Do you want to make positive changes in your life but struggle to stick to them? Maybe you’ve tried forming habits or breaking bad habits before but found yourself falling off the wagon after a few days. Or perhaps you’re looking to push yourself out of your comfort zone but keep putting it off for the next month. Whatever your motivation, 30-day challenges can kickstart your journey toward health and happiness.
Initially, experts thought we needed to repeat an action for at least 21 days to establish a habit. However, recent research suggests it takes closer to 59 days for a new behavior to become automatic. That doesn’t mean shorter challenges aren’t effective — the structure of a 30-day challenge or challenges of similar lengths can be a powerful tool for resilience and personal growth.
By committing to a 30-day challenge, you’ll have a clear goal to work towards, focus on the most important things, a natural checkpoint for measuring your progress, and an added level of accountability to keep you on track. With various challenges available, there’s something for everyone—whether you want to improve your daily routine, learn a new language, exercise, practice self-love, or develop a new skill.
Moreover, with the Headway app, you can access knowledge and resources to make your transformation successful. Our bite-sized book summaries aim to motivate and empower your journey from physical health to productivity and relationships. This article explores the best 30-day challenges for improving health and happiness. So let’s get started — are you ready to upgrade your life?
14 monthly challenges to change your life in 30 days
1. Join Headway’s monthly challenge to live happier
If you want to learn how to change your life in 30 days, Headway can help. Our detailed book summaries span numerous genres, including personal development, investing, career, family, etc. We’ve taken the best outlines to teach you how to live joyfully.
Let us introduce the 28-day Joyful Life challenge.
With 15-minute sessions per day, you can learn key insights from the top nonfiction books, including the following titles:
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle;
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson;
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie;
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden.
We’ve handled everything from the joyful life booklist to reminding you to complete the daily tasks. All you need to do is show up! So, if you’re looking for 30-day challenges for beginners, our reading lists are an excellent place to start. Check them out on the Headway app today.
2. Play the 30-day minimalism game
Simplifying your life starts with the things you own. This can be a life-changing experience. Reducing material possessions is a crucial aspect of Minimalism and the basis of this challenge. The 30-day Minimalism Game by The Minimalists is a straightforward way to declutter your life. On day one, you get rid of one item. On day two, you get rid of two items. The pattern continues throughout the challenge, making it more demanding, as by day 30, you have to get rid of 30 items in a single day.
The game is more entertaining when you’re doing it alongside a friend, colleague, or family member, as you can see who makes it the farthest to the end of the challenge. This 30-day self-improvement challenge will help you clear out unnecessary items from your home without sacrificing too much time.
3. Get your stretch on with this 30-day yoga challenge
Yoga With Adriene (YWA) is one of YouTube’s most prevalent yoga channels. The instructor, Adriene Mishler, has been creating free yoga videos for years and started the classic 30-day health challenge in 2015. She blends professionalism with a welcoming attitude, creating yoga sequences for all levels. The 30 days of yoga challenge is an annual tradition for many, which kicks off in January. They are great to live alongside others; however, you can also access the previous yoga challenges if you want to start immediately! If you’re looking for 30-day fitness challenge ideas that ease you into exercise, give YWA a go.
4. It all starts with one dollar at a time
Saving money can feel impossible for many people, but a spending challenge might get you started! In a similar format to the Minimalism Game, this 30-day challenge encourages you to take small steps toward your broader financial goals. Start by saving $1 on day one, $2 on day two, $3 on day three, and so on. For many, saving money in smaller installments is more manageable, so bigger sums aren’t leaving their account. Try repeating the challenge weekly if this amount isn’t within your budget.
5. Upgrade how you think about wealth in 28 days
To make a lasting financial change, you must learn how to save your money proactively. Although spending challenges like the one above make it easier to save money and budget effectively, there may be a better solution to hitting your financial targets. Say hello to the 28-day Wealth challenge on the Headway app.
This 30-day self-improvement challenge teaches you the fundamentals of money management, investing, and paying off debt. By the end of the month, you’ll understand how to apply this knowledge to your finances. Plus, it’ll help you discover top books to read to further your education.
In our comprehensive book summaries, you’ll get practical guidance from the best financial books, including the following:
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki;
You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero;
The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles;
No-Spend Challenge Guide by Jen Smith.
So, if you’re ready to make your money go further, download the Headway app today.
6. It’s all in the abs with this 30-day plank challenge
Need a quick hit of fitness? A targeted ab workout to test your endurance? Try this 30-day plank challenge by the popular fitness app MyFitnessPal. Rather than simply increasing your weekly time, this challenge guides you through plank variations as the month progresses. The plank challenge features varying levels of difficulty, including the following:
week one challenges you to a traditional plank pose;
week two increases in difficulty with the side plank;
week three adds momentum with a walking plank;
week four takes it to another level with alternative hand plank and Spiderman plank.
You’ll target various abdominal muscles for a well-rounded fitness task. If you’re looking for challenges to do at home, this monthly fitness challenge can be done anywhere with zero equipment.
7. 30 declutter challenges to do at home
If you’re looking for a minimalist challenge with more variety and direction, these 30-day challenge ideas are perfect. Modern Minimalism created a great printable list of practical tasks to help you clean up. Rather than simply eliminating the number of items relating to the day of the challenge, this task sets you specific goals each day. For instance, you might have a day dedicated to sorting books, cars, or your email inbox. It’s more structured and offers a clear plan for simplifying your life.
8. Going after your goals in 30 days
We all want to achieve our life goals, but many don’t know how. Whether investing, entering a leadership role, or starting your side hustle, you must know how to succeed in these areas. Learning about your industry and receiving proper guidance is essential to growth.
