The world is in the middle of a global crisis. Of course, there is chaos and confusion all around us, due to the pandemic. But, we human beings are pretty resilient. And, at this point in time, if there is anything you can be sure about, it is this: we will pull through this together. This too shall pass!
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to stop dead on our tracks, and take a good, hard look at our priorities and lifestyle choices. It has re-connected us with to all that is important, like self-care, good health, and spending time with family. And, most importantly, it has given us the precious gift of time. Have you considered using this time to learn a new professional skill? If you have, then this guide will help you to choose and pursue a professional skill that’s best for you.
Here are 8 tips that you should follow, if want to learn a new professional skill during the lockdown.
- Get The Why In Place: Before you start learning a new skill, make a list of all the reasons why you want to acquire a particular skill. Will it help you to be more productive at work? Will it make you eligible for a raise or a promotion, and is that your primary motivation? Will it be useful in the new world that will come into existence after the pandemic? Once you are done with the why list, move to the what. What are options available to you under the current situation? Make a list of that too.
- Come Up With A Timeline: Once you have decided which professional skill you want to pursue during the lockdown, establish a timeline and a learning graph. During the lockdown, it is easy to give in to inertia or lose motivation. So, give yourself a timeline, and plant some challenges along the way to keep yourself motivated.
- Enroll For An Online Course: You can choose to learn alone, and decide your own curriculum. But, if possible, enroll for an online course and encourage your colleges to enroll alongside you. Learning alone is a good thing, but when you learn with others, you tend to learn faster and better. There are many sites that are offering free professional courses online during the COVID-19. Pick one and get ready to learn together!
- Check the Validity of Your Online Course: Don’t fall for the grand promises made by any course that you come across online. You may end up losing more than just time. So, check the validity of the online course. It is recommended to pursue courses by reputed institutes, and conducted by professional faculties. If a course is accredited by a professional body, it will be distinctly mentioned in the website. So make sure you do your research before you enroll for a professional course online.
- Upgrade Your Existing Skills: To up-skill, you don’t have to start from the scratch. You can tap into your skills, and come up with ways to take it to the new level. Make a list of your existing professional skills and put them to the best use during the lockdown.
- Learn New Technical Or Digital Skills: These days, most companies are functioning remotely, and most people are working from home. Learning new technical or digital skills will help you increase productivity at work, and become self-sufficient. And, now that you have all the time in the world, why not go for it?
- Learn New Soft Skills: We don’t often realize the importance of having soft skills at work. But, when there is a crisis, like the pandemic we are living in the midst of, it is our soft skills that come in handy. So, use the time in hand to learn new soft skills.
- Attend Webinars: Gather your team together, and watch webinars that are related to your profession. Watch live webinars where you can have your questions and doubts answered in real time. That way, you will be able to keep yourself updated about the latest happenings in your field.
The Conclusion
Do you know what the biggest life skill that the COVID-19 pandemic is teaching us? It is: to make good of a bad situation. It is true, that the pandemic has disrupted our lives in many ways. But, it has helped us in several ways too. It is teaching us to be more productive, because we are working more with less. It is teaching us to more resourceful and plan ahead, as we are trying to manage our finances. It is making us appreciate what we have, instead of pinning for what we don’t. It is teaching us to be hopeful and optimistic, because that’s the only way out!
To learn something new during the pandemic, all you have to do is seek life lessons. And, while we are at it, why not upgrade ourselves professionally too? That’s the first step to cope up with the current situation, and hope for a better tomorrow. So, happy learning, everybody!
