Buzz
Self-care often centers on personal activities, from indulging in a relaxing bath to managing essential tasks like booking a doctor’s appointment. However, shifting focus to learning something new, such as driving a manual car, knitting, or baking bread, can bring a fresh perspective to your routine.
This idea is known as micromastery, and there’s even a dedicated book on the subject. The principle itself, however, is timeless and universally applicable.
As someone who enjoys collecting skills, I never fully understood why until I came across Kelsey Osgood’s essay on micromastery (she and a friend started a club, beginning with mending clothes). Engaging in such projects can induce a flow state, similar to meditation, which benefits mental health. Completing a project or mastering a small skill can significantly boost self-esteem, and each new skill makes learning the next one even easier.
Take mending clothes, for instance, which Osgood began with. I picked up some sewing tips from my mother and a few more in a high school home economics class. Each small skill built on the previous one, and now I’m the type who gets excited finding a rack of $3 dresses with broken zippers. (True story.) Recently, I repaired my son’s worn-out pajamas using sashiko, a Japanese mending technique I’d been following on Instagram. It required some research and practice, but I loved the process and added another mini skill to my repertoire.
Acquiring a new skill is a comprehensive workout for your brain. It demands dexterity and motor memory for precise movements, short-term memory to stay on track, and curiosity to explore the history and science behind the skill. (While it’s unclear if this mental exercise enhances long-term cognition, it certainly doesn’t seem harmful.)
Consider picking up a new skill—it’s a perfect escape from the relentless news cycle or other constant stressors. Sew a button, program a bot, perfect a yoga pose, or learn to whistle. Need simpler ideas? Check out our suggestions here.
