Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you sign up or purchase products or services mentioned. Please see my full disclosure (https://ambitiouslyalexa.com/affiliate-disclosure) for further information.
Routine tasks that aren’t frequently necessary can easily fall by the wayside if you don’t have a monthly routine laid out.
It’s like how we save the most thorough cleaning for “spring cleaning” time, and usually that consists of all the things we’ve been putting off because we don’t remember to do them on a monthly basis!
But creating a monthly reset for yourself will keep your life on track and instill regular habits in your routine.
If you want to feel refreshed each month and hit the “reset” button on your life and organization habits, here’s some ideas for creating a monthly routine that you didn’t even know you needed!
This post is all about creating a monthly routine.
Why do I need a monthly routine?
We tend to take our activities and obligations day-by-day or week-by-week, but often neglect setting those monthly tasks in place. So big monthly cleanups don’t always happen! But they should.
Certain tasks can be forgotten about for months. Whether it’s physical or mental clutter, this can add up and make us not feel so great 😕
Having a monthly routine will help you to reflect on the previous month and see how you can improve the next, so it’s like a check-in with yourself and your life. It will also help you create positive organization habits.
Are you ready to hit the “reset button”? This monthly reset checklist will help you take control of the chaos and actually get organized each month! Get my printable monthly reset checklist sent straight to your inbox!
Step 1: Do a brain dump
If you’re unfamiliar with the term “brain dump” it’s where you sit down and write out all the thoughts that come to mind.
These can be things that are bothering you, things you need to do, upcoming events, everything!
Just let your thoughts flow and write with no restraint. After you’ve done so, you can organize your thoughts into a few different categories, like these:
- Things you can do now (or within the next few days)
- Things you can do this month
- Things you can put on hold and let linger on your “master to do list” for a while
Step 2: Do a full blown cleaning of everything!
This means having a dedicated day out of the month to catch up on laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, and maybe cleaning things you might normally forget like cleaning the oven, cleaning the microwave, dusting fans, etc.
Basically just a day, once a month, where you can deep clean it all!
Step 3: Organize desks, drawers, files, etc.
Now that the cleaning is out of the way, it’s time to organize the things you might not always think about!
Things like kitchen drawers, desk drawers, file cabinets, bathroom drawers, supplies under the sink, etc. can go unnoticed.
I know that when I don’t schedule a monthly organization time, I can easily go several months without organizing some of these things! Especially drawers, because those are tucked away so I’m just not thinking about it.
If drawers are also an issue for you, I recommend getting a drawer organizer like this! Seriously, you’ll wish you had gotten one of these ages ago.
Step 4: Utilize a monthly whiteboard calendar
Having that visual reminder right on your wall is the perfect way to make sure your monthly routine stays in place!
Personally, I tend to get caught up in the weekly view of my planner more than a monthly calendar. So having a monthly calendar on the wall will help you shift your attention to that monthly routine instead!
And let’s be honest, whiteboard wall calendars are way more enjoyable (AND easier to edit, AND last forever!) compared to a paper wall calendar.
This glass dry erase calendar by Sugar Paper is the absolute CUTEST! How classy does this look? Imagine how motivating this would be on your wall!
Step 5: Journal to reflect on the past month
This is the BEST way to check in with yourself and see how your life is going. Maybe you’ve gotten back into some bad habits in the past month due to stress. Or maybe this past month was on a high note for you!
Either way, evaluating the past month will give you the insight you need to make the next month a better one.
When reflecting on the past month, I recommend prompts like:
- Are you happy with how you spend your free time?
- What got you excited and why?
- What do you love about this time in your life?
- What were your biggest obstacles?
- What is something new you learned?
- What was your biggest win?
- What would you like next month to look like?
Keep a journal that you turn to EVERY month to reflect on! If you really want to step it up, you can challenge yourself to do weekly or daily check-ins too! But at the minimum, reflecting once a month is a great way to start.
Grab the perfect journal for your monthly reflections below!
