I’m a fan of setting micro goals to make big things happen. Let me explain.
Many of us struggle to set realistic New Year’s resolutions and accomplish all of our hopes and plans. Instead, I’m a fan of making tiny little micro goals I might actually achieve.
For instance, if I’m procrastinating on a project, I might set my timer with the goal of working for just 10 minutes on the task. Even for the most loathsome, tedious task, ten minutes feels bearable.
Taking that small step reduces my pressure and sometimes gets me going in a good groove to make serious progress.
Let’s say one of your goals is to have nice, strong upper arms. Here’s how you might implement micro goals: Today, see how many pushups or modified pushups you can do and note the number.
Then set a goal to do daily pushups for 30 days, and simply add one additional pushup every other day.
If your starting number is 15, by the end of the month you’ll easily be rocking 30 daily pushups with this gradual approach — and I bet your arms will look great.
Another real-life example: Our pantry feels messy and disorganized after the holidays. It has four shelves. Each week during the month, I’ve set a small goal to clean and tidy one shelf. I think I can manage one shelf a week, and at the end of 30 days I’ll have a pantry that makes me smile when I open it.
24 Micro Goals Examples
Here are two dozen ideas of small goals that can help us overcome procrastination, get started, and lead to big accomplishments:
1. Write a Book
If you write just 400 words a day, you’ll have a full-length draft of a 60,000 word novel written in five months. Consistent, small writing sessions keep your subconscious engaged and build momentum.
2. Get Fit
Cutting 250 calories a day and adding a 30-minute walk can lead to a steady weight loss of about a pound per week.
3. Save More Money
Setting aside $5 a day can grow into $1,825 in a year, and that doesn’t include the interest you’ll earn. Small daily savings can make financial dreams feel achievable without making major sacrifices.
4. Participate in a Fun Run or Marathon
Start with a 5-minute jog, and gradually increase your time by a minute each session to build endurance over time. An incremental approach will prevent injuries and keep your motivation strong.
5. Learn a New Language
Practicing for 15 minutes a day can lead to conversational fluency in a year. Check out the free Duolingo app, which makes learning a new language downright fun!
6. Become a Confident Public Speaker
I’m a huge fan of Toastmasters, the fun club that helps people get comfortable speaking in public. If you join, you’ll have frequent opportunities to give short speeches and improve your skills.
7. Read More Books
Reading 10 pages a day equals 12 to 15 books in a year. A daily reading habit makes continuous learning easy and manageable. I like Goodreads to keep track of the books I read and discover new ones.
8. Declutter Your Home
Regularly practice Happy Simple Living’s 15 Minute Decluttering Challenge, and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish. Removing the clutter from one small space a day can lead to a fully organized home in a few months. A simple cleaning routine can help keep spaces looking nice.
9. Build Your Strength
Doing something as simple as 10 push-ups a day can increase strength and lead to more advanced exercises. Small, consistent workouts are perfect for establishing fitness habits without overwhelming effort.
10. Learn to Play a Musical Instrument
Practicing for just 10 minutes a day builds muscle memory and skill. Frequent, short sessions are more effective than occasional long ones. (Read about my experience buying a used clarinet for $20 and learning to play!)
11. Eat Healthier
When I wanted to start eating better, I began by adding one fresh fruit or vegetable to a meal every day. I learned that small, consistent choices can lead to new eating habits.
12. Wake Up Earlier
Do you wish you could sieze the day with less rushing in the morning? Setting your alarm just 5 minutes earlier each day makes the transition easier and can help establish a calmer morning routine.
13. Drink More Water
Increasing your intake by even one extra glass a day will help your hydration and overall well being. Keep a water bottle nearby and sip it throughout the day.
14. Practice Meditation
Meditating for just 5 minutes a day builds focus and relaxation. Small, consistent sessions practiced over time will help you develop mindfulness and reduce stress.
15. Start a Side Business
Spending 30 minutes a day on research, planning, or marketing can lead to a fully operational business in a year. Consistent progress can turn your idea into reality.
16. Foster Your Creativity
Writing, drawing, taking photographs, or engaging in your favorite creative pursuit for just 10 minutes a day stimulates your creative brain and will help you develop new skills.
17. Grow a Social Media Following
Engaging with five new accounts daily can lead to steady growth of a community. Small, meaningful interactions create stronger connections over time.
18. Improve Posture
Practicing five minutes of posture exercises daily strengthens core muscles and reduces discomfort. Small adjustments lead to long-term spinal health improvements.
19. Strengthen Your Relationships
Sending a thoughtful message or making a quick call each day deepens connections. Small, consistent gestures maintain strong relationships over time.
20. Advance Your Career
Spending 15 minutes daily on professional development, networking, or learning new skills can lead to new opportunities and advancement.
21. Pay Off Debt
Do you have a financial dream of living debt free? Putting just $10 extra toward debt each day could reduce your interest payments and shorten your repayment time. Practice consistently paying down balances while not taking on any new debt, and eventually you’ll enjoy financial freedom.
22. Reduce Stress
Practicing deep breathing or meditation for 5 minutes daily improves mental well-being. Small, consistent mindfulness habits also help build resilience against stress.
23. Become More Organized
Writing a daily to-do list increases productivity and reduces overwhelm. Small planning habits can lead to more time to enjoy the things that really matter to you.
24. Gain Confidence
Practicing self-affirmations or positive self-talk for a few minutes a day improves self-esteem. Regular reinforcement builds a stronger mindset over time.
How About You?
What’s something you’d like to get started in the next month? I invite you to share your goals (big and small) in the Comments section of this post. If you like, include a small micro-step you could take right away to start heading in a new direction.
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Note: This post was originally published on February 28, 2022, and has been updated with new information.
Eliza Cross is an author and food blogger who enjoys helping busy people with easy recipes and tips for gardening, holidays, and home. She is the founder of BENSA Bacon Lovers Society and Happy Simple Living, and the award-winning author of 17 cookbooks.
I learned long ago to “modularize” all my projects to avoid the feeling of never finishing; I turn the bigger task into smaller ones, so if I finish a “module” it doesn’t foul my willingness to return. Same idea, kind of.
The second comment has to do with the 1 shelf-at-a-time pantry project; in my experience, this doesn’t always work because part of the problem is that things are on Shelf A that belong on Shelf C, etc., so you either have to take the Shelf C stuff that was on Shelf A and put it somewhere else until you get around to Shelf C, or you end up doing them all at least partially.
I never knew about your module method, and that’s very cool because you get more things done than anyone I know! Your point about the pantry project is valid, and I’ll have to let you know how it goes once I begin tackling it. I think most of the items are on the right shelf, just disorganized and in need of some serious decluttering. xo