How to work on self-improvement: 31 activities to try

1. Focus on your strengths

People sometimes think of personal development as “covering for their weaknesses,” which can lead to negative self-talk and discouragement. However, self-improvement can also mean developing your talents, becoming excellent at what you love to do, and having a lot of fun. 

Start by focusing on improving the things you’re already good at to help you gain momentum and motivation. Then, work toward identifying and targeting areas for improvement.

2. Declutter 

Decluttering is the process of letting go of the parts of yourself (and your environment) that no longer serve you. By decluttering, you can make space for new experiences, which can lead to increased awareness and growth. 

The decluttering process can be liberating and help you improve your organizational skills. Start by decluttering your desk or workspace and noting how it makes you feel. If it helps clear your mind, continue the process throughout your house or office.

3. Ask yourself powerful questions

Asking yourself tough questions may provide meaningful insights into your self-discovery process. It can help you identify areas for self-improvement that you may find most meaningful to your personal growth.

Try taking some time to think through the following questions and write down your answers:

• What are my personal values?
• What do I want to be remembered for? 
• How do I want to inspire others? 
• What would my older self tell me about my self-development? 
• What are my passions?
• What does my ideal life look like?

4. Seek feedback

As hard as it can be to admit, constructive feedback provides valuable insights to improve and better serve others. It helps you progress faster, make necessary adjustments, and accomplish more.

Try asking for feedback in all areas of your life. Talk with trusted colleagues, friends, family, and mentors to get a well-rounded view of how others perceive you, and consider using it to drive self-development.

5. Work with an accountability partner

Having an accountability partner, like a friend or coach, can provide tremendous support to help you stay on track and achieve your self-improvement goals. Accountability is a powerful mechanism that gently helps you move forward and reach your desired outcomes. 

A report out of Ohio State University found that sharing your goals with someone you consider to be of a higher status can lead to greater goal commitment and improved performance. Whenever you set a new goal for yourself, consider sharing it with someone you trust. 

6. Start small 

7. Keep moving forward

Many times, the biggest mistake people make is giving up on a process. Learning involves plateaus, moments of joy, and setbacks. If you choose to challenge yourself and improve, stick with it. If you fail to meet your goal one day, try again the next day.

8. Commit to curiosity

Intellectual curiosity pushes you to question and research more as you aim for profound wisdom. Curiosity arises every time you adopt the so-called “beginner’s mind.”

This behavior gives you fresh insights that are free from the bias of previous experiences. The most powerful discoveries start with asking questions.

9. Get more exercise 

Regular exercise can help you immediately feel better physically and mentally. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), physical activity can reduce your health risks, decrease short-term feelings of anxiety, and keep your judgment skills sharp. It can also improve your mental health. These benefits can improve your overall functioning so you can focus on your priorities.

Getting more exercise doesn’t have to start with intense activity. As with other goals, start small. Consider taking a 10-minute walk three days a week and build up from there.

10. Read more books

Reading is one of the most accessible ways to expand your knowledge and worldview. Books are great companions on the self-development journey, no matter what you want to improve.

Certain book genres are specifically dedicated to helping people improve themselves, such as books for personal growth and self-help books. If you’re not a big reader, you can also listen to self-improvement podcasts for a similar effect.

11. Start journaling

Writing down your thoughts can help you see them more clearly. Keeping a journal allows you to discover patterns and recurring ideas you may decide to pursue later.

Journaling comes with many benefits, including stress relief and increased mindfulness. According to a study published in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health, journaling can help reduce symptoms of mental illness in some people, especially those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders.

If you aren’t sure where to start, try following daily journal prompts or journal prompts for self-discovery.

12. Repeat affirmations

Affirmations are a powerful way to state your intentions and remind yourself what you value. Daily affirmations help you deliberately focus on positivity and bring more of it into your life.

To get started, try looking through positive affirmation examples to see which ones resonate. Then create your own list to repeat to yourself daily.

13. Choose a positive mindset

Paying attention to your expressions and words can help shape your daily life. Being mindful of what you say and how you say it is the first step to better understanding yourself.