(This one is customizable with your name on the front! LOVE Erin Condren products!)
(I like that this one has the month and date at the top of every page for you to circle!)
Step 6: New month, new books!
A great way to boost your self growth each month is to gather some new reading materials! It’s always nice to get a fresh start with new personal development books, especially.
If reading is your thing, you should absolutely check out my 5 Personal Development Books That Will Actually Motivate You to add to your monthly routine!
Step 7: Clean things you might normally forget about
A GREAT example of this is things like makeup brushes (am I the only one that can go months without cleaning them if I don’t remember to? Oops.)
If not makeup brushes, there may be other personal items that you don’t clean as often as you should. This also applies to things around the house, like small crevices, or wiping down the inside of cabinets, etc.
Step 8: Write out monthly goals
Consider new goals in each area of your life. For example, social goals, workout goals, reading goals, business goals, spiritual goals…the list goes on!
Or, if you’re already used to keeping track of your goals (and good for you!) then it’s not a bad idea to revisit what you’ve written down in the past and adjust these goals as needed. Remember, as our priorities change, so can our goals!
If you’re not sure where to start, these 20 examples of personal and professional goals can serve as inspiration.
Step 9: Choose ONE area of your life you’d like to improve this month
So, after evaluating those goals in different areas of your life, it might not be practical to accomplish, or even focus, on them all in one month.
To make things more manageable, choose just one area that you would especially like to improve in and let that be the focus this month.
For example, if you notice you haven’t been socializing as much as you’d like, work on prioritizing your social interactions this month.
Step 10: Set intentional unproductive days
Set a minimum of THREE days per month where you allow yourself to be completely unproductive on purpose.
Why? Having this time for yourself will greatly reduce the chance of burnout that you would otherwise be prone to by working hard 24/7. It’s not a flex to have “no off days,” I promise.
Feeling overwhelmed to the point of drowning in everything that you’re doing is never a good feeling. Please make sure you avoid that by taking necessary time off (at least on the weekend) a few times a month!
Step 11: Change the background on your computer and/or phone
Sometimes, it’s the little things that can make the difference in feeling refreshed too!
I personally like to switch up my computer background for each new season, usually with a summer theme, or a fall theme, etc. But doing this every month might be an even better idea.
It’s just nice to have something a little different to look at each time you get out your phone or computer!
Step 12: Review your expenses
Haha, I know, the not so fun part of that monthly routine. Nonetheless, it’s important to get an idea of where you’re at with managing your money.
I use a monthly budget spreadsheet to keep track of all my monthly expenses, using categories, so that I can understand where I might be spending too much unnecessary $$$ and adjust my spending habits accordingly the next month.
I’ve found it to be a big help, so I highly recommend fitting this habit into your monthly routine!
The best part of creating a regular monthly routine is that you can truly feel refreshed each month.
Hitting that “reset” button and catching up on tasks like these will help you start off the month strong and get into a groove of regularly checking in on different areas of your life.
Changing how you approach a new month by getting organized, planning out goals, and reflecting on the past month while you get ready for the next month are all fantastic ways to reset your life!
A MUST-HAVE FOR GETTING YOUR ROUTINES IN CHECK:
IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU’LL LOVE THESE TOO!
Too Much On Your Plate? 8 Ways to Manage It
20 Examples of Inspiring Personal and Professional Goals
8 Reasons Why You Should Move Away From Your Hometown
40 Exciting Summer Activities for Adults
This was so thorough and insightful! Each point was well thought out and got me thinking about the benefits of monthly goals. Awesome post!
Thank you! Monthly goals are a big help!
Thank you for sharing your insights. I find myself needing to “reset” every month, and this will serve as a reminder for me!
Absolutely! It’s so important to get that nice “reset” in each month!
This is amazing advice! I need a monthly deep cleaning day!
It’s a giant help!
Nice Work!
Changing few things can certainly bring some new energies in life. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely! Always good to have a refresh.