12 Useful Skills You Can Learn in 10 Minutes

December 3, 2023

Building your skill set doesn’t have to be geared towards work. Learning something new could come in handy when you least expect it. New skills help you grow more independent, practical, and in some cases, help save other people’s life. The best part is that you can learn these 12 nifty skills in about 10 minutes.

Table of Contents

Unclogging a Toilet Without a Plunger

Man Sitting On Toilet Bowl At Home — Source: Shutterstock

You might think you don’t need to learn this skill since you have a plunger at home. But what if you went to a friend’s place, took a dump, and clogged the toilet but couldn’t find the plunger? What then?

A user shares his trick, “Look around for the small trash can, take out the garbage liner…fill the can with water…(and) in one continuous and smooth pour, direct the water toward the hole of the toilet.”

Recognizing a Stroke

Frustrated Business Man With A Headache Isolated Over White — Source: Shutterstock

Learning this can help save a life. Some signs to look for are slurred speech, face drooping on one side, and arm drifting downwards when you ask them to lift both arms.

“A stroke happens when blood is cut off from part of the brain, and symptoms can appear even 24 hours in advance. It is fatal if unattended,” mentions a user.

Using an Epi-Pen

Woman Injecting Emergency Medicine Into Her Leg — Source: Shutterstock

It’s not just how to use an epi-pen but correctly stab someone. “Blue end goes to the sky,” advises a post.

A poster whose girlfriend suffers from a peanut allergy adds, “Do not be gentle! Bruises heal. Being gentle often causes a muscle twitch. Their reflex will be able to jerk away, and if the needle comes out without giving them the dose, you can’t just re-stab them.”

Breathing Properly

Mindfulned Female Yogi Getting Calm Inspiration During Spiritual Meditation In — Source: Shutterstock

“Normally, we take shallow breaths into our chest. However, if we take just 10 minutes out of every day to focus on our breath and breathe down into our abdomen, we will begin to relax and feel much nicer,” recommends a commentator.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Happy Man Paying Bills On His Laptop In Living Room — Source: Shutterstock

Also, learning keyboard shortcuts can be a total lifesaver. For instance, “Ctrl + Shift + T reopens a closed tab or window,” “Windows + D minimizes all tabs and goes to desktop,” and “Alt + F4 closes the current window.”

Thread Is Reversed on a Bicycle’s Left Pedal

Handsome Bicycle Mechanic In An Apron Wearing Gloves When Installing — Source: Shutterstock

If you find yourself in this scenario, “left is tighter and right is looser.” Or “tighten towards the front and loosen towards the rear for both pedals.“

Adding Salt to Pasta While Boiling

Man Cooking Healthy Meal In Kitchenn Adding Salt To Pasta. — Source: Shutterstock

Also, “salting your pasta while boiling them results in delicious pasta, which brings out the flavor of whatever sauce you use.” And it takes less than 10 minutes!

How to Tie a Tie

Man In Shirt Dressing Up And Adjusting Tie On Neck — Source: Shutterstock

Learning this skill is helpful for those who wear ties and those who don’t. Try learning different tie techniques like “half Windsor, full Windsor, four in hand, or Merovingian.” While at it, learn how to tie a bow tie too.

Basic Sewing Skills

Close Up Of A Woman In A Striped Dress Sews A — Source: Shutterstock

You can also learn basic sewing skills such as “running stitch, backstitch, and whip stitch, and how to sew on a button.” Doing so will help you fix most clothing problems.

Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius

Closeup Doctor Looking At Electronic Thermometer With High Fever Body — Source: Shutterstock

Here is a “quick way to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: subtract 30 and half it, or for Celsius to Fahrenheit: double it and add 30,” says a user. Even though it is not always precise, it misses the conversion degree with +/- one or two degrees.

Heimlich Maneuver

Save someone from choking by learning the Heimlich Maneuver. “Hit the back first and then do the Heimlich (both a couple of times) and repeat,” explains a med student.

Chest Compressions

Cpr Training Emergency And First Aid Class On Cpr Doll — Source: Shutterstock

Lastly, learn how to do CPR. “When doing CPR, lean over the patient to leverage all your body weight because you need it” when doing hard chest compressions.

You can also learn how to time the compression rhythms by using the beat from “Staying Alive.” This hit song bit “has about 104 bpm, so it is slightly below the medically recommended two compressions per second, but it has also provided untrained novices with an easily recognized beat to work with.”

Source: Reddit
Featured Photo from Shutterstock