It’s important to remember that having a positive mindset is a choice you can make every day. Be sure to pay attention to what your mind is choosing to focus on, and shift your focus to develop a growth mindset that allows you to pursue continuous improvement.

14. Get out of your comfort zone

Getting out of your comfort zone can lead to tremendous growth and cultivate a curiosity for the unknown. It can help you build resilience, expand your horizons, and boost your confidence.

A great way to do this is to try something new. You don’t have to go skydiving or complete some other extreme adventure to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Try taking a painting class, asking your partner to dance, or traveling somewhere new. All of these experiences can teach you more about yourself and your interests.

15. Set goals

It’s hard to improve yourself when you don’t know what you’re trying to improve. Be sure to set realistic goals that help keep you focused on becoming the best version of yourself. 

Good goals follow the SMART goals format, which stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Your goals should have a specific deadline and measurable outcome that helps you know when you’ve met them. They should also be relevant to your life’s purpose and within your reach.

16. Practice self-care

You won’t get far on your goals if you don’t make time for self-care, which involves setting aside intentional time to look after your body and mind. Self-care helps you relax and recharge so you’re ready to take on your next adventure.

A great way to get started is to create a self-care plan or self-care checklist with go-to activities you can use to unwind. This could be as simple as staying hydrated or scheduling a technology break to avoid distractions. It may also mean taking a mental health day away from work to allow your nervous system to decompress.

17. Find a mentor

Anyone can benefit from learning from someone who has been in their shoes. Whether they’ve gone through a similar life event or have built their way up in your industry, a mentor can be a great source of inspiration for self-improvement.

You can find a mentor for your career by attending networking events, reaching out to old bosses, or cold-connecting with someone on LinkedIn and asking if they’d be open to a mentor-mentee relationship. 

18. Use time management techniques

Managing your time well can help you become more disciplined and improve your self-determination. It can also help you be more productive so you can accomplish more.

To improve your time management skills, build good habits such as avoiding multitasking and procrastination. Learning how to prioritize tasks and create effective to-do lists can also help get you started.

19. Learn to say no

Making time for self-improvement is difficult if you already feel overwhelmed with other commitments. Sometimes, to fit in proper self-care, you have to learn to say “no” to other opportunities.

For example, if you were invited to a party on a night you had set aside for self-care, you can still stick with your original plan by turning the invite down. Additionally, if someone asks you for help with something but you have too much on your plate, it’s perfectly acceptable to tell them you can’t right now. 

20. Eat healthier

Good nutrition can improve your mental health. Healthy eating can help you concentrate and feel better and more alert. These benefits come from consuming a good mix of vitamins and minerals important to brain health.

Still, getting started on the right diet can be challenging. You should always consult your doctor before changing your diet to ensure it’s a good fit for your overall health. Working with a nutrition coach can help you improve your dietary habits.

21. Learn a new language

Learning something new, such as another language, can help keep your brain healthy. It can also make you a more well-rounded person and add to your skill set.

Immersing yourself in different cultures helps you develop new perspectives that can change your outlook on life. It can make you a more critical thinker while also giving you a leg up in the hiring process if an employer is looking for someone bilingual. 

22. Accept failure

Failure is a natural part of growth. Rather than viewing it as a negative outcome, try to see it as a learning opportunity. Learning from failure can help you develop resilience, humility, and cognitive flexibility, which are all important skills to have when responding to life’s uncertainties.

23. Make time for self-reflection

Self-reflection is the process of slowing down to analyze your feelings and goals. It helps you be more in touch with your feelings and emotions, explore your strengths and weaknesses, and make better decisions.

To get started, try responding to self-reflection questions via journal entries. Write down your thoughts for each and consider whether you want to make any changes to your lifestyle based on your answers.

24. Build healthy habits

Having healthy habits can result in improved physical and mental health. That’s because habits can make it easier to stick with your goals by ingraining them into your routines. 

