To-do lists are about to get a lot more fun
BY Abby Sala ★ November 9th, 2026
Photo credit: Abby Sala
We are constantly bombarded with goal-setting. Planners, monthly resets, New Year’s resolutions and deadlines all tell us that we should be measuring ourselves and working toward the next best thing. As someone who is always falling into these traps, I wanted to share a habit that has completely changed the way I move through my days.
Introducing: the Monthly 10. The idea comes from writer Julianna Salguero’s “You Need to Be Making Monthly 10 Lists” (April 2026), which went viral on Substack. Since then, I’ve been making one every month. It is simply a list of 10 things you’d like to do during the month, but it’s actually a lot more than that.
The beauty of this is that these are by no means quantifiable goals. We have more than enough pressure on that already. This is entirely different. These are ten things that are purely attached to feeling and are supposed to be relatively easy to accomplish. We all need less noise telling us to be productive and more ways to try new things and bring the smaller joys into our daily lives.
And the absolute best part about this is that there are zero consequences. The goal is not to get a 10 out of 10, and especially not to attach a number to how you feel about yourself or your month. Some months, I am really good at fitting my list into my schedule, and some I barely check off one thing. Both are a good place to be!
How can you get started? When brainstorming my list, I like to think about all the things I would do on my ideal day. Those things you always mean to do but usually never get around to. Maybe you’d have your favorite breakfast and then spend time with a friend. Having these reminders of what love most on your Monthly 10 list is exactly how we incorporate these joys into everyday life.
It also helps to think of the season. For example, a favorite of mine from my August list was baking a stone fruit dessert. What would you like to do on your ideal November day?
It’s also important to make sure your goals focus on how they make you feel instead of necessarily “accomplishing” anything. These activities should enhance and add to your life, not add another homework assignment. Instead of “finish a book,” try “read before bed.” When goals are focused on completion, they can feel more daunting. Softening them into something small that you can easily incorporate into any day is what we’re trying to do. A personal fitness goal wouldn’t exactly fit on a Monthly 10 list. Starting to see what I’m getting at?
Some university-specific ideas you can steal:
Study somewhere new
Buy coffee for a friend
Stretch more
Try something new
Pet a dog
Learn the name of a stranger you see all the time (Like a barista or the person next to you in class)
Check in on a friend you haven’t seen in a while
Follow a journal prompt
Compliment someone’s outfit
Get that top you’ve been eyeing
Walk to class without AirPods
Keep your list somewhere you’ll see it daily. Your Notes app, a sticky note on your mirror or bedroom door are great spots. Give it a month, and watch this go from a daily reminder toward a larger shift to more intentional and fulfilling days.
Edited by Kiera Miller