Some abilities take years to master, but others can be picked up in just a few hours and still prove useful for the rest of your life.
So, Reddit user Michaelis999 asked people to share which ones made the biggest difference for them, and the answers range from practical know-how, like basic household repairs, to social abilities such as active listening.
It’s better to have a skill and not need it than to need it and not have it.
- Read More: “Learn How To Swim”: People Say To Dedicate 10 Hours To These 46 Skills That Pay Off Big-Time
#1
Learning where your water main shutoff valve is for your house.
Image credits: ryuranzou
#2
Learning how to sew on a button, and basic mending stitches.
Image credits: Jaymes_Squeak
#3
Learning the shortcuts for software you use daily. I basically force the juniors to start using shortcuts it always pays off in the end (software engineer). But this goes for everyone, designers in Photoshop, people using spreadsheets, if you use it daily, put in a bit of time to learn how to be efficient.
Image credits: HansonWK
#4
Microsoft Excel. If you know basic math and calculating then you can do amazing things.
Image credits: PickleJuiceMartini
#5
Learn how to swim. It can save your life.
It shocks me how many people accidentally fall into water and drown because they don’t know how to swim. You can easily learn the basics and enough to keep yourself alive in 10 hours.
Image credits: Dark_Believer
#6
Probably simple car stuff. Changing a tire, battery cables, jump starting etc etc… You would be surprised how many people can’t do those things and how often those are your most common problems!
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#7
How to sharpen a knife.
Image credits: Ckpie
#8
1. CPR training 2. Fire extinguisher training 3. Swimming/floating.
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#9
Some basic civics. Understanding how your government actually works and is structured will save you alot of frustration and anger. It might even save you from going down dangerous roads with your ideas.
There are usually pretty good reasons why things work the way they do, even though things might seem slow and inefficient at times.
Image credits: Quecks_
#10
First Aid. There are plenty of options to learn and imo should be refreshed once a year if possible because some stuff changes.
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#11
I’d say spending 10 hours learning how your computer works will pay off forever. So many people are unaware how their machines work.
Image credits: AmigoDelDiabla
#12
Questioning EVERYTHING
Whenever you need to make a decision, spend a few minutes playing “Devils Advocate” with yourself. Especially if it’s something trivial or a “no brainer”
Make it a fun yet challenging game of Who/What/When/Where/How/Why against your alter ego.
You’ll learn an absolute ton about your good and bad qualities, your habits, thought processes, etc. You’ll also naturally learn how to phrase questions/opposing views as inquisitive, instead of abbrasive or combative.
That kind of honest and earnest self reflection will eventually affect absolutely everything in your life.
Most of my greatest lifestyle changes came from questioning things that I otherwise would’ve never given a second thought.
On the other side of things: Constantly questioning how/why everyday objects work, will give you an extremely well rounded foundation of transferrable/relatable knowledge. If you can’t work it out on your own, google it.
If you ever find yourself in a conversation about something you haven’t explored, use the opportunity to apply the same line of questions you debate yourself with. People love it when someone is open and curious about something they’re passionate about.
Eventually you’ll be able to relate to anyone or anything, at any time. Conversations become deeper and meaningful, your connection to people becomes stronger, and sometimes you come across hidden passions.
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#13
Basic finance literacy stuff such as budgeting, mortgages, negotiations, taxes, investing etc.
I’d argue that just by knowing and understanding these, one can improve his/her quality of life significantly.
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#14
How to stretch your body specifically.
Image credits: Adventurous_Fix1730
#15
Tying proper knots depending on the application.
Image credits: fummelfichte42
#16
I’d say learning how to communicate clearly – especially writing short, structured emails/messages. It doesn’t take long to practice, but clear communication makes you stand out at work, saves endless misunderstandings, and builds respect. It’s underrated because it feels obvious, but it really pays dividends for life.
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#17
Learn to type numbers without looking. I got twice as fast in about an hour. Plenty of online tutorials. .
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#18
Basic sign language.
Whenever I meet a deaf customer they’re always so happy that I know it. Especially because I wear a mask most of the time.
Image credits: Oddish_Femboy
#19
Small talk. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but you never know who you’ll meet or what they know. When I first moved overseas i had a small talk w some dude and he told me all the roads to avoid at night, how to use contactless payments, bus routes and which shop has the cheapest and best kebabs.
Image credits: West-Front
#20
Learning a sewing machine, it takes a while to figure out proper tension. However, once you’re over that hump, you’ll be able to fix your own clothes, make gifts, curtains, blankets, clothes, costumes, the world is your oyster.
Image credits: Jumpy-You-5572
#21
If you run a business I’d say calling people back.
Image credits: rapedbyawookiee
#22
Zipper repair:
Most tents and sleeping bags at festivals only are discarded because of slightly buggy zips.
Image credits: stabdarich161
#23
Touch typing is a crucial skill that you can master in under 10 hours, delivering lifelong benefits. It boosts productivity, reduces strain, and sharpens focus across all professions. By typing faster, you’ll save valuable time every day, adding up to thousands of hours over the years. Invest in this skill now for lasting advantages!
Image credits: krishna2026
#24
Learning to speak without saying um, uh and so on. It will make you sound way more confident and well spoken, even if the content of what you’re saying has not improved.
Image credits: HolySmokes2
#25
Basic hygiene and fashion
Maybe sounds unnecessary (primarily the fashion part) but looking nice can help out a lot in surprising ways. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy either, but learning basic fashion and color matching can help you look more appealing with near any level of budget. Even if it’s just subconscious, nice matching colors and good hygiene helps how others see you. Plus the mental boost of looking nice and feeling clean is good.
Hygiene because being clean helps cover some mental and physical health issues before they even come up (I.E. healthy body and better self esteem).
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#26
Biking.
Image credits: SafithDophor
#27
Tying a tie
Learning the NATO alphabet.
Image credits: drbrian83
#28
Bodyweight Exercises and Stretching
If able, with 30 minutes every other day at least, a consistent bodyweight workout will make later life much easier, promote better body health habits all around, and it’s free fitness.
Image credits: TonyTornado
#29
For western folks, learning to use chopsticks well.
Image credits: humma__kavula
#30
How to floss.
#31
Learning how to properly filet a chicken/fish. It takes a few attempts to “nail” it, but once you learn the trick, and it really takes less than 10 hours, it becomes a massive money saver in the long run when preparing food at home.
Chicken especially, as most of the cost revolving around it has to do with the “service” of cutting and filleting. Once you learn that yourself, you spare a hefty amount of money, and get yourself a nice amount of food for a lot more days than just buying pre-cut stuff.
Also, not that time consuming. Takes about 10 mins for chicken, even less so for a fish.
Image credits: ragelance
#32
Knitting. Not only do you get to make your own clothing and accessories, it’s a de-stressor as well!
Image credits: ro5ieb
#33
Welding. Not a certified awesome welder, but 10 hours of instruction and practice would make you good enough to weld most things.
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