Five Online Courses to Upgrade Your Skills (and Life)

What will you learn during this time of isolation? As many professionals will tell you, having more time to yourself is  a great opportunity to update your resume (or life) by taking a useful course (that might even translate into a full-time career!). Here are some useful online classes and personality-based learning options I love…and you should certainly consider:

The Ingenuity of Interior Design

If you’re a maximalist at heart, you’re going to love adding this course to your roster. There’s nothing else quite like Kelly Wearstler’s 17-part video masterclass on interior design to get your creative juices flowing. The American decorator has created some of the most talked about spaces and celebrity residences, and her bold and experimental décor is a favourite with bonafide design enthusiasts. I have a serious love for great interiors (come say hello @wabisabiinc), so I went through the entire series in a single sitting. It’s quite nice to watch a master in action and listen to her tips and tricks on how to bring colour, light, patterns, and texture into your personal space. However, it’s the class workbook that really has the gold, so don’t forget to download that before you begin. 
Course: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/kelly-wearstler-teaches-interior-design

Learn from Only the Very Best!

MasterClass is an online education platform that offers classes for students of all skill levels. What sets MasterClass apart though is the roster of famous faces that take on the role of instructors. From cooking classes with Gordon Ramsey to acting lessons with Natalie Portman, or even tennis lessons with Serena Williams – there’s something for everyone there! 
Cosmo Tip: You’ll find that MasterClass has over 80+ classes and courses on offer, which could be overwhelming for those of us who can’t decide between an acting course by Natalie Portman and a photography lesson by Annie Leibovitz. Luckily, several people have taken ALL of the courses on offer, and have uploaded their reviews as blog posts. A quick Google search will give you the feedback you need.
Cosmo: https://www.masterclass.com/

The Science of Happiness 
This programme become American ivy leaguer Yale University’s most viral class ever, after The New York Times wrote about how one in four students on the campus had enrolled in the class just days after registrations opened in January 2018. Judging by the mental health breakdown that has become every millennial’s existential angst over the past few years, the programme was designed to teach students how to lead a happier, more satisfying life. The course become so popular that it is now available for free on Coursera for the general public. 

Taught by psychology and cognitive science professor Laurie Santos, the course focusses on positive psychology (i.e. characteristics that allow humans to flourish) and behavioural change (i.e. how to live by those lessons in real life), culminating in a Hack Yo’Self Project (i.e. a personal self-improvement project). If you’re among the increasing number of people who put work and professional accomplishment above the personal self, or are stressed, anxious, unhappy, take a shot at this programme. Fun fact: As of March 26th, over 1.3 million people had enrolled in the online programme. And with over 1/3rd of the global population currently living under lockdown, this is as good a time as any to turn to science for answers on how to be happy in difficult times.
Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being

Master Your Instagram
If you’re a content creator, business coach, entrepreneur, or just someone who is looking to up their Instagram game, you must check out Vanessa Lau. The young and influential social media expert hosts The Bossgram Academy course once a year, which is expensive but super-popular. But while you decide on that, check out the tonnes of free resources on her Instagram and YouTube pages to help you up-level your online game. Her free #Bossgram blueprint is a great primer to get you started, but I also recommend binge-watching her YouTube page for lots of free tips, tricks, and truths on social media, marketing, and entrepreneurship. If you like to learn, you’ll enjoy her easy, expressive style.
Course:https://www.bossgramacademy.com/blueprint/

Expand Your Productivity and Organisation Skills
Amy Landino is a popular speaker, coach, and vlogger, and has been a video marketing consultant for a decade. She also runs a super-popular YouTube channel called AmyTV, where she discusses everything from how to be productive and more organised, to time management tips, motivation hacks, and even how to create videos for your personal brand or business. She is also the author of Good Morning, Good Life: 5 Simple Habits To Master Your Mornings and Upgrade Your Life, and also hosts a podcast. Her YouTube channel is a binge-worthy place to learn all day, every day, and it’s all for free. 
Course: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR9gMSj0UUxGvgfpNhhF3Jw