So, you’ve got a little extra time and you’re looking to spice up your day? Well look no further, as in this blog post, we’re going to be sharing random skills for you to learn in a day. Whether you’re looking to impress your friends, beat boredom, or simply add a dash of the unexpected to your routine, we’ve got you covered.
The importance of learning new skills
Why stick to the ordinary when you can embrace the extraordinary, even if it’s just for a day? Learning random skills isn’t just a quirky hobby; it’s your ticket to having an unexpectedly fun day. It will also serve as a really great conversation starter!
Ready to inject some spontaneity into your day? Let’s uncover some random skills that you can learn in just one day.
Creative Expressions
A lot of our jobs don’t enable us to be that creative, so making a conscious effort to be artistic is encouraged! Get ready to learn some random yet creative skills in a day.
- Doodle or sketch a simple character
- Try your hand at basic calligraphy
- Learn a quick magic trick
- Write a short poem or haiku
- Practice basic photography composition
- Create a short and fun stop-motion animation
- Try your hand at improv comedy
- Learn a simple card trick
- Make a DIY comic strip
- Master a basic dance move
Culinary Creativity
Culinary skills are great ones to pick up, especially if you don’t cook often, or usually opt for minimal effort meals. Hopefully this list will inspire you to put your skills to the test. Plus, your taste buds will thank you!
- Perfect the art of flipping pancakes
- Learn to make sushi rolls at home
- Brew your own cup of pour-over coffee
- Create a simple but impressive fruit garnish
- Make homemade ice cream without a machine
- Cook a dish using only five ingredients
- Decorate a cake with basic icing techniques
- Brew your own kombucha
- Mix a signature mocktail or cocktail
- Bake a batch of cookies from scratch
Language Basics
If you’re bilingual, well, lucky you. It must be nice. For those of us who aren’t, learning another language is a fantastic skill to have and it also opens more doors for opportunities. Whilst you won’t be fluent in one day, you can certainly learn some basic phrases!
- Learn and practice basic greetings in a new language
- Master the pronunciation of common phrases
- Memorise numbers and basic counting
- Learn and use essential travel phrases
- Practice introducing yourself and others
- Understand and use basic expressions for ordering food
- Learn everyday vocabulary for shopping
- Memorise and recite a short poem or quote in the language
- Ask and answer simple questions in the language
- Learn and use basic expressions for giving directions
DIY Home Improvement
Unless you’re handy with your hands, then this category may seem rather daunting. This gives you a great opportunity to become more self efficient! Challenge yourself to at least *attempt* one of these.
- Hang a picture frame perfectly level
- Replace a doorknob or handle
- Fix a leaky faucet or running toilet
- Patch a small hole in the wall
- Install a new light fixture or switch
- Paint a room like a pro
- Unclog a sink or bathtub drain
- Caulk around windows or doors
- Install a simple shelving unit
- Repair a loose or squeaky floorboard
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
We’ve all heard of mindfulness, but how many of us actually take the time to practice it? If you’re attempting to be the best version of yourself, then it’s highly recommended that you work your way through this list as a starting point!
- Practice a one-minute meditation for focus
- Try progressive muscle relaxation for stress relief
- Learn and practice deep breathing exercises
- Master a quick mindfulness walking meditation
- Practice gratitude journaling for positivity
- Try a guided imagery relaxation exercise
- Learn and practice acupressure for relaxation
- Explore and use aromatherapy for stress reduction
- Create a calming music playlist for relaxation
- Try a quick digital detox for mental well-being
Quick Fashion and Style Tips
Unless you’re Carrie Bradshaw, there’s always room for improvement in the style department. These are really fun random skills to learn in a day, and it won’t require you to purchase anything to get started.
- Learn to tie a scarf in different styles
- Create a stylish and quick up do for your hair
- Master the art of accessorising an outfit
- Fold and organise your clothes efficiently
- Try a quick and simple makeup tutorial
- Learn to mix and match patterns in fashion
- DIY clothing alterations for a perfect fit
- Create a capsule wardrobe for easy styling
- Understand your body shape for better fashion choices
- Practice good posture for a confident appearance
Photography Essentials
I’m not sure about you, but I absolutely love looking back on photos I’ve taken. The only slight issue is, I am certainly no professional. How amazing would it be if all of us could create a genuinely aesthetic photo album of our lives? Why not get started?
