Are you looking for ways to add more brownie points to your resume? Or perhaps you might be interested in picking up a new hobby?
In either case, learning a new language can be an excellent way to utilize your free time.
As the world becomes more globally connected, multilingual individuals find it easier to forge deeper personal and professional connections. Apart from improving your communication skills, learning a second language is great for your memory, concentration, and self-esteem too.
The best part is that learning foreign languages has become easier than ever with platforms, such as italki. You get access to one-on-one language training with skilled and certified tutors. Also, you get to practice and further build your language skills by connecting with a close-knit community of learners.
If you still can’t decide whether to take the plunge, we’ll walk you through the key benefits of learning a second language. Let’s dive right in.
1. Improved Brain Function
Learning new skills is a great way to stimulate your brain. It’s particularly important for aging individuals.
The good thing about learning a new language is that it forces you to use both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. That, in turn, increases the production of white and gray matter.
As you learn new words, idioms, and rules of grammar, it boosts your memory and cognitive function. A study found that bilingual individuals experience delayed onsets of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
So, if you’re looking for a way to flex the muscles in your brain, and keep it functioning for longer, it’s high time you choose the language you want to learn.
2. Outstanding Career Opportunities
While the pandemic has forced people to stay indoors, establishing global connections has become easier with video conferencing tools. If you’re already employed, be prepared to interact with coworkers, clients, and vendors from foreign countries.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could talk to these people in their native language? Apart from impressing your coworkers and seniors, it also helps eliminate any gaps and misunderstandings in business communication.
It’s even more important if you’re working as a freelancer. Speaking in multiple languages will help you work with clients from different countries. It comes in handy when you’re traveling abroad from work assignments as well.
So, whether you’re looking to climb up the corporate ladder or build an impressive portfolio of clients, adding a new language to your resume will enhance your prospects.
It is, however, important to choose the right second language. Whether you’re planning to learn Portuguese or Spanish, make sure you weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each language. It’ll help you identify the language that’s better suited for your professional pursuits.
3. Enhanced Focus and Creativity
In an era of declining attention span, forcing your brain to learn new words, sentence structures, and grammar helps improve your concentration. As your brain switches between different languages, it learns to tune out irrelevant information.
That, in turn, lets you focus better on any task at hand. It helps you get better at multitasking as well.
Also, learning a second language exposes you to a different culture and heritage. It can go a long way to shaping your worldview and opinions, thus flooding your mind with more creative ideas.
4. Excellent Communication Skills
Most people lack formal training in their native language. You pick up the words, idioms, and sentence structures by instinct. Your perception of the language is shaped by how you hear others in your family speak.
But with a second language, you’re forced to learn its grammar and lexis. It helps improve your understanding of your native language, and ultimately, helps you inculcate better communication skills.
5. Increased Self-Confidence
Whether your end goal is to travel the world or impress your employer, learning a second language has a positive impact on your self-confidence. As you interact with others in their native language, you feel more confident about your ability to communicate.
Also, the improved cognitive function and focus associated with learning a new language further boost your self-esteem. You feel more prepared to deal with new challenges, as well as learn from your mistakes.
In Conclusion
Learning a second language is more than simply starting a new hobby. It offers a plethora of benefits, including improved brain stimulation, focus, and self-confidence. Also, it helps you better understand and communicate in your native language. All these factors contribute to personal and professional success.
