How to Create Your Own 30 Day Challenge

You are interested in 30 day challenges, aren’t you? I love them too.

There is one thing that I don’t like about it, though – following the ready made ones.

The challenge doesn’t feel personal when I try to do what others have written. It’s not that they are bad, but it just isn’t right for my day or energy levels at times.

It’s difficult for me to do things that I don’t feel connected to. I always try to create my own routine.

If you have started on a 30 days challenge and couldn’t complete it, then it might not be because you are lazy or undisciplined.

Ask yourself if these challenges and each day’s tasks meant anything to you.

If not, then this post on how to create your own 30 day challenge is for you.

You will be able to create a 30 day challenge that is personal to you and not based on the latest internet trend.

I have written posts about how to create your own morning routine and how to create your own self care routine. Check these out if you are tired of following someone else’s routine or the internet’s most famous ones.

A. Choose What Type of 30 Day Challenge You Want

30-day challenges can be done in two ways:

Type 1 – Repeat the Same Thing Every Day

This one is the simplest way to do a 30 day challenge.

You choose to do one thing and repeat it for 30 days.

Example:

• Make your bed every morning
• Walk for 20 minutes
• Meditate for 5 minutes
• Drink water before drinking coffee
• No screens for 1 hour before bed
• Do 15 minutes of digital decluttering
• Do a brain dump every morning

The purpose here is to build a habit through consistent action.

➡️ Here are 25 Simple 30 Day Challenge Ideas for some inspiration on what to choose.

Type 2 – A Different Task Every Day of the Challenge

Each day has its own task or activity that revolves around the goals/topic you have chosen.

Example: 30 day journaling challenge

• Day 1: Free write for 10 minutes
• Day 2: Write 5 things you are grateful for
• Day 3: Write a letter to your future self
• Day 4: Write about a childhood memory
• Day 5: Write about something you are proud of

This method of doing different tasks each day is helpful to make this challenge more fun and enjoyable.

It helps you to get creative.

Also, towards the end of the challenge, you will know which task you enjoyed and which helped you the most. Then you can continue to do this after the 30 day challenge is over.

B. How to Create Your Own 30 Day Challenge

Now that you know which type of 30 day challenge you want to do, it’s time to create one that actually fits you.

The steps will be different depending on whether you want to repeat the same task every day or try something different each day. Let’s start with Type 1.

1. If you chose to do Type 1

1. Choose the one that matters to you

This is so obvious; why even mention it, right?

The first step is the simplest, but we make mistakes in choosing the right one.

What is the right one? It’s the one that matters to you during this phase of life.

• Want better mornings? You could choose to make your bed, sleep and wake up at the same time, drink water before coffee
• Want to be more grateful? You could choose one minute of gratitude journaling, express gratitude to one person every day, take a gratitude walk, etc.
• Want to organize your digital life? You could do a 15-minute digital decluttering, organizing files on your laptop and phone, etc.

Don’t just choose something because you have seen it many times.

There should be a clear why behind what you are choosing for 30 day challenge.

2. Don’t choose more than 3

I have always tried to fix all areas of my life together.

So, I always end up trying to create a morning routine, a night routine, a skincare routine – everything all at once.

Unless we are doing something huge, our brain will feel like we aren’t doing enough.

You should remind yourself that it’s the consistent small steps that bring results. You can always add more and expand later as these tasks become a habit.

Choose between 1 to 3 tasks only.

3. Choose tasks that can be stacked upon

One of the easiest ways to stick to chosen tasks is if all of them can be done in the same stretch or time period.

Example: Drink water as soon as you wake up, make your bed after brushing, and no screen for 1 hour can all be done one after another.

This will help you to do the three things without fail.

2. If You Choose To Do Type 2

1. Start with the Outcome You Want

What is it that you want to achieve from this 30 day challenge?

Do you want better mornings, calm your mind, practice self-care, or gratitude?

You should have a strong why before you get started with the 30 day challenge.

If the challenge means nothing to you, it’s bound to fail.

2. Choose one specific topic

Don’t choose 30 day challenge to become the best version of yourself. It’s too vague and broad.

Examples of 30 day challenges are:

• 30 Day Decluttering Challenge
• 30 Day Journaling Challenge
• 30 Day Gratitude Challenge

It is easier to come up with daily tasks if you specify the challenge.

