We all have our own traditions to make the winter holidays unforgettable.
Some of us go to the mountains to ski with friends, others go to sunnier climes to bask in the sun, and some do not even notice a difference between seasons because they are in Miami and Mexico City, for example, where it appears to be always summer. However, what unites us all? Our hopes and dreams, of course, for a brighter future. Although, for them to come true, you need to spend the holidays not just having fun but also working on yourself. Winter is the ideal time to enhance your skills and your career!
Lectera founder and CEO Mila Semeshkina reveals in the American business magazine Forbes the skills you should be paying attention to over the winter holidays. She considers the most important ones to be:
- Learning skills. After all, you should be continually learning if you want to retain your position in the job market. However, what exactly should you be studying, and how do you go about it, so you do not procrastinate as you normally do during each lesson? This is where the skill of self-study will help you figure it out, which involves mastering certain techniques and strategies to help you focus, get organised, and absorb the information.
- Planning. Surely you like to plan your trips abroad and your weekends and holidays, don't you? When you list places to visit in a new city or write a shopping list, the trip becomes twice as productive, don't you agree? So, imagine how effective your work would be if you started to plan it too!
- Foreign languages. When you study them, new neural connections are formed in the brain, enabling us to look at familiar situations differently and discover unexpected solutions. So, it is quite easy to learn a foreign language during the winter holidays - watch "Harry Potter" in the language you want to learn with subtitles or listen to a radio playing national music. Learn and enjoy a festive atmosphere!
- Speed reading. The faster you process information, the quicker you learn and develop compared to your competitors. Likewise, Mila developed her speed reading through her favourite hobby - wine tasting. So, she combines drinking her favourite tipple in the evening with reading literature. Not only is it a nice relaxing pastime, but also a fantastic way to learn!
- Communication skills. We communicate with everyone everywhere: on the Internet, at work, during negotiations, and even in a store with the cashier when we buy something. It is precisely why, without having effective communication skills, you will not succeed. It is easy to boost this skill during the holidays when you meet new people at the skating rink, firework displays, or fairs. It is a time when many people are happy to socialise, so it will not be difficult.
Of course, repose is a vital part of the winter holidays! However, suppose you combine it with developing new skills, making them part of your leisure time and entertainment. In that case, you will definitely not regret it. Read the full version of the article in Forbes magazine to find out even more interesting things from Mila: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/11/15/five-important-skills-to-develop-this-holiday-season