Did you think that the skills astronauts have are just applicable in space? Think again!
You might not realise it, but we can all benefit from the skills astronauts have trained so long and hard to develop – to use them in our lives on earth every single day!
Wondering how? Read more about all the different skills all astronauts (and regular humans) should develop below.
TRAIN YOUR OWN ASTRONAUT SKILLS TODAY!
1. PHYSICAL WELL-BEING
Are you able to provide for yourself? Do you know how to be safe and sheltered and do you know (basic) survival skills to protect yourself from the elements and other danger?
Have you taken a first aid class and read up on crisis management?
Physical Well-Being is all about safety and staying healthy. This also includes having a balanced diet, paying attention to your food & nutrition, staying hydrated and having regular exercise.
And don’t forget these important things as well: getting adequate rest and making sure you get enough daily sunlight and fresh air.
START HERE:
- Astronaut Chris Hadfield Masterclass Review – Worth It?
- Analog Astronaut Training – #spaceuplive Notes
2. MENTAL WELL-BEING
Let’s dive into our heads and see what we can improve with a bit of introspection.
It’s all about finding motivation (both intrinsic as extrinsic), building confidence, realizing your own potential and coping with stress, fear, loneliness and many other emotions where you need to show self-control, even in very difficult situations.
Mental well-being is also about endurance and memory training and monitoring/assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
On a deeper level, it’s also about having a strong moral compass and showing integrity (being honest and ethical), spirituality, contributing to your community, authenticity and mindfulness.
START HERE:
- Astronaut Chris Hadfield Masterclass Review – Worth It?
- What To Do In Isolation? Get The Best Tips From Astronauts!
- Analog Astronaut Training – #spaceuplive Notes
3. SOCIAL SKILLS
When we’re talking about social skills, or interpersonal skills, we’re talking about all verbal and non-verbal communication to get meaning across and convey information effectively.
Speaking, writing, facial expressions, body language and making gestures, it’s all important here!
Social Skills also includes active listening: you need to be able to give your full attention to what other people are saying, while taking the time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Your social perceptiveness makes you aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do, so you can respond accordingly.
Social Skills are also about leadership and being able to follow when needed, about team work, instructing/teaching, negotiating, persuasion and your ability to network. You’re always identifying the best people for the job!
Also think to skills when it comes to navigation (giving directions and following them), public speaking and don’t forget to have a sense of humor (especially when things go wrong!).
But most important perhaps is the skill of service orientation: always actively look for ways to help people and be reliable, responsible, dependable, cooperative, and always fulfilling your obligations.
START HERE:
- Astronaut Chris Hadfield Masterclass Review – Worth It?
- Analog Astronaut Training – #spaceuplive Notes
4. CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
Especially when it comes to travel, you will be dealing with a lot of cultural differences in the places that you visit, compared to home.
And can you imagine working on the International Space Station (ISS), where you have to co-habitat with people from all different countries and backgrounds? This is a vital astronaut skill to have!
Learn how to be open-minded to diversity and show tolerance, respect, sensitivity and support. Perhaps try and learn a little bit (or a lot!) of the local language.
You can also learn about the history of a place you visit before you travel, get to know something about what’s considered local etiquette and be curious about other cultures and different habits or customs people have around the world.
START HERE:
- Kyoto Moon Festival Snack Box By Sakuraco
- Astrostays Astro-tourism Supporting Remote Communities – #spaceuplive Notes
- Astronaut Chris Hadfield Masterclass Review – Worth It?
- Analog Astronaut Training – #spaceuplive Notes
LANGUAGE LEARNING RESOURCES:
- Babbel
- Babbel turns language learning into language using. Learn language skills for real-life scenarios through conversation, long-term retention through spaced repetition and personalized learning paths designed with you in mind.
- British Council – EOL English Online
- Learn English with the world’s language experts through live, online private one-to-one or small group classes. Available 24/7. From beginner to advanced. Study in your own time and at your own pace. Create the perfect course you need to achieve your goals. Flexible monthly payment plans. Free 7-day trial period. Cancel anytime.
5. ADAPTABILITY
How easy do you adjust yourself to your surroundings? Can you take responsibility and adequate course of action when on exploration? Do you have a strong attention to detail and are you persistant in the face of obstacles? These are all skills no astronaut can do without!
Think about further developing your following skills: showing initiative, goal setting, judgement and decision-making, (complex) problem solving, troubleshooting, analytical thinking, creative thinking and having patience.
Also important is managing productivity, time and energy (of yourself, and that of others), dealing with isolation and having a good set of technical skills, for example when it comes to working with computers and robots.
When controlling operations of equipment or systems, it is important that you can watch gauges, dials, or other indicators to monitor and make sure everything is working properly.
Thorough system analysis and evaluation will help you identify measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Critical thinking is another very important skill: by using logic and reasoning, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
You understand the implications of learning and internalizing new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
The term “Life-Long Learning” and finding the best learning strategies for different learning styles is music to your ears!
You also have an interested in doing scientific research and running experiments, learning more about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) – and even minimalism is part of adapting to the space around you!
You are an independent person with a thirst for innovation: with your creativity and alternative thinking, you are able to develop new ideas for and answers to (work-related) problems.
START HERE:
- Going To Mars? Find Out How At The Design Museum In London
- Astronaut Chris Hadfield Masterclass Review – Worth It?
- Analog Astronaut Training – #spaceuplive Notes
6. PLANET CARE
Many astronauts that returned from space have seen just how fragile our own little blue planet is and became avid protectors of the earth.
Shouldn’t we all make our future cause of our present time here on earth? What footprint do you wan to leave?
In caring for the planet, it’s habitat and animals, we work towards securing a just and sustainable world for both our present as our future generations.
Learn as much as you can about sustainability, different habitats, flora and fauna on earth and do what you can in making a positive impact on the world around you.
START HERE:
- Analog Astronaut Training – #spaceuplive Notes