3. Brain Dump 30 Ideas

Take a piece of paper and write down as many tasks as you can think of for the chosen 30 day challenge.

Brain dump without overthinking or trying to be perfect.

It’s ok if you couldn’t figure out 30 tasks. It can be worked on later.

Example: For 30 day gratitude challenge, the tasks could be:

• Take a gratitude walk
• Write 5 things you are grateful for
• Express gratitude to a friend
• Bake cookie to neighbors to show gratitude
• Buy yourself a nice gift to show yourself gratitude

If you get stuck ask your friends and family if that’s comfortable for you.

And if you have totally run out of tasks, you repeat a few tasks throughout the challenge.

Example: Gratitude walks every Sunday.

Don’t add tasks that you know you will not be doing just to have a unique task for each day.

4. Assign days to your ideas

You choose the order of doing the tasks.

Let’s work on the previous example: Suppose you want to bake cookies; schedule it for a weekend instead of doing it on a work day.

Schedule tasks according to your schedule. Someday you may have dinner parties, work meetings, maybe a trip with family.

These don’t need to be reasons to skip the daily tasks. You cannot start a challenge when everything will be perfect.

Work your way around your schedule. This is why personalizing your 30 day challenge is important to be successful.

5. Make Each Day Simple and Doable

Each task should be doable.

A 30 day challenge doesn’t require 30 hard tasks for it to be meaningful.

The smaller the tasks, the more likely you are going to complete them.

If a task takes more than 15 to 20 minutes to complete, consider it a difficult task and assign dates accordingly.

Example: Deep clean entire kitchen – too big; clean the kitchen counter – doable.

Things to consider while choosing tasks are:

• Estimated time
• Energy available
• Materials, if needed
• Help from others, if required

These are the steps that will help you stick to a 30 day challenge.

C. Things to Pre-Decide Before Starting the Challenge

There are a few things that you have to do regardless of the type of 30 day challenge you have chosen to do. Let’s see what those are:

1. Decide What Happens If You Miss a Day

Whenever I try to do something new, for example, start a 30 day challenge or start a habit, something goes wrong after a few days.

Maybe I will get sick, or someone in my family gets sick, or some unexpected events happen.

I used to wonder if the Universe is working against me.

I miss a day, and then maybe another, and the streak is lost.

And I think to myself, what’s the point if I don’t complete the 30 day challenge within 30 days?

Next step: give up altogether.

It took me years to stop making this mistake.

So, how to avoid this and not fall into the all-or-nothing trap?

Pre-decide what you would do if you miss a day or two or more.

You can choose to

• Continue with the challenge and do the missed task towards the end.
• If you have time to do missed days’ tasks and the current day’s tasks, do it that way
• You can start over
• Give yourself grace, skip this task, and continue with the rest of the challenge.

A missed day or two shouldn’t be the reason you quit on this challenge.

2. Decide How You Will Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress gives you a dopamine hit. You can visualize your progress, and that will motivate you to continue with the challenge.

Some of the options to do this are:

• Calendar: good for visual streaks
• Habit Tracker: good for reminders and stats
• Notes App: Good for detailed review
• Printable Checklist: Good if you like paper, low friction
• Daily Photo: Good for visible progress
• Before and after reflection: Good to know the benefits of the tasks

The tracking method should be simple enough that this doesn’t become another thing you have got to do.

D. What to do After Your 30 Day Challenge

A 30 day challenge is a kick starter. If you don’t extend this into your life, its benefits end with the challenge.

At the end of the challenge, ask yourself:

• What tasks did you enjoy the most?
• Which one can you add to your daily routine?
• Which one can you do on weekends?
• What changes did you observe? How did this challenge help you?

Block out 20 minutes to reflect on this challenge and to decide how to continue doing this and make it into a lifelong practice.

Conclusion

Don’t rely on the internet for the 30 day challenges. You can create your own that makes sense to you.

I hope this post will help you do this.

Ready to create your own challenge?

Pick one area of your life, grab a journal to brainstorm, and decide which 30 day challenge to start doing.

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➡️30 Day Happiness Challenge: Discover More Positivity in Just One Month