Lists are a simple and effective way to stay organized. They don’t take a ton of time to create, but they can offer a lot of help in managing your daily tasks and responsibilities. In this post, I share various ideas for lists to make for self-improvement that anyone can start today to enhance their life.
Your brain is super busy with so many thoughts running through your head every day. With everything the world throws at you demanding your attention, it’s impossible to hold on to all of them. Of course, we’re bound to forget some things!
This is where the power of list writing comes into play, turning intangible ideas into something tangible and actionable. But you don’t just want to make any list; you want to make good lists. Creating these lists isn’t just about jotting things down; it’s about setting your intentions, tracking your progress, and ultimately transforming your life.
Good lists can help you stay focused on your goals, whether they’re related to productivity, personal growth, or health. Discovering the best lists to make for self-improvement can truly change your approach to personal growth.
Quick Access
Writing vs Typing
Writing things out allows you to untangle your thoughts and solidify things you’ve learned. Studies have shown that the act of writing with a pen or pencil engages a different part of your brain than typing.
Even though typing is usually considerably faster than writing by hand, it’s less effective when it comes to retaining information. Want to remember something? Write it down.
General Self-Improvement Lists
Productive Habits to Build
Through identifying productive habits you want to build, you’re making a conscious decision to improve. The habits you have are an investment into your future. Like the quote goes, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
The habits you choose to cultivate greatly influence your self-improvement. So what positive and productive habits do you plan to build?
Bad Habits to Quit
Through shining a light on our habits the negatively impact our life, we’re increasing our self-awareness. You first have to be aware of your actions before you can make any meaningful changes.
When you identify specific bad habits and list them out, you can set clear targets. Having a list of bad habits you want to quit can make space for new, better habits to replace them.
Things to Change
Writing down a list of things you want to change in your life is like giving yourself a personal roadmap to becoming the ultimate version of yourself. When you identify specific areas you wish to change, you’re bringing clarity along with accountability.
The act of writing out a list reinforces the commitment you’re making to yourself. By having them all down in front of you, you can also tackle them in a way that makes sense and doesn’t totally overwhelm you.
Your Strengths and Weaknesses
These lists will require some self-reflection and maybe even some detective work on yourself. We all have both strengths and weaknesses, knowing what yours are will help you navigate your self improvement journey so much easier.
What are the things you’re just naturally good at? Now is not the time to stay humble! When it comes to the things you’re not good at, don’t be hard on yourself. When you recognize your weak spots you can work with them instead of against them.
Gratitude List
Among the essential lists to make for self-improvement, a gratitude list stands out. Making a gratitude list can be a huge mood booster. It’s about writing down the things that light up your life, both big and small.
Maintaining a list of things you’re grateful for will actually work to rewire your brain over time. You’re helping to train it to seek the positives more easily than the negatives. Gratitude also makes your goals and ambitions that much meaningful.
Bucket List
I’ll be honest – I’m not a big fan of the term bucket list, but it had it’s origins in the late 18th century and seems to be going strong. This is basically a list of things you want to complete before you “kick the bucket”. Each item on this list should represent a challenge and an opportunity to grow.
These are things you hope to achieve and experience during your lifetime, so it should be a list that makes you feel excited! It can also serve as a reminder to pursue your passions and make each moment count.
Goal Attainment Lists
Big Scary Goals
Keep a list of your long-term more, ambitious, big picture goals. Those goals that are going to require you to step outside of your comfort zone and put in real work.
Having a list of these goals not only serves as a reminder of your ultimate aspirations, it can also help you stay aligned with them.
Medium Monthly Goals
A list of monthly goals helps you break down your big scary objectives into much more manageable tasks. These goals should be more specific than your big ones, and realistically achievable within a month.
Over time, you will become more familiar with the amount you can actually achieve in a month, and adjust as necessary.
Smaller Weekly Goals
My personal favorite size of goals is the smaller ones that can be immediately acted upon and completed within a short timeframe. Making a list of new goals to achieve each week can help you stay consistent and allows you more room for flexibility than the monthly goals. But these goals are still meant to keep you moving in the right direction.
Tiny Daily Goals
Your daily goals are about the small steps you consistently take in the direction of your goals. Small steps lead to great progress over time. Having daily goals promotes discipline and focus.
There doesn’t need to be much weight to these tiny goals, because you only have a day to finish them. This is the closest list to your regular daily to do list. Checking things off or crossing things off your list can provide a regular sense of accomplishment to fuel your motivation.
Goals You’ve Achieved
Keep a record of your accomplishments. Instead of immediately jumping from one goal to the next, acknowledge all of the progress you’ve made. Seeing all of the things you’ve overcome and achieved in one place can also help boost your confidence.
You know that you’ve tackled challenges before and come out on top. This list can serve as a helpful reminder than success is possible.
Ways to Work Towards your Goals
This is a list of strategic actions you can take towards achieving your goals on a daily basis. Regularly referring to your list of ways you can work towards you goal can help you maintain consistency when motivation is lacking.
Also, by having multiple strategies at your fingertips, you can adapt as situations change while still making sure you’re headed in the right direction.
Keep Learning Lists
Skills You Want to Learn
Making a list of skills you want to learn is a proactive first step towards personal or professional growth. Each skill you aim to learn can open doors to new opportunities and experiences. Having this list will help you navigate towards becoming a more skilled and versatile individual.
