As we approach the year’s final quarter, many of us might look back at how quickly the year has passed and wonder just what we did with our time. How many of the goals that we set at the start of the year have we hit?

September is Self-Improvement Month, a reminder that it’s not too late to drive personal improvement before the year is over.

If you’re not sure where to begin or what big goals you want to work towards, then start by working on the next 30 days.

Self-improvement doesn’t happen overnight. Realistically, you won’t be able to completely change your life in the span of a month, but 30 days is a good amount of time to start building better habits and driving small improvements to your life.

Here are 10 ideas on how you can work to improve yourself in the next 30 days.

1. Go for a short walk every day

Neuroscientist Dr Shane O’Mara, the author of In Praise of Walking, argues that walking can reverse the aging of your brain, improve creativity, and boost your mood.

In those moments when you feel stuck on a problem in your life, going on a walk can actually help you come up with new ideas on how to solve your problem.

Set a target to walk at least 30 minutes each day. If you’re already hitting this target, then set the goal of adding an extra 30 minutes to your daily walk.

2. Set aside 5-10 minutes for meditation

Like walking, meditation is an incredibly simple practice that has a huge impact on your mental health.

Research has found that regular meditation helps to improve our memory, mental clarity, attention and willpower, while lowering stress, anxiety, depression and pain. These benefits are all essential if we want to improve our lives.

If you’re not sure where to start, then check out the guided meditations that are freely available as videos on YouTube or podcasts on Spotify.

3. Block out a no-phone time in your day

All of us have been told time and again that too much phone use is bad for our mental health.

For the next 30 days, make a commitment to set aside some time each day when you will go without your phone.

This could be the first or last hour of your day, or maybe even the time outside the house, such as when you’re at the grocery store or on a nice dinner outing.

Leaving your phone behind can feel terrifying, but it also forces you to spend your time fully absorbed in the real world. It might seem strange at first, but just remember that once upon a time, people survived just fine without cell phones.

4. Reach out to a friend and make plans

When life gets busy, we often don’t spend time with people beyond our close friendship circles.

For the next month, try to reach out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, or a friend who you’ve mainly spent time with in group settings. Arrange a one-on-one catch-up with a different friend each week and ask your friend how their life is going.

Cultivating friendships takes effort and time, but having a greater network of friends will not only improve your happiness and self-confidence, but also allow you to invite new ideas into your life.

5. Try a new hobby

Sign up for classes where you can really immerse yourself in something creative or intellectually stimulating, an activity that takes you out of your everyday life such as art, scrapbooking or photography.

As inconsequential as they may seem, hobbies are a much better use of your spare time than being on your phone, and they can help ease anxiety and stress.

If you already have a hobby, perhaps think about how you can turn your hobby into a larger passion project. Having a project can also give you a sense of purpose, and it gives you something you can work towards without any external pressure.

6. Learn a new skill

Learning is a lifelong activity that keeps your mind active and improves your brain function. It also feels good to learn something that can enrich your life, and help your career change its course if you’re feeling stuck where you currently are.

For the next month, pick one skill to learn, and allot one night each week to work on that skill.

Platforms like Skillshare or Coursera are great online resources for courses on a variety of creative and technical skills. You could also look up classes offered at your local university or community groups.

7. Sign up for a new workout class

Sticking to the same exercises or workout regimen can often cause our fitness goals to stagnate.

For the next 30 days, try to reinvigorate your body by introducing something new to your fitness. You could sign up for a new type of exercise you haven’t done before, like reformer Pilates, yoga or boxing. A ClassPass membership is also a great way to try out different workout studios, as it gives you access to a wide variety of fitness classes.

The goal here is to shake up your routine and invite new workouts into your life.

8. Cut down on sugar and processed foods

It goes without saying that sugar and processed foods are terrible for our physical and mental health.

While it can be hard to change your whole diet in 30 days, you can start small by cutting down the amount of junk food you consume.

Set a goal to reduce the number of times you snack each day, or how many soft drinks you have each week.

You probably won’t notice any drastic differences at the start, and that’s okay. Remember that the goal is to build better eating habits that will improve your health in the long run.

9. Read a new book

Reading is a simple way to expose yourself to new ideas without you needing to leave the comfort of your home.

But beyond what you can learn, the practice of reading itself can also stimulate your neural pathways and improve your memory and concentration.

Set a goal of reading at least one book this month and allot 30 minutes each day to read.

If you’re looking for ideas on what to read, here are seven books that I think every woman should read at least once in her lifetime to help you get started.

10. Talk to a professional

Remember that you’re not alone in striving for self-improvement. There are professionals out there who are trained to help you in virtually every part of your life. You don’t need to figure out all the answers by yourself.

If you feel like your life is stuck in a rut, speak to a therapist or career coach. If you want to improve your finances, talk with a financial adviser. If you want to work on your physical health, consult a nutritionist, a holistic doctor or a personal trainer.

In this next month, make it your goal to connect with people who can give you their expert opinions on problems you may not be able to solve yourself.

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