40 30-Day Challenges to Improve Your Life This Month

The 30-day challenge is a fast, focused way to make real changes in your life. 

By defining and committing to your focus at the beginning of the month, the little steps and actions you take every single day will add up to big growth by the end of the month.

Can 30 days really change your life? We think so. 

That’s why monthly 30-day challenges are a key component of the Ink+Volt Planner. At the beginning of each month, we provide you with a template to define and implement your monthly challenge that makes it easy to do! 

Just like any time we sit down to set goals, it’s important to make sure that your 30-day challenge follows the S.M.A.R.T goals formula. That means your goal for the month should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. 

We’ll start off by defining what you want to accomplish for the next 30 days. For example: for the next 30 days, I want to get 8 hours of sleep every night. 

The next step is to define your why. Why do you want to make this happen? Clearly identifying why you’re committing to this challenge is a crucial step that will help you when the going gets tough. Around day 15 when the excitement and newness has worn off and it might start to feel kind of annoying to continue sticking with your challenge, revisit your why and you’ll feel more motivated to keep going. 

Continuing with our example: I want to make this happen because I’m tired of feeling exhausted in the morning; I want to feel better and more refreshed every day so that I can be less cranky around my kids.

The third step is to create your action plan. How *exactly* are you going to accomplish this goal? Maybe you’ll set a reminder on your phone, block off time in your calendar, or leave yourself sticky note reminders. 

Here’s how I would approach my action plan for getting more sleep: Set an alarm each night for when it’s time to start shutting things down and getting ready for bed. 

Are you ready to change your life this month? 

To help you get started, we’ve compiled 40 ideas for 30-day challenges that you can start *today*! Pick one, download our free worksheet here, and start growing!

Fitness

Ready to get healthy this month? Whether you’re training for a marathon or just want to start being more active, here are five 30-day fitness challenges that will keep you moving all month long.

1. Go for a walk every day
2. Do 20 push ups a day
3. Try a new online workout every week
4. Stretch for 5 minutes every morning
5. Walk or bike instead of driving to the store

Creativity

Tap into your creativity this month with one of these 30-day challenges that will inspire and delight your inner artist. Pick up a beautiful notebook, put pen — or paint, or colored pencil — to paper, and start creating!

1. Sketch a picture every day
2. Write a daily journal entry
3. Unwind by coloring after work
4. Learn a new skill like photography, knitting, or hand lettering
5. Listen to a new musical artist each week

Relationships

Make this the month that you really show the important people in your life how much they mean to you. Whether you’re sending snail mail or hopping on a phone call or FaceTime, here are five 30-day relationship challenges that will help you feel more connected.

1. Reach out to someone every day to let them know you’re thinking of them
2. Send one letter a week
3. Make plans with someone once a week
4. Thank one person — a family member, friend, coworker — every day
5. Perform one kind act every day

Work

Whether you want to make real progress toward your next promotion or raise, be more effective at work, or start building a business, here are five 30-day challenges for your work and career that will set you on the path to success.

1. Turn your hobby into a side hustle
2. Avoid social media during work hours
3. Start sending status update emails to your boss (one of our favorite tips!)
4. Improve your 1:1 meetings
5. Take a lunch break every day

Wellness

Commit to living a healthier, more mindful month with these 30-day wellness challenges. Whether you’re starting a gratitude journal, meditating, or staying hydrated, we know you will feel stronger, healthier, and happier after 30 days.

1. Begin a gratitude practice: Set aside time every day to write down five things you’re grateful for (here’s a great blog post for some inspiration!)
2. Meditate every day
3. Drink 64 ounces of water every day (snag one of our hydration tracker book bands to help you keep track!)
4. Stick to a consistent bedtime
5. Commit to no devices in the morning

Self-Improvement

Become a better version of yourself this month. Learn something new, de-clutter your home, or give back with these 30-day challenges for self-improvement.

1. Read for 20 minutes every day
2. Start learning a new language
3. Reduce waste
4. Get organized
5. Volunteer

Food

How much care and attention are you giving the way you nourish your body each day? If you’d like to be more mindful about the way you eat, here are five 30-day food and meal challenges that will get you on track. (If you’re interested in getting started with meal prep, check out this blog post and our free meal planning worksheet.)

1. Meal prep breakfast and lunch every week
2. Try new spices and new recipes
3. Eat 3 servings of fruits and vegetables every day
4. Cut down on red meat consumption
5. Have a healthy breakfast every morning

Finance

From budgeting, to cutting out unnecessary spending, to committing to a savings goal — make this the month you get your finances in order with one of these 30-day personal finance challenges. (And check out our tips on budgeting here.)

1. Create — and stick to — a budget
2. Cut out nonessential shopping
3. Increase your savings/retirement plan
4. Track all of your purchases
5. Cook more meals at home