It’s not all about progress, though. Learning new skills can just as easily be about personal fulfillment.
Skills You Want to Improve
Creating a list of skills you want to improve can encourage self-awareness. We tend to underestimate the skills and abilities we already possess. In a world where we have access to glimpses of so many other people’s lives, it can be easy to fall into a trap of comparison.
You might feel like your own skills just aren’t good enough. But you’re probably doing better than you think! Of course we all want to improve though, and the only way to improve is through practice.
Regardless of skill level, there is always room for improvement. Perfect is the enemy of good. If you want to get better you have to let go of perfectionism. Because no one (NO ONE) is perfect.
Books You Want to Read
A list of books to read, or a To Be Read (TBR) list ensures that you’ll never run out of options for your next read. Crossing titles off of the list can motivate you to continue reading regularly.
These books can be for self improvement, education, or purely entertainment. Reading can help keep your brain active, regardless of the content. Reading books is a foundational tool for self-improvement.
Podcasts to Listen to
Podcasts have become an increasingly popular source of information and inspiration. The best thing is that they are usually divided into short segments that you can easily fit into your schedule.
Having a list of ones you’d like to check out prevents you from having to search the literally millions of podcasts available online.
Hobbies to Try
Exploring new hobbies is an amazing way to reduce stress, discover new talents, step out of your comfort zone, and break the monotony of your daily routines. Hobbies can give you something to look forward to, and something outside of your usual job to work on.
Places to Visit
Travel isn’t just about seeing new places; it’s about experiencing the world in a new way. Not everything can be learned from books and videos, some things just need to be experienced.
Travel is known to broaden the mind by exposing you to new cultures, histories and people. This is one of the most exciting lists to make for self improvement, but can definitely help you grow as a person.
Lists to Stay Organized
Staple Grocery List
It’s dangerous (for your wallet) to go shopping for groceries without a plan or a list. When you aren’t wandering aimlessly through store aisles, you can streamline the process.
Having a list with the staple items that you frequently by can also help reduce those impulse buys while ensuring your kitchen stays stocked.
Go-to Healthy Meal Ideas
Having a list of go-to meals ready is a perfect example of how lists can make a real difference. By having this list, you’ll find it easier to stick to your health goals, save more time, and spend less money.
You don’t have to spend time thinking about what you could make, because you already have a list to reference of meals you know that you enjoy!
Appointments You Need to Make
There are so many different appointments we need to keep up with to maintain your optimal health and overall well-being. Check-ups with your regular doctor, dental visits, or ophthalmologist can be overwhelming to schedule.
That’s not even mentioning appointments like car maintenance, beauty treatments, or veterinary check-ups!
Your Go-to Routines
Establishing routines can have a great impact on your health, productivity and general self-improvement. Having a list of what your routine involves can provide a clear overview and help you maintain consistency.
A great morning routine can set you up for a successful day, while a calming night routine can help you drift off to dreamland more peacefully.
Your Expenses
Knowing how much you’re spending and where your money is going to it’s key when it comes to managing your finances effectively. This is doubly true if you have savings goals, or want to identify areas where you may be able to cut back.
Your Daily Non-Negotiables
Your daily non-negotiables are the tasks you commit to doing every single day, no matter what. They could be health related, work related or just about personal growth.
The one thing that they have in common is that they don’t get skipped. Having a list of your non-negotiables can help clearly define your priorities and hold yourself accountable.
Master To Do List
A master to do list is a list with just about everything on it. It’s the one place to capture all of your tasks and projects. This includes short-term, long-term, big and small tasks.
Having everything centralized into one list makes it easier to review and prioritize all of the things you want to do. It can make planning your weeks and months more straight forward as well. Managing a master to list (because they can get long!) encourages self-discipline and organizational skills.
Your Favorites
This is a little different that the rest of the sections, so let me explain.. Making lists of your favorite things may seem like just a fun activity, but these lists can also serve as motivational tools. Creating these lists can also help you get to know yourself a little better.
 
Favorite Quotes
Some quotes just really speak to you on a deeper level. Your favorite quotes may be just what you need to lift your spirits and reignite your spark. Personally, I find that it’s so easy for great quotes to slip away from our minds when we try to reach for them.
Having a list of your favorite makes referring back to them much more simple.
Favorite Affirmations
When you really need affirmations the most, you often can’t think of anything. When you’re already feeling down in the dumps, it can be difficult to come up with positive statements about yourself and your circumstances.
Having a list of your favorite affirmations can save you from trying to think of new ones on the spot.
Favorite Exercises
Keeping a list of your favorite exercises can be like crafting your own fitness system. When we stick to the same routines, it can start to feel a bit stale. Having a list of exercises you already know that you enjoy can make mixing things up a lot easier.
Knowing what works for you can also help you create more effective workouts. Not to mention that the best workout is the one that you actually do!
Favorite Self-Care Activities
Taking care of yourself is an essential part of life and not something to be neglected. On those days where you’re just feeling off or burnt out you can refer to your list of tried-and-true self-care activities.
Instead of wondering what you can do, you have a personalized list to remind you of the things that boost your mood and reduce your stress levels.
Those are 29 of the absolute best lists to make for self improvement! I recommend starting with simple lists to make for self-improvement, such as books to read or habits to develop, to kickstart your journey.
I hope this ultimate guide has shown you that making lists is more than just a way to remember tasks — it’s a tool for taking control of your life and steering it in the direction you want to go.
