an invaluable skill that can positively impact all areas of your life. Similarly, improving your communication skills can help in your personal and professional relationships.
Taking the time to work on your own wellbeing can bring significant improvements to your everyday interactions with the important people in your life. At this time of uncertainty, it could be just the thing you need.
The most in-demand skills
Let’s start with professional development. Whether you’re working from home, furloughed, or waiting for the job market to start moving again, now is a good time to boost your CV. There are both hard skills and soft skills you can work on, both of which can bring benefits to your career.
As we take a look at some of the learning opportunities available, remember that many of the courses we’ve outlined provide certification upon completion. Such an acknowledgement of your studies can strengthen your CV and show your dedication to continued learning.
Learning to build better relationships
During the lockdown, we can all appreciate how important relationships are in our life. Although it can be difficult not seeing the people you care about, working on your relationship skills can yield many benefits.
- Communication- The ability to effectively communicate with our friends, relatives, co-workers, and other people in our lives is often underappreciated. Yet it’s what brings us together and lets us understand each other. With courses available such as this one on intercultural communications, you can learn why communication is so valuable, and how you can improve your own skills.
- Wellbeing- Taking care of your physical and emotional wellbeing is always a positive move. In terms of your relationships with others, it can help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, understand others’ thoughts and feelings, and boost your mental health.
- Mindfulness- This is a topic that’s closely linked to wellbeing. Mindfulness is the act of being present in the moment and connecting with your feelings. Activities such as practising mindfulness can help you feel calmer and more appreciative about the important people in your life.
- Management and leadership- The people we work with are often some of those we spend the most time with. It’s therefore worth the time investing in building relationships with them. Not only can learning about management and leadership help with that process, but it can also improve your career prospects overall.
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