Last Updated October 19, 2023 by Davina Kelly
Are you looking for some monthly goal ideas to improve your life? If the answer is yes, this post is for you!
If you are ambitious and have big dreams you need to set goals. Setting monthly goals is a great way to help you reach your ultimate goal.
A month may seem like a short amount of time, but you can get a lot done. You can break unhealthy habits and create new healthy habits.
Having a goal to work towards can also improve your personal development as you will gain new skills while on the journey to reach your goals.
In this post, I will share some ideas for goals you can set each month that will benefit you in all areas of your life.
This post is all about monthly goal ideas.
Personal Development Monthly Goal Ideas
1. Read Self-Development Books
Reading is a great way to work on your self-development goals. It is an easy way to learn how to improve yourself in a practical way.
Committing to reading for 30 days may seem overwhelming especially if you don’t read consistently or at all, but I promise it isn’t. Reading can be an enjoyable way to learn.
To make it easy for yourself I recommend choosing a good book that you will enjoy. Choose a time in the day you can read and do it consistently. After 30 days you may surprise yourself and become an avid reader.
2. Watch Documentaries/Interviews
Another way to learn is by watching other people’s stories. There are people who have done groundbreaking things, overcome big obstacles, and survived tragedies and share their stories in the form of a documentary or interviews.
This can be very inspiring as you get to see their mindset as they went through their trials and you can also learn from them.
Consuming this type of content for a month can have a positive effect on your mindset and can equip you with tools to help you work through difficult things.
3. Listen To Educational Podcasts
Podcasts are another great way to take in information and learn. There are so many different podcast categories to choose from so pick one that you are interested in.
Some of my favourites are The Diary Of a CEO and Super Soul Sunday.
The great thing about podcasts is that you can listen to them while doing other things like cooking, cleaning, running, etc.
You could choose an activity you enjoy doing like going for daily walks and listen to an educational podcast for 30 days
4. Learn a New Skill
Committing to learning a new skill for a month can be life-changing. It is a great way to challenge yourself and improve your cognitive development.
The skill you learn can be practical or it can be fun, the most important thing is that you commit to it for a month.
5. Write
Writing is a powerful form of expression. It is a way to express yourself and gain clarity on your thoughts and it can be therapeutic.
Committing to writing for a month can be eye-opening. You can learn many things about yourself and also come up with some great ideas.
Career/Business Monthly Goal Ideas
6. Take An Online Course
Taking an online course is a great way to learn a new skill. Instead of spending months trying to learn something you can take a course and learn from someone who is an expert in the field.
Committing to taking an online course for a month can make you invaluable. If you choose to take a course in your career field it could help you to secure a senior position and increase your salary.
7. Ask For Feedback
Asking for feedback from your manager or your customers if you have a business is a great way to learn what you need to improve.
It can feel uncomfortable because you are opening yourself up to criticism, but it will help you to improve in ways you are not aware needed improvement.
You can ask for feedback and spend the month trying to improve in the recommended area.
8. Create An Efficient Schedule
When it comes to work or business, efficiency is always the goal. We are always trying to find the most efficient way to get things done.
You can think about an area in your work or business where you can be more efficient and dedicate a month to improving it.
For example, if you have a busy schedule and your emails are being neglected you could schedule time in the morning and afternoon dedicated to responding to emails.
This way you have dedicated time to work on clearing your inbox and still get other important tasks done throughout the day. If you do this every day for a month you will be on top of your emails in no time.
9. Build Relationships
Relationships are a major key in work and business. If you have good working relationships with your colleagues it can make your job more enjoyable. In business having a good relationship with your customers builds trust.
You can think of someone at work or in your business that you want to build a closer relationship with and commit to nurturing that relationship for a month.
You can start by reaching out via email, Linked In, or whichever form is most convenient and let them know you would like to connect with them. Once communication has been initiated you could arrange to talk on the phone or meet up.
10. Batch Your Work
Another way to be efficient at work or in business is to batch tasks. This can be a great way to get ahead on your work. The reason it works well is because once you are in the flow state of doing a task it is best to stay there than to interrupt it and change task.
