25 glow up goals: a list of habits, not a new face

Glow up checklist: skin and morning routine

The American Academy of Dermatology says to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher every day you go outside, and habit stacking ties it to a step you already take, like brushing your teeth.

• Put on SPF 30 sunscreen every morning before you go out, for 30 days.
• Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, and after each swim, on every beach or pool day this year.
• Wash your face every night before bed for 30 nights.
• Floss before bed on 25 nights out of 30.
• Make your bed within 10 minutes of getting up, every day for 4 weeks.

Glow up habits for sleep

Sleep goals follow your age: the CDC recommends 7 or more hours a night for adults aged 18 to 60 and 8 to 10 hours for teens aged 13 to 17, and if your phone keeps you up, screen time goals give you ways to put it down earlier.

• Sleep 7 hours or more on 5 nights a week for 4 weeks.
• Keep your bedtime within the same half hour on 25 nights out of 30.
• Put a fresh pillowcase on your pillow every week for 8 weeks.
• Keep work and homework out of bed: no laptop in bed for 30 nights.
• Spend 10 minutes before bed putting clothes away and packing your bag, on 20 nights out of 30.

Glow up challenge ideas for movement

The CDC says adults need 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, plus 2 days of muscle strengthening, and if you want set daily rules instead of a menu, the 75 Soft challenge has them.

• Do 150 minutes of brisk walking or other moderate activity every week for 4 weeks.
• Do 2 strength sessions a week for 6 weeks: squats, push-ups and a plank.
• Walk 8,000 steps on 20 days out of 30.
• Take the stairs instead of the lift every day for 30 days.
• Try 4 new classes this month, one a week: dance, yoga, climbing or anything new to you.

Glow up list ideas: style, room and the things you own

These goals change what you see when you get dressed and walk into your room, not your body.

• Clear out one drawer a day until every drawer is done.
• Plan 5 outfits every Sunday for the week ahead, for 4 weeks.
• Give away, sell or recycle 30 things you no longer use in 30 days.
• Mend, alter or clean 10 pieces of clothing you stopped wearing.
• Clean your shoes and your bag every Sunday for 8 weeks.

Glow up goals for confidence and new skills

Skills are the slow part of a glow up, and a vision board with a number under each picture keeps the bigger ones in sight.

• Sign up for one class and go to all 8 sessions.
• Cook 10 recipes you have never made in 30 days.
• Finish one book a month for 3 months.
• Learn 10 words of a new language every day for 30 days.
• Speak up at least once in every meeting or class for 4 weeks.

What is a good glow up goal?

A good glow up goal is a habit you can tick, not a new face. You cannot tick "look better". You can tick "sunscreen on", "7 hours of sleep" or "2 strength sessions this week". No goal on this page promises a change in how you look or what you weigh. Each one gives you a clear yes or no at the end of the day.

Thirty days starts a habit, and it often does not finish one. In one study of new daily habits, the median time for a habit to feel automatic was 66 days, and anywhere from 18 to 254 days from one person to the next. Missing one day did not change the outcome. So pick the length on purpose: 30 days to try a habit, 66 days to give it the usual time, 90 days to give it room.

Keep the list short: 3 to 5 goals, one from each group. If what you need right now is rest more than a project, the smaller self care challenge ideas are a better fit.

How to track glow up goals

Tick each goal on the day you do it. A review of 138 studies found that people who monitored their progress reached their goals more often, and that the effect was larger when progress was written down.

Most glow up goals are a count of days. A day with sunscreen on is a done day, and a 30 day glow up challenge is 30 of them. Some goals are amounts instead: 30 things given away, 10 recipes cooked, 150 minutes of walking a week.

A missed day does not undo the days before it. A spiral that opens a little with every done day shows the whole month at once.

Frequently asked questions

What should be on a glow up list?

Three to five habits you can tick each day, one from each area: sunscreen every morning, 7 hours of sleep, 2 strength sessions a week, one drawer cleared a day, one class a week. Keep it about habits, not about changing your face or your body.

Can you glow up in 30 days?

Thirty days is enough to start new habits, not to finish them. In one study, the median time for a new daily habit to feel automatic was 66 days, with a range of 18 to 254 days. Start with 30 days, then keep going to 66 or 90.

Is there a different glow up checklist for men and women?

No. Sunscreen, sleep, movement, a tidy room and a new skill work the same way for anyone. Pick the goals that fit your days, and leave out