- Learn to compose a captivating photo
- Understand the basics of exposure
- Master the rule of thirds in photography
- Experiment with different lighting techniques
- Practice candid photography skills
- Try your hand at macro photography
- Learn how to edit photos using basic software
- Capture motion with action photography
- Understand and use white balance effectively
- Experiment with perspective and angles
Financial Literacy
For a lot of us, getting to grips with our finances seems like an overbearing task. Fortunately, you can break these into bite size chunks, and learn random financial literary skills in a day. Whilst I can’t promise you’ll know the ins and outs of Wall Street, having a foundation of financial knowledge should be something we all possess. Oh, and we’ve put together a free Google Sheet Financial Template to get you started!
- Create and stick to a basic budget
- Understand the power of compound interest
- Learn to read and understand a financial statement
- Set financial goals for the short and long term
- Understand the basics of investing
- Learn how to negotiate effectively
- Master the art of saving money on everyday expenses
- Understand your credit score and how to improve it
- Create an emergency fund plan
- Understand the basics of different types of insurance
Home Organisation
I think this category is one of those areas we all think we’ve got down to a tee. When in reality, there’s a LOT of room for improvement. Consciously think about your current home organisation. I’m sure there are skills you can learn to improve your efficiency here!
- Declutter and organise a small space
- Create a system for organising paperwork
- Organise a closet or wardrobe efficiently
- Arrange a functional and stylish bookshelf
- Create a cleaning schedule for your home
- Learn to fold clothes using the KonMari method
- Organise a kitchen pantry or cabinets
- Declutter and organise digital files on your computer
- Set up a mail organisation system
- Create a system for managing household chores
Car Maintenance Tips
Let us confess, if my car throws a fit, we’re definitely not the pit crew it needs. Do we know how to jump start a car? Can we change a tire? Absolutely not. But these are probably up there with the top essential skills all drivers should have, so schedule in an evening or a day to learn this. It’s probably much easier if you have an assistant here, rather than relying on YouTube.
- Change a flat tire
- Check and change engine oil
- Understand and replace air filters
- Jump-start a car
- Check and maintain tire pressure
- Change windshield wiper blades
- Understand basic car fluid levels and top them up
- Replace a burnt-out headlight or taillight
- Learn to use jumper cables
- Understand the importance of regular car maintenance schedules
DIY Home Decor
I’m not sure about you, but I really admire when I see people on social media creating their own home decor. From wall art to candles, these random skills to learn in a day will not only give you something creative to do, but it will elevate your living space too. It really is a win-win!
- Create your own custom wall art
- Make decorative throw pillows
- Learn to sew and create simple curtains
- Craft a personalised photo frame
- Make a unique center piece for your table
- Create a DIY hanging plant display
- Craft your own decorative candles
- Make a hand-painted mug or vase
- Create a custom welcome mat for your front door
- Make your own personalised doormat
DIY Natural Beauty Products
Similar to the category above, these random skills you can learn in a day definitely have a creative element to them. You never know, you may even start a small business out of these if you nail them!
- Create a homemade facial mask
- Make a natural hair conditioner
- Create your own lip balm or lip scrub
- Make a DIY sugar scrub for exfoliation
- Create a natural deodorant at home
- Make a soothing DIY bath soak
- Create a homemade body lotion
- Make a natural acne spot treatment
- Create a refreshing facial toner
- Make a natural hair detangler
Learn a New Musical Instrument
When it comes to playing musical instruments, I’m the equivalent of a one-person band missing a few instruments. You may have last played an instrument in music lessons at school, so this may seem like a very random skill to learn in a day, but it will make for a very cool party trick! You never know, you may even surprise yourself with a harmonious tune or two.
- Learn to play a basic song on the ukulele
- Master a few chords on the guitar
- Learn the basics of playing the keyboard or piano
- Understand the fundamentals of playing the harmonica
- Play a simple tune on the flute or recorder
- Learn the basics of playing the drums
- Practice playing a few notes on the violin or cello
- Try your hand at playing the trumpet or saxophone
- Learn the basics of playing the banjo or mandolin
- Understand the techniques of playing the accordion
Embrace the Unexpected
And there you have it. Ready for a dose of spontaneity? Now is the perfect time to learn some random skills in a day. Whether you’re perfecting your salsa steps or achieving pancake-flipping finesse, relish the joy in every small victory. Plus, they’re the ultimate conversation starters and even better, many of these don’t require you to spend any money.
Tip: Don’t let YouTube be your only guide here – roll up your sleeves, schedule in a day, and dive into it!
So here’s to embracing the extraordinary, celebrating the quirky, and turning each day into a moment of learning and discovery! 🥂