These Relatively Easy-To-Learn Skills May Actually Change Your Life
A deleted Reddit account recently asked r/AskReddit, "What's a skill that takes less than an hour to learn, but pay off for life?" So we thought we'd share some of the most useful ones.
1. "Basic sewing. You can fix torn clothes, bags etc. I've held onto a backpack for years because anytime it starts to form a tear, I can quickly stitch it up."
– Pristine_Week_8616
"I (48m) bought a second hand machine for about $100 – I read the manual and watched some YouTube to learn how to use it.
By now I reckon the cost of new clothes for the ones I've fixed would be over $1,000. I've also made the kids bags for their library books, fixed cuddly toys with rips in them, and various other things – now I'm trying quilting."
– TrenchardsRedemption
"Back stretches. Critical skill. I went from multiple aggravated/herniated discs a year (to where I couldn't walk for a week), to 0 since I started stretching my back and hips."
"Standing: Touch your toes – three sets of 30 seconds.
Lay on back, lift your right leg across your body as far as you can while keeping your left leg straight as possible. Focus the stretch in the right side of your lower back for 30 seconds. Do the same with your left leg.
Sitting: Touch your toes – three sets of 20 seconds.
Sitting: Glute stretch – cross one leg over the other outstretched leg and hug leg for 30 seconds, you should feel a stretch in your upper glute and lower back/hip. Then do the other leg.
Groin stretch – two sets of 20/30 seconds.
Standing: Touch your toes – as long as you want. By now you should feel a lot more loose in your lower back.
Standing: Quad stretch – pull your leg up behind you until you feel a stretch in your quad/hip. Do two sets of 20 seconds per leg.
This should take about five minutes to complete in total. After enough days of doing this you will be much more flexible in your lower back and hips. I am 6'4 and easily touch my toes when standing up. That was unthinkable before I started stretching."
2. "Knots. Knowing just a few, and which type is applicable in a given situation, can make a big difference."
– lodger238
3. "Food preservation. From simple using up food before it goes bad (like fresh fruit), to freezing food so it minimises freezer burn, to pickling or canning. Reducing food waste can feel like getting a raise because you aren't spending as much replacing what you wasted."
– Craxin
4. "How to properly brush teeth/floss. In high school I had a test at the orthodontist. I brushed, then rinsed with a solution that highlighted missed spots. It was wild. I've had exactly two cavities since I was 16 and I'm almost 60. I had so many before age 16."
– ildadof3
Sony Pictures Releasing
5. "Keeping your room, your house and your workspace organised on a daily basis. Starting with picking up and putting away your clothes and making your bed. If you do these things every day, it literally only takes minutes."
– stillfeel
6. "How to correctly load a dishwasher or washing machine."
– Sweet_Dreammy
"The 'bowl face up' people are my enemies in life."
– FiveDogsInaTuxedo
7. "Sharpening a knife with a set of decent stones. Really very easy to do with a little practice – no more dangerous dull knives, and beautifully cut ripe tomatoes."
– Life_Accident_5013
Open Road Films
8. "Basic car maintenance. How to change a tire. Change oil, spark plugs, and wipers. How to properly add coolant, oil, transmission fluid, and wiper fluid."
– Ill_Consequence1755
9. "Basic excel. Just understanding what it is, what it's used for, what the possibilities are. Once you got that understanding – you may or may not hone your skills every time that you use it – but just understanding why you should use it can probably be done in an hour. Alternatively: Keyboard shortcuts."
– Sipyloidea
10. "Back float/elementary backstroke are very easy to learn. A moderately fit person could easily learn this in an hour an be able to swim a (slow) mile. It could save your life!"
– jamesfinity
Paramount Pictures
11. "Yoga (the Hatha branch at least which most people are familiar with, involving movement). Yoga is essentially specialised and in-depth stretching, which most people lack after turning 30. Learning and incorporating this skill into your life will lead to long term health benefits."
– Aurorabeamblast
12. "Learning one simple magic trick and just repeating it at parties."
– More_Salamander_4646
Lionsgate
13. "Learning to chop things finely with a knife. It's easy, useful, and looks impressive."
– mildpandemic
H/T to the folks of r/AskReddit for having the discussion.
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