That’s where the 28-day Success challenge comes in. Many of the most successful people have shared tips, secrets, and lifestyles that have accelerated their achievements. That’s why personal growth books are so popular, as they provide tried and tested techniques.
Headway’s Success challenge maps out 28 book summaries to enhance leadership, goal-setting, ownership, and confidence. It focuses on the core players who are successful. By breaking down the steps and taking control, you’ll discover how to make your dreams an actuality.
Discover insights from the top growth books such as:
The Education of Millionaires by Michael Ellsberg;
The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch;
Start With Why by Simon Sinek;
Measure What Matters by John Doerr;
Leadership is Language by L. David Marquet.
9. 30-day full-body fitness challenge
Daily movement can impact various areas of your life, helping you feel stronger and more energized. If you aim to improve your fitness level, try this 30-day self-care challenge. It’s great for people wanting a structured workout plan with clear guidance on how to complete each move. Chloe Ting is a popular figure in the online fitness space for her grueling ab, legs, squats, push-ups, and weight-loss sessions. There are numerous 30-day fitness challenge ideas, so you’ll find something to suit your health goals.
10. 30-day time management challenge
If you struggle with managing your day, try these time management tools over the next 30 days. Focusing on one new habit at a time will help you make lasting adjustments to your schedule. For example, during the first week, stick to one additional task. The following week, you can look at adding another, and so on. Here are some strategies to help you spend time more effectively:
limit the amount of time you spend scrolling social media;
reduce or stop watching TV;
try time-blocking to prioritize and focus on one type of task at a time;
switch electrical devices off at a set time;
plan your week and delegate your time between work, travel, leisure, and learning.
11. Real man self-growth challenge
The Real Man 33-day challenge on the Headway app isn’t what you might think. This collection of valuable book summaries takes you on a journey to improve focus, success, mental well-being, and stress. Many of the titles in this plan are ideal for a 30-day mental health challenge. They are well-rounded and carefully selected to boost self-esteem and productivity.
In these 30 days of self-care, men will find some of the best nonfiction titles, including the following:
Bitcoin Billionaires by Ben Mezrich;
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson;
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma;
Man Enough by Justin Baldoni;
Deep Work by Cal Newport.
The core components of this reading challenge include self-discovery, confidence, success, awareness, and communication. To try this 30-day self-improvement challenge, read or listen to our detailed book summaries on the Headway app.
12. Find balance with a 30-day wellness challenge
The New York Times offers monthly challenges to contribute to your 30 days of self-care activities. The tasks include fitness videos, meditations, new recipes, enjoying a phone-free lunch, improving your morning routine, and discovering new music! Moreover, with the addition of reinventing date night, there are some interesting 30-day challenges for couples. Creating your own monthly challenges is easy when you have inspiration. This 30-day wellness challenge by the New York Times is an excellent example of combining different activities to create a balanced growth plan.
13. Put pen to paper for 30 days
There are many writing challenges online, such as the renowned National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which requires writers to complete 50,000 words in a 30-day timeframe. Does that sound daunting? That’s understandable. However, if you’re up for the challenge, it’s an excellent creative task for writers.
However, try a prompt-based challenge if you’re not ready for that commitment or want to keep your writing practice minimal. A 30-day journal prompts challenge can increase self-awareness and self-discovery with pre-set questions for each day. Alternatively, if you’re looking for fun 30-day challenges to stretch your creative abilities, do a creative writing challenge. Use prompts to create fiction pieces or poetry and discover a new way to develop your skills.
14. Improve your wellness with a 30-day challenge for women
We’re rounding off this list of 30-day challenges with Empowered Woman, a 33-day challenge on the Headway app. Build your confidence in various areas, including financial literacy, wellness, finding happiness, and improving relationships. We’ve crafted the ultimate collection that celebrates women’s stories, skills, and goals. You’ll discover some of the most beloved titles in nonfiction, including the following:
Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies by Tara Schuster;
The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama XIV and Desmond Tutu;
Becoming by Michelle Obama;
I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christiana Lamb;
Get Good with Money by Tiffany Aliche;
In the Flo by Alisa Vitti;
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis.
You can read or listen to these helpful summaries on the go. The Headway app makes learning accessible at the click of a button, no matter where you are or how much time you have.
Want to start today? Try a zero-hassle wellness challenge on the Headway app!
Making your own challenges allows you to personalize your month. However, if you’re not naturally motivated to work toward your goals, you may find creating and sticking to an effective plan challenging. Instead, kickstart your momentum on the Headway app.
You’ll find pre-structured challenges to meet various goals. We carefully curate each challenge to provide the most relevant and helpful insights on your preferred topic. Moreover, the bite-sized sessions and streak-builder make it easier to sustain the habit and show up daily.
Download the Headway app from the App Store or Google Play and see what you can learn.
FAQs
What are some good 30-day challenge ideas?
If you want to change your life in 30 days, try a challenge that complements your goals. For instance, try 30 days of self-care, a monthly fitness challenge, 30 days of decluttering, a 30-day detox, 30 days of random acts of kindness, or 30 days of positive affirmations.
Do 30-day challenges work?
Recent studies show habits start forming after 59 days. However, a 30-day challenge is an excellent place to establish structure and motivation.
Why should you do a 30-day challenge?
Doing a 30-day self-improvement challenge is an excellent way to push yourself out of your comfort zone and build new skills. It can motivate you to read more, follow a fitness plan, or try a minimalist approach to your home.
