by Carol Wohlfeil

Created on: February 13, 2010

Life skills are the skills necessary for an individual to live a full, happy, and successful life within his / her home and community. Many of us think of life skills as the ability to secure and maintain employment and to provide ourselves with such needs as food, shelter, and health care. However, life skills include far more than this and can vary somewhat from one culture, region, or age group to another.

Most of us begin learning certain life skills as young children - how to make friends, to share, to do chores, or express ideas.  But for some children, environmental factors or disabilities may hinder the development of these skills. Consequently, most Special Education curriculums include teaching these various skills based on individual needs.

Although there is no actual “list” of life skills, the following are some of the basic skills needed to live a fulfilling life.

Work Skills

We begin to learn work skills as children in school when, under the direction and supervision of an authority figure, we are repeatedly assigned tasks that must be completed by a scheduled time and retained for future reference. As adults, work skills allow us to obtain employment. The more work skills a person has, the more opportunities will be available and the easier it will be to maintain employment. Work skills help to provide the income necessary to cover such needs as food, housing, medical care, education, etc.

It is important to remember that work skills not only include the abilities needed to perform a task, but a basic understanding of business etiquette, employment applications, and the interview process.

Self-Awareness Skills

In order for life to be happy and fulfilling, an individual must feel they have a purpose, their contributions are beneficial, and they are valued. Self-awareness skills help us to evaluate our personal strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and values and attitudes. Having an understanding of these attributes helps us to set realistic goals that are likely to follow positive paths. By understanding and focusing on the areas in which we are strong, success is far more likely and will lead to greater self-confidence.

Problem Solving Skills

Life is full of problems to be solved and decisions to be made. Some are small with simple solutions and minimal risk. Others are far more critical, requiring one to analyze possible solutions as well as consequences. First, the problem and its possible cause must be identified.

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