Dr Navodita opines that beyond academics, life demands essential skills like time, money, self-management, communication, health awareness, networking, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence for true success, exclusively for Different Truths.
While we go to school to hone our latent abilities and enhance our overall talent skills, it is important to know some basic skills that are not learnt in school but are important for a successful life.
Time management
Good time management and knowing when to do what are crucial for an overall well-managed life. There are times you have to manage work and home, and you should know where to draw the line at the work front or even with a loved one. This helps in nobody towing the line, and you managing to maintain healthy boundaries with your loved ones at home, too.
Failure is a stepping stone
Although we achieve our goals most of the time, there may be an instance once in a lifetime where you feel you underachieved or did not put up your best performance and your best foot forward. In those moments of distress, you should be careful not to get discouraged but pick up the threads and consider it as a stepping stone to greater things in life.
Money management
This is an important skill to have as you move about in your life, making plans for little milestones – higher education, marriage, and retirement. Savings are crucial for one’s success, and the sooner you realise it, the better. There needs to be a certain amount for each important episode in your life so that you don’t have to fall back on anybody else but your savings.
Communication skills
Man is a social animal, and you must take care of your social needs. For that, communication skills need to be good, and you need to be able to communicate effectively. Your message must reach the next person effectively and in the intended manner, or else there will be a ‘communication gap’ which may hinder your progress.
Health is wealth
Taking care of your physical needs is as important as your mental well-being. A healthy body nourishes a healthy mind. So be sure to eat nutritious food and keep a diet plan that takes care of your dietary needs and nutrition.
Networking is good
Friendships are important as they help us feel more accepted and accommodated. Make friends and keep them, and interact with them as and when necessary. Grow your network, professionally and at a personal level, too, with your friends and family.
Problem-solving skills
Although having a good memory is important, more important is having better problem-solving skills. To be able to find a readymade solution is the best skill anybody can have. To be a problem-solver, you need to take on your design-thinking skills. Wear your innovative hat and get pronto at solving whatever comes your way. You, being a Miss Fix-It-All, may be a great menace to success.
Emotional Intelligence
This is especially important for a workplace. You need to be able to articulate your needs well and what you are looking for in a relationship with the boss, the company, or your organisation at large. Setting your goals and priorities and expressing them to your mentor ensures a healthy satisfaction of your employment needs and full utilisation of your skills and potential. Hence, it is important to learn lifelong, never chase opportunities, but keep a lookout for all that you can do to realise your fullest potential.
Picture design Anumita Roy
By
By
By