For example, if you are a writer it is common to get writer’s block. A great way to combat this is once you feel creative and begin writing you could maximise this time and write as much content as possible.
Doing this for a month can allow you to be organised and get ahead of your schedule.
11. Update Your Resume
Updating your resume is a great way to always be prepared for new opportunities. If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready lol
Most of the time we wait until we are in the process of applying for a new job to update our resume.
But if we do it beforehand we can take our time and ensure we capture all of the important parts of our current job.
You can set a goal to update your resume with your current job by the end of the month or give it a makeover if you haven’t updated it in a while.
12. Create a Work/Life Balance
Creating work-life balance is super important. We spend most of our lives working so it is important to make time for balance in our lives so that we can enjoy the fruits of our labour.
For example, you could decide to stop working at a certain time each day. This way it gives you a specific time to stop working. You can then make time for yourself or spend time with your family.
You can try this for a month and see how you get on. If the time you chose doesn’t work, you can tweak it to work better for you. But during that time you will have experienced the benefits and be more inclined to want to continue.
Self-Care Monthly Goal Ideas
13. Journal
Journaling is an excellent tool for self-care. As I mentioned above writing is a great way to get clarity on your thoughts and express yourself.
We have a million thoughts running through our minds every day, writing them down can be a great way to get them out of your head and organise them.
There are many different ways to journal. You could brain dump, use prompts, or do morning pages. You could choose one way or try a different method every day and see which one you enjoy the most. I have a post about journal prompts for self-growth that you may find helpful you can read it here.
Getting started is fairly easy, you just need a notepad and a pen. I would recommend choosing a time of day when you know you have at least 20 minutes to yourself and sticking with it. This will help you to stay consistent.
14. Meditate
Meditating is a powerful way to be still and bring awareness to your thoughts. It can also help to reduce stress and anxiety.
It can seem overwhelming at first but you can start small and build up once you get used to it.
There are many ways to get started. You could commit 5 minutes a day to just focus on breath work or you could use a guided meditation.
15. Reduce Screen Time
We are constantly staring at screens every day, whether it is our phones, computers, or tablets. Reducing the amount of time we spend looking at screens can have many positive benefits such as improved sleep and reduced eye strain.
You can set a time limit on how long you can use social media apps or you could stop using your gadgets after a specific time.
16. Make Time For Self-Care
Self-care is very important in our daily lives. You can’t pour from an empty cup so you need to make time for yourself.
You can make time for simple things that you enjoy like pampering yourself in the evening, having a nice relaxing bath, or watching your favourite TV show while drinking a cup of tea.
17. Say Positive Affirmations
Affirmations are a powerful way to pour into ourselves. When you say affirmations they start with ‘I am’ This is a powerful way to affirm yourself and speak who you want to become into existence.
You could say them to yourself or you could write them in your journal. Choose the way that is most comfortable for you.
18. Create a Sleep Schedule
Sleep is very important for our health. Lack of quality sleep can affect our mental health and our overall health and set us up for a bad day. (I don’t know about you, but I am moany when I am lacking sleep lol)
Creating a sleep schedule will help train your body to sleep at a certain time and will help you to fall asleep faster. Doing this consistently will improve the quality of your sleep and have you waking up ready to take on the world!
19. Express Gratitude Daily
Expressing gratitude can change the vibration of your life. It is a way to signal to the universe that we are grateful for what we have and to please send more.
I know this can be hard if you are going through a tough time, but in those moments it can make you realise that things aren’t as bad as they seem.
Each day you can think of at least 3 things you are grateful for and write them in your journal.
Health/Fitness Monthly Goal Ideas
20. Eating Balanced Meals
Eating balanced meals is important for fueling our bodies and getting the nutrients we need to perform at our best every day.
If you don’t eat balanced meals at the moment you can start by making small changes. You can commit to making your plate more colourful by adding vegetables to every meal. Or you could swap one of your snacks for fruits. Small consistent changes over a month can lead to big results.
21. Move Your Body Daily
Moving your body every day is a great goal to have for your overall health. You don’t need to do an hour-long workout every day, it can be simple things like going for daily walks or yoga.
