25 Essential Skills Every Guy Should Know How to Do

There are many types of skills a man can learn. Work skills allow you to do a specific job – while life skills help you with everyday tasks. These 25 essential skills will help you succeed in all areas of your life, be it school, work, or sports.

Also, ask any woman – there’s nothing more manly than a guy who can confidently fix things around the house – or solve problems in general. Whether it’s a leaky faucet or changing a car tire, you should learn and follow some – or all of the tips below.

25 Life Skills Every Man Should Know

Basic life skills for men include cooking, financial management, home maintenance, laundry, basic first aid, communication, time management, self-defense, car maintenance, and emotional intelligence. These empower well-rounded, independent, and responsible living. For the complete list, read along:

1. How to Tie a Tie

First, there comes a time in every man’s life when he needs to learn how to tie a tie. Maybe it is the day of your high school prom, graduation, or your first job interview. The fact is, you must learn to tie a tie sooner or later in life. 

When you feel comfortable with the basic technique, you can learn more challenging ways, such as the Half Windsor Knot, Pratt Knot, or Nicky Knot.

If you are looking for the perfect tie, make sure to read this article: How to Pick the Perfect Tie for Your Outfit: 6 Tips

2. Fix Things Around the House

As mentioned before, it can be attractive when someone is capable of solving problems around the house. Whether you prefer to handle maintenance tasks on your own or have the right contacts to help with any issues, being a problem solver is a valuable trait for any man.

As a man, you need to know how to solve problems. Problem-solving requires a lot of learning, and often the right tools. Lucky for us, there are dozens of free videos on the internet where professionals teach us how to solve a specific problem.

Have the courage to start with problem-solving, but if it requires professional knowledge or tools, make sure to call a professional; otherwise, you’ll make a bigger mess.

3. Change a Flat Tire

This is a tricky one because most new cars no longer come with a spare wheel. However, it is still a great skill to have up your sleeve. Let me tell you why.

Imagine you are on vacation and decide to rent a car with your family to explore a new city. You’re on a long drive in the middle of nowhere when you suddenly experience a flat tire. What are you going to do now?

Take out the jack from the trunk, and put it at the right spot next to the wheel – there is a specific place for the jack. Loosen up the knots, jack up the car, take off the flattened wheel, put on the new wheel, slightly tighten the knots, lower the car, then tighten up the knots fully. It’s that simple.

4. Iron Your Shirts

It is another skill that many men neglect to learn for some reason. Learning to iron your dress shirt or any clothing is not difficult at all. A traditional steam iron is super cheap, and luckily for us, there are dozens of tutorials on how to learn ironing on the internet.

However, if you still think it’s a lot of work to learn and do, you can buy a modern garment steamer.

5. Basic Cooking Knowledge

We will talk about cooking a lot in upcoming articles. There is nothing sexier than a man who can put together a fancy and tasty dinner for their partner on a date night.

I know fast cars and expensive restaurants are the ideals for some people, but trust me, if you invite the right person to your apartment and make her favorite dish, she will hardly forget that night. Of course, only if she’s got proper values in life.

Learning how to cook is not as hard as some may picture it. You just need to understand the basics, have the necessary tools, and have a few good ideas in your sleeves – and like with almost all things in life, practice makes perfect.

The more you cook, the more confident you will get in the kitchen, and people will notice that.

6. Keep Your Shoes Clean

Learning how to keep your shoes clean is a basic knowledge every real man should know, especially when you want to make a great first impression on your first date.

Numerous studies have shown that women check their partner’s shoes, whether they like them or not. That’s why you should always have a clean pair of shoes, especially on important occasions.

7. Hang a Picture

Perhaps it is one of the most commonly asked questions from our significant other. Learn the necessary tools and knowledge needed for the job. Different pictures and different walls need their separate tools and treatment. Hanging a frame or anything, in general, should be an essential task for every man.

8. Negotiate – Communicate with Others

Learning how to negotiate and communicate with others is a necessary skill in business and personal life. Knowing how to negotiate is essential if you want to be promoted in the workplace or express yourself in a difficult situation. 

Life is a series of negotiations. You negotiate all day, every day, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep – whether it is with your partner on where you want to go out or with your colleagues on your project. 

9. Parallel Parking

Having a driver’s license is usually an obvious point, but performing challenging driving tasks such as parallel parking should also be evident for all men. I know that learning how to do parallel parking is part of the learning process of driving, but I see so many people feeling afraid of it.

As mentioned before, practice makes perfect. We could have listed here to learn how to drive a car with a stick shift, but like with changing a flat tire, manual gearboxes are found less and less often in modern vehicles. Spend time learning the basics of driving, and you will be confident in any situation.

10. Take the Perfect Photo

I bet you had times when you were walking downtown, and people asked you to take pictures of them. They will be more than happy if you take quality photos of them.

One of the easiest ways to take a good photo of them is to take at least five from different angles. Take as many photographs of them as you can, so they can pick the best one.

The more photos you take, the better you’ll get. You will develop a good eye for photography. There are basic things about photography you need to be aware of – like lighting, finding the optimal distance, finding the right background, or using the right angles.

