Tips For Mastering New Skills While Working From Home

If you’ve been working from home during the pandemic, there’s a good chance you’ve been saving at least one hour a day on commuting. Invest some of that time into developing new skills and expanding your knowledge base.

Here are several steps you can take to make sure new skills will benefit both you and your employer:

Identify your needs

Start by identifying what you want to achieve and why these goals are important to you. If you’re aiming for a promotion, create a plan to acquire the skills and experiences you’ll need. Do you want to transition into a new role? What skills will get you noticed, create value, and get you ahead in your pursuit? Write down all the skills that will get you closer to your goal.

Start with core skills

Now you’re ready to execute. Evaluate your current skills against those required for the promotion or new role you want to pursue.  Prioritize them from most crucial to least important. Over the next few months, you should focus on developing the top two or three on your list.

Set realistic goals

Building a new skill can take several hours to several years, depending its complexity. To make the learning process less intimidating, break it into smaller, attainable steps. Little wins will give you the energy to carry on towards your main goal. 

Schedule fixed study times

What you need the most to build any new skill is persistence and consistency. By adding fixed study times to your weekly schedule, you will define a timeline for accomplishing your goals. Having a defined timeline will allow you to celebrate progress and keep you focused.  Think of it like marking the calendar until the day you’ve been waiting for arrives. 

Bet on the best resources

There are multiple tutorials available online (some of them even free), but not all are worth your time. Make sure you conduct research, read testimonials, and invest in only the best resources. Consider what subject matter experts recommend, and seek out senior colleagues for guidance. 

Find a mentor

Whether you’re honing your public speaking skills or graphic design skills, it’s good to have someone to mentor you towards mastery. You don’t have to look far – perhaps one of your friends or senior colleagues could fulfil this role.