You can try different activities every day for a month and see which movement you enjoy the most.
22. Try a New Recipe
Trying a new recipe can be a great way to add variety to your diet as we tend to be creatures of habit and always eat similar foods.
You could try a new recipe every week for a month. This is a great way to experience different ways of cooking and taste new flavours.
23. Reduce Takeaways
Eating fewer takeaways is a good choice for your health and for your pockets lol Takeaways are convenient and there is a time and place for them, but it shouldn’t be a daily occurrence.
You don’t need to cut them out completely, but you can reduce the frequency. To make this easier you could plan your meals or you could try to make a homemade version of your favourite takeaway. You may surprise yourself and cook a better version.
24. Stretch
Incorporating stretching into your daily routine is really good for your muscles. Stretching can help to relieve you of back pain and arthritis. It can also help with imbalances as we age.
You can stretch for 10 – 20 minutes a few times a week. There are plenty of stretches online or YouTube videos you can watch and follow along with.
Money Monthly Goal Ideas
25. Track Your Spending
Tracking your spending can help you recognise your spending habits and make improvements where necessary.
For example, you could spend $100 a month on takeaways but not realise it because you are not tracking your spending.
You can commit to reviewing your spending each week for a month, this will give you an understanding of your spending habits. With this information, you can make any necessary adjustments.
26. Set a Savings Goal
Saving is important for your personal finances. It can make you feel more comfortable about spending money as you have a backup plan.
You could think of an amount you want to save by the end of the month and commit to reaching it. To help you reach your goal you could cut back on spending in certain areas of your budget and put the extra money towards your savings goal.
27. Invest In The Stock Market
Investing in the stock market is a great way to grow your money. If you do this consistently over the long term you can build wealth.
I know the stock market can be overwhelming, but it isn’t as complicated as it may seem. I have a post where I explain how to get started with investing in a simple way, you can read it here.
28. Create A Budget
A budget is a great tool for managing your finances. It is a great way to plan your money in advance to reach all of your financial goals. This way when you get paid your money has direction and you will know exactly where it needs to go. Creating a budget can seem daunting, but I promise it can be simple! I have a post walking you through the process you can read it here.
29. Pay Off a Debt
Having debt can be stressful, especially consumer debt as this type of debt carries high interest rates making the debt expensive.
You could set a goal to pay off a debt or make a payment towards it. Taking this first step can help you get into the habit of paying off your debt each month and eventually be debt-free!
30. Set Up Sinking Funds
Sinking funds are a great way to plan for upcoming expenses. The idea is you create different categories and create a savings fund for all of your expenses.
For example, you have to maintain your car each year so why not plan for it by creating a sinking fund for the maintenance costs? This way you will be prepared and will not have to pay large sums of money unexpectedly.
31. Create a Finance Routine
Setting goals for your finances is great, but you need to make time to check your progress. If you have a budget or have set a savings goal you can check your progress during this time.
You can spend an hour once a week for a month and check your progress.
Productivity Monthly Goal Ideas
32. Declutter
Decluttering is something that is often neglected. It is one of those boring tasks that we tend to put off. Making it a goal for the month can force you to get it done.
You always feel good after you declutter and your space feels lighter.
33. Clean Out Your Wardrobe
Cleaning out your wardrobe is another one of those boring tasks that we put off. If you are anything like me you often say I don’t have anything to wear while you have a wardrobe full of clothes lol This is usually because your wardrobe is cluttered and you can’t see all the items you have.
Making this a goal for the month can force you to get it done. You could also resell your unwanted clothes online and make some extra cash, places like eBay, Vinted, and Facebook marketplace are good places to sell them.
34. Make Time To Complete Admin Tasks
Administration tasks can seem boring but they are important when adulting lol Things like scheduling doctor’s appointments, going through your bank statements, and doing the laundry can seem boring but we need to get them done.
For a month you can commit to tackling your admin tasks for an hour each day. You will be surprised by how much you can get done in an hour.
