28 Important Life Skills Anyone Can Learn Within a Matter of Days

2026 is here, and with the New Year, many people choose resolutions that will somehow make their lives better. Whether you are planning to lose weight, get a better job, or you have certain skills that you want to learn, New Year’s resolutions are a wonderful thing.

There are many skills that you can teach yourself within just a few days that will enrich your life. If you have ever dreamed of playing the guitar, learning to sew, or generally making yourself a happier person, these skills will come in very handy.

We have compiled a list of 28 skills that you can easily teach yourself in a matter of days. Choose one to learn or learn them all. The more you learn, the richer your life will be, so if you have ever wanted to learn a new skill just for the fun of it, or something that is a bit more meaningful, we hope you find these 28 skills to be very useful.

Jump to:

• 1. Your Rights During Police Stops
• 2. Self-Satisfaction
• 3. Budgeting
• 4. CPR
• 5. Sewing
• 6. Car Maintenance
• 7. Typing
• 8. Cooking
• 9. Swimming
• 10. Playing Guitar
• 11. How to Communicate
• 12. Economics
• 13. Listening
• 14. Math
• 15. Lock Picking
• 16. Microsoft Office and Basic Computer Skills
• 17. Knot Tying
• 18. Making a Cocktail
• 19. Basic Logic
• 20. Building a PC
• 21. How to Use Google
• 22. Tie a Necktie
• 23. How to Lie
• 24. Talking to New People
• 25. Organization
• 26. Gun Safety
• 27. Drive a Stick Shift
• 28. Critical Thinking
• Bonus Tip:  Learning How to Learn

1. Your Rights During Police Stops

If you are just driving along and suddenly a police car pulls you over, do you know your rights? You should. In fact, everyone should know their basic rights regarding traffic stops and violations. Take the time to learn these rights, which, incidentally, you can find online. Just read up on basic rights and ensure that you are armed with this knowledge the next time those blue lights come up behind you.

Learn online: ACLU

2. Self-Satisfaction

Self-satisfaction can be anything from sexual gratification to learning new ways of relaxing. The key is to choose something that makes you really happy – and something that relieves stress- and get really good at it. Whatever your goals for satisfaction, learning to better those skills is certainly going to be useful going into the New Year.

Great Links on Self-Satisfaction: Wikihow - How to Be Happy Being Yourself, Buffer - 10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science

3. Budgeting

This one should be a number one priority on anyone’s resolution list. Learning to budget will be beneficial in so many ways. You can learn to save money while still ensuring that all of your monthly commitments are paid. Budgeting is something that you should definitely check into, and there are tons of helpful resources online to assist you in planning your budget and sticking to it.

Learn online: Budgeting

4. CPR

CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is something that everyone should learn how to do. Learning CPR takes only a few hours, and you can literally save a life if you know how to do it properly. Check with your local department of health, doctor’s office, or city rescue department to see where and when CPR classes will be taught. Most hospitals offer these classes for consumers, and many of them are free of charge.

Learn online: Heart

5. Sewing

Sewing is another skill that everyone should learn. Whether you have a sewing machine or you just want to learn how to sew by hand, you can always use this skill to keep your clothes intact. Whenever a button pops off your favorite shirt, you can simply sew on another one, or if your hem comes loose, you just sew it back. You may even get to the point where you can sew your own clothing from scratch or make wonderful pillows, quilts, and other home items.

Learn online: Instructables

6. Car Maintenance

You don’t have to be a certified mechanic to learn routine car maintenance, and you can save yourself a bundle by doing certain things for yourself. Changing the oil, changing tire,s and even replacing certain lines and cables can all be learned easily and will help you to keep your car in really good shape without those expensive trips to the automotive shop.

Learn online: Ericthecarguy

7. Typing

If you tend to use the computer a lot, you should learn how to type properly. Typing is more than just that one-finger chicken pecking that most people do. There are certain keys where your fingers should rest and certain fingers that should be hitting different letters. Learning is relatively easy, and there are online tutorials to help you pick up basic typing quickly.

Learn online: Typingstudy, Learntyping

8. Cooking

Cooking is certainly a skill that everyone should learn to some extent. Learning to cook or bake is relatively easy, particularly since there are video tutorials and recipes all over the internet. If you do not typically cook, learning this skill is something that you should definitely put on your list for the New Year. You can begin with basic recipes, and you may be a regular Gordon Ramsay by 2026.

Learn online: bhg

9. Swimming

If you don’t swim, you should. Even if you don’t have a pool at your house, you can learn to swim at a local pool or lake. Take lessons from a professional lifeguard or someone in your family that you trust. Learning to swim is helpful not only for safety reasons, but it can also be a very relaxing sport and will help you burn calories if you are trying to lose weight.

• Breaststroke kick
• Eggbeater Kick
• Dolphin/Fly Kick
• Flutter Kick

10. Playing Guitar

You can find loads of tutorials online that will teach you the four basic chords for guitar playing. Learning these chords shouldn’t take you more than a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on how hard you practice and imagine your joy at being able to play your favorite songs on the guitar. This is a fun skill that anyone can learn and one that everyone should attempt.

Learn online: YouTube

11. How to Communicate

Ok, so you’re thinking that you already know how to communicate with others, but do you really? Basic communication is a skill that not everyone is born with. Learning to communicate effectively can help you in both your personal and your professional lives. You can learn how to better express yourself, which is bound to be beneficial to you in the future.

Learn online: Google Books - Communication Patterns in Successful and Unsuccessful Relationships

12. Economics

Do you know about supply and demand? Do you have any idea what makes your grocery bill climb higher every month? If not, you should take the time to learn basic economics. This will help you with your budgeting and will be useful knowledge that will come in handy in the future. You can simply read up on economics or go a step further and actually take a class at your local college.