11. Sharpen a Knife

Even the sharpest knife in the world needs sharpening every now and then. There is nothing worse than a dull knife when you need to do precise slices. 

A dull blade is actually more dangerous to use than one that is sharp. 

Here’s why: An unsharpened knife or blade requires more pressure to cut, increasing the chance that the knife will slip with great force behind it. A sharp knife “bites” the surface more readily, meaning less force needs to be applied.

Learn how to sharpen a blade, do it regularly, and you will always be ready to slice off a piece of apple. 

12. Give a Firm Handshake

Nothing shows your confidence more than a firm handshake. If you are sitting at a table, stand up, look into the other person’s eyes, and give a  firm handshake. It shouldn’t be long, and you shouldn’t squeeze the other person’s hand. It should be natural and confident.

13. Give a Presentation or Public Speaking

We mentioned communication skills previously, public speaking is related to communication skills, but it deserves its own point. There comes a time in your life when you need to give a speech, whether in school, at work, or at your best friend’s wedding.

Knowing how to communicate with a crowd is not an easy task, but practice makes perfect in this case as well. Also, we made a dedicated article about it – make sure to read it after this one.

14. Buy a Suit

Buying a suit may seem like an easy task, but it’s more like buying a car than any other casual apparel. You need to know about the different styles, you need to check the different colors, and you need to try on a lot of suits before you find the one.

As we believe suits are the arsenal of the modern-day gentleman, we covered many essential parts of it – like the perfect accessories for suits and the best wedding suit colors.

15. Speak a Foreign Language

Speaking at least two languages is a must today. Of course, if your mother tongue is English, you will probably be understood everywhere you go – but learning the language of other countries is a sign of respect.

Personal story, but since I am not a native English speaker – learning English has changed my life. Keep reading to find out how.

Over the years, I have not only gained numerous international friendships but also expanded my knowledge about the world, secured well-paying jobs, and brought Midway Gentleman into reality.

16. Know How to Play Basic Card Games

Card games like poker have been around for centuries, and it doesn’t seem to be changing. Learning card games is a great skill to have up your sleeves. When you invite your friends or family, it’s great fun to play card games and get to know each other better while playing – and of course, winning is pretty awesome too.

17. Know How to Make Basic Cocktails

Owning a cocktail set and learning how to do basic cocktails is a great skill. Whether you invite your friends or your significant other over to your place, making them their favorite cocktails while talking a few sentences and interesting facts about the drinks will make their minds blow.

18. Know How to Give a Good Massage 

Giving your loved one a good back massage after a tough day is one of the best relaxations you can do for them. If you are not sure if you are doing it right – look for signs, what they enjoy, whatnot, and asking some questions will not hurt as well.

19. Jump Start a Car

Bad things happen. Life is just like that. Sometimes car batteries die, maybe your car’s, maybe from a stranger’s on the side of the road. Knowing how to jump-start a car and keeping a jumper cable in your vehicle is a must.

Also, this is the perfect place to include our comprehensive guide on What Every Man Should Keep in His Car: Complete List

20. Know How to Dance

Finally, if you want to impress a woman, learn to dance. Whether you are on a date at a grandiloquent venue or a formal event, learning how to dance is a sexy skill every man should practice.

You don’t have to be a professional dancer – if you know how to make a couple of moves confidently to any music, you will be good to go.

21. Know How to Shave

A man should know how and when to shave. Lucky for you, we’ve covered the topic deeply in one of our previous articles, so if you are not familiar with a wet shave or dry shave, make sure to read our article.

A man should always present himself sharply, and one of the easiest ways to achieve this is with a clean shave.

22. Know How to Write a Letter

It is essential to know how to write a letter, whether it is for work or a banking application. Although writing means emails these days, it is still a necessary skill to have.

There is a lot of software that helps us write better, yet I see so many people can’t put together decent writing. Download software like Grammarly and improve your writing. Believe it or not, this paragraph has been edited by Grammarly’s editor.

23. Personal Budgeting

You don’t need to be a finance guru or have an MBA in finance, but knowing how to manage your finances and create a budget can help you achieve your financial goals and avoid debt.

24. Time Management

Learning how to prioritize tasks and manage your time efficiently can help you be more productive and reduce stress.

25. Basic Sewing Skills

You don’t have to be a tailor, but being able to sew a button or hem a pair of pants can save you serious money on clothing repairs.

Why Should Men Know Basic Life Skills?

Knowing basic skills is essential for self-sufficiency, adaptability, and personal growth. It empowers individuals to navigate daily life, solve problems, and contribute to society. These skills form the foundation for lifelong learning and enable a more independent and fulfilling existence.

Conclusion

In a world of constant change, mastering essential skills is crucial for every man. From basic home maintenance to effective communication, these abilities empower personal growth and self-reliance.

Embracing these skills fosters confidence, adaptability, and a well-rounded life, ensuring a path to success in any endeavor.

Keep on reading: What Should Be in a Gentleman’s Wardrobe: Man Essentials