Benefits Of Monthly Goals
Setting monthly goals is a great way to help you reach your ultimate goals. Most people set big goals at the beginning of the year but don’t end up reaching them because they get overwhelmed. Having monthly goals is a smart way to break your ultimate goals down and make them easier to manage.
Goals are also very good for your personal growth. If you want to improve your life working towards your goals is a way to put them into action and track your progress.
A month is a good amount of time to commit to a habit and see some changes. For example, if you decided to commit to running 3 times a week in a month you could improve your technique and distance. Afterwards, you could realise that you love running and want to stick to it.
How To Set Monthly Goals
When you are setting goals for yourself you need to be specific about what you want to achieve and why. The reason this is important is because once the excitement of working towards a new goal fades, your why will keep you going.
For example, do you want to set a goal of waking up at 5 a.m. every day? Why? Is it because you want to make more time in your day to get things done? If so this reason will help you to wake up when your alarm goes off and you feel tired, because it is connected to something important to you.
Your goals need to support your growth and ultimate goals, aligning these two will help you reach your goals and continue to elevate in life.
Once you have decided which goals you want to set you need to make a detailed plan to reach them.
How To Achieve Your Monthly Goals
Start With Your Why
As I mentioned above you need to know why you want to reach your goals. When your goal is attached to something meaningful or emotional you are more likely to stick to it.
For example, if your goal is to go for 30-minute walks each day to help reduce your anxiety you will stick to it because it is helping you to overcome something in your life. Being clear on your why will help you to keep going when things get tough.
Be Specific
To be successful in reaching your goals, your goal needs to be clear and specific. It isn’t enough to say I want to move my body more. A specific goal would be I want to move my body 3 times per week by going on 2 runs and doing yoga.
Challenge Yourself
You want your goals to be achievable, but you also want to challenge yourself. You need to put yourself in uncomfortable situations to grow. However, it is important to find a balance as setting goals that are too difficult can be demotivating.
For example, setting a goal to work out 5 times a week can be unrealistic if you haven’t worked out for a year. A good balance would be to set a goal to work out twice a week doing yoga consistently for a month.
Think about your abilities, the time you have available, and what you want to ultimately achieve when setting your goals.
Write A Plan
A goal without a plan is just a wish, if you want to reach your goals you need to have a plan. Once you have decided on your goal you need to figure out the action you need to take, when you will take the action, how long it will take, and how often you will do it.
For example, if your goal is to meditate you could plan to meditate at 8 a.m. on your bedroom floor, for 10 minutes every day.
You can write this down in a notebook or you could use google calendars. I have started using Notion this year and it has been a game changer for me.
Make it Measurable
When setting goals it is important to make sure they are measurable and timely. As these are monthly goals the time is already factored in, but you also need to be able to see your progress.
For example, if your goal was to run 3 times a week for a month you could make this goal measurable by including that you want to be able to run 2 miles in 20 minutes by the end of the month.
Review Your Progress
While you are taking steps to reach your goals it is important to check in and review your progress. Doing this will allow you to see if your plan is working, if it isn’t you will be able to make adjustments.
To do this you could review your progress each week to see if you are on track to reaching your goals.
Make It Easy
The best way to reach your goals is to make it as easy as possible for yourself. Once you do this you will have your environment set up to work with you and make reaching your goals easier.
Some examples of this are, getting recipe ideas and planning your meals if your goal is to eat healthier. Or putting your workout clothes out the night before for your workout.
Final Thoughts
Setting monthly goals is a great way to work on improving yourself each month. Aligning your monthly goals with your ultimate goals is a smart way to ensure you reach the goals you have set for yourself.
The best way to reach your goals is to be clear on your why, make them specific, and set yourself up to win. Implementing these strategies will help to make reaching your goals easier.
As long as you show up consistently put in the work and hold yourself accountable you will reach your goals.
Have you found these goal ideas helpful? Which goals will you set for yourself this month and why?
This post is all about monthly goal ideas.
Davina Kelly
Hey! I'm Davina, the owner of Davinas Finance Corner. I'm passionate about finding ways to budget, save, earn more money and improve your life. After breaking free from payday loan debt and living paycheck to paycheck I want to share my experience to help other women improve their finances.