Free online courses:

• Khanacademy
• MIT
• Biz/Ed
• US Debt Resources

13. Listening

Listening is another skill that not everyone does properly. Learning to listen incorporates taking the time to really focus on the other person and what they are saying. Listening is a skill that will come in very handy in all aspects of your life, from your personal relationships to your career, and it is one that can be learned in just a matter of days.

Learn online: Wikihow

14. Math

Not everyone is a fan of math, but learning basic math is a skill that everyone should at least attempt. You don’t have to be able to perform calculus equations, but simple algebra can come in very handy. If you are one of those people who think that you will never use math in real life, think again. Everything from your checkbook to your payday and budgeting, and every single penny you spend, can all be controlled using basic math.

Learn online: BBC

15. Lock Picking

Ok, so we don’t recommend that you try this on anyone’s home but your own, but learning to pick a lock can come in very handy if you are ever locked out of your home or car. This is not a skill that you should put to use for fun or illegal acts, but if and when you ever do leave your keys inside while you are locked outside, lock picking is a skill that can help you to get back inside without paying a few hundred dollars to a locksmith.

Learn online: Lifehacker - Learn to Pick Locks for Fun and an Increased Understanding of Security

16. Microsoft Office and Basic Computer Skills

Microsoft Word is on virtually every computer these days, and if you have never used it, you should learn how. You can find basic free editions of Word to download and tutorials that will help you learn how to use it. There are even tutorials included in the program, so you can just open it up and it will virtually show you everything you need to know.

17. Knot Tying

There are always things that need to be knotted. Whether you are tying ropes, fabric, or anything else, learning how to properly tie knots is important. Imagine being able to hang up your own clothes line or tie your own boat to the dock. Knot tying is a skill that will take you very little time, but it will be very useful in the future.

Learn online: Netknots

18. Making a Cocktail

Even if you don’t normally indulge in cocktails, learning to make a good one is a great skill. Whatever your favorite cocktail, learn a basic recipe for it and how to properly prepare it so that when you do want to indulge, you can make your own drink without having to drive to the lounge. You can even prepare your favorite dish for guests when they visit.

Online recipes: Allrecipes

19. Basic Logic

Logic is necessary in life, and if you are not someone who normally recognizes basic logic, now is the time to start. Logic rules and fallacies are everywhere, and even if you do not need to learn this skill for your job, it is simply a good one to have for your general knowledge.

Learn online: Wikipedia

20. Building a PC

While you may not find this skill useful as far as monetary gain, you can save a lot of money if you learn to build your own PC. Once you get the hang of it, it is really an easy thing to do, and you can save yourself from having to call in the computer repair guy every time something minor goes wrong with your computer.

Learn online: Reddit Build a PC community

21. How to Use Google

Using Google is one thing, but finding effective answers to your searches is another. Learn how to make the most of your search engine time by finding tricks to getting the search answers you want quickly. Searching is a skill, and the better you learn it, the more time you will save the next time you have to find something on Google.

Learn online: Lifehack

22. Tie a Necktie

If you wear neckties and you don’t know how to properly tie them, now is a good time to learn. Even if you don’t normally wear them, it is always a good idea to know how to tie a tie just in case your assistance is ever needed for this task. You can learn this skill in less than a day, and you will be much better for it.

Learn online: Tie a tie

23. How to Lie

Ok, so we don’t condone lying in the general sense but once in a while there is the need for telling that little while lie. Imagine that you have planned a wonderful surprise party for your significant other, and you can’t get past the lie about where you are going. Learning to keep a straight face while telling a little fib is a great skill that you can learn in just a few days.

Learn online: Psychologytoday

24. Talking to New People

Whether you are single and heading out to meet other singles, have just landed a new job, or you generally want to improve your social skills, learning to talk to new people is a great skill to have. It’s all about confidence, and you can learn how to approach people and begin a conversation in a matter of days.

25. Organization

This is another skill that everyone should learn. Being and staying organized can save you time, money, and sanity. It takes just a little while to get everything in your life organized, particularly if you have never been one for organization. Once you get everything in line, however, you will be amazed at how much more relaxed you feel and how much more smoothly everything runs.

We have loads of organizing guides here: Bathroom, dollar store organizing ideas, and Top organizing hacks

26. Gun Safety

Gun safety is definitely something that you should learn, particularly if you have guns in the house and most particularly if you have children and guns in the house. Basic gun safety is easy to learn and takes very little time. There are classes in most cities that you can join, and many offer seats for the entire family, so even your children can learn how to be safe with guns around them.

Learn online: Wikipedia

27. Drive a Stick Shift

Even if your current vehicle has an automatic transmission, there is just something wonderful about being able to handle a stick. If you have never driven a manual transmission, this is your year to learn. You can virtually drive any vehicle on the road if you know how to drive a stick shift and just imagine how fun it will be to be shifting those gears as you gain speed.

Learn online: Jalopnik

28. Critical Thinking

Good critical thinking skills are important. Learning this skill will enable you to determine for yourself whether something is true or false. Critical thinking can be learned and mastered, and is a tool that you certainly want for your personal and professional relationships. You can search for online lessons and tutorials that will teach you to be a bit more focused in your thinking and learn what critical thinking really is and how it can benefit you.

Bonus Tip:  Learning How to Learn

No matter what your age, learning is a skill that is wonderful to have. If you have forgotten how to learn or have never really learned how to learn, this is something that you should check into. Learning means really grasping the subject and understanding it completely, and this is a skill that you can use throughout your life, no matter what you do.

Learn online: Howtostudy