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), adopting healthy habits can help you live significantly longer than those who develop bad habits. A few habits you can start today include drinking more water, engaging in mindful eating, and starting a meditation practice.

25. Create a morning routine

The way you start your day can have a huge impact on your productivity and well-being. That’s why it’s important to create a morning routine that prioritizes wellness and makes it easier to develop healthy habits. This may mean waking up at a certain time, eating breakfast, or gaining the benefits of morning sunlight. 

Whatever the specifics of your routine, make sure you fill it with realistic activities that bring you peace and joy.

26. Get more sleep

Not getting enough sleep can lead to mental fatigue, poor concentration, and weight gain, according to research published in the journal Nutrients. All these factors can impact your performance, productivity, and how you feel during the day.

You can improve your sleep hygiene by setting a stable sleep schedule, unplugging from electronics before bed, and avoiding daytime naps.

27. Practice gratitude

Research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that even short-term practices of gratitude can improve mental wellness. Regularly practicing gratitude can improve your self-esteem and boost your optimism, which can make it easier to adopt a positive mental attitude.

28. Engage in daily meditation

To help you better manage stress, consider building meditation into your personal development plan. Meditation can help improve your sleep habits and mood. It’s a type of mindfulness that helps your body achieve a state of calmness. 

You can learn how to meditate by watching online tutorials or by using guided imagery to help direct your thoughts and emotions.

29. Forgive others

Forgiveness can play a huge role in self-improvement. It allows you to release feelings of guilt and resentment and heal from your past. It can also boost your self-esteem by helping you focus on your positive qualities.

Think about whether there’s anyone in your life who could use your forgiveness. You can reach out to them to try to make amends, or you can practice forgiveness internally by coming to peace with the decision to forgive them. It can be helpful to write the person a letter about why you’re choosing to forgive them, even if you never share it with anyone. And, as always, don’t forget to forgive yourself.

30. Focus on your mental health

Your mental health affects the way you think, feel, and act. It influences your stress response, impacts your relationships, and helps you realize your full potential. When your mental health is suffering, it can negatively impact all areas of your life.

Remember to make time to engage in activities that can boost your mental health, such as connecting with others, taking breaks when you feel overwhelmed, and seeking professional help when you need it. Your brain, body, and social health will be better for it.

31. Celebrate your successes

When you reach a goal or accomplish something challenging, celebrate it. Celebrating your successes is a healthy habit as it gives you space to acknowledge yourself and feel pride in your efforts. It also allows you to pause and observe what you’ve achieved, the progress you’ve made, and the good feelings that come with a sense of accomplishment.

Top self-improvement books 

As mentioned above, reading is a useful strategy for self-improvement work. If you’re interested in reading self-improvement books but aren’t sure what to look for, consider this list of books that are popular in the personal development space.

These examples aren’t in any particular order, as each one has its own meaning and importance.

• Rising Strong, by Brené Brown, explains how owning your stories of failure and disappointment gives you the power to create a daring new ending.

• Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment, by George Leonard, clearly explains how the learning process works, the importance of plateaus, and how to become a master of what you desire. 

• Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill, is an invitation to dream big, visualize what you want to become, and affirm it loudly. 

• On the Shortness of Life: De Brevitate Vitae, by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, calls you to avoid wasting time. It invites you to be “time-conscious” and mindful of how you are giving away this precious resource.

• The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to Peak Performance, by W. Timothy Gallwey, helps you identify the self-talk and inner game you play within yourself. It shows how you can stand in your own way and how self-doubt may be the main obstacle in your journey. 

• Principles: Life and Work, by Ray Dalio, is filled with wisdom, expressed in Ray Dalio’s principles, which provide a frame of reference to help you build your own.
• Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values, by Fred Kofman, gives you practical tools and examples for how to improve your relationship with yourself and everyone around you.
• Managing Oneself, by Peter F. Drucker, invites you to ask yourself a few essential questions to understand more about who you are and how you function.

• The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story, by Marie Kondo, helps you embrace the process of decluttering, outside and inside, to make space for who you are now and who you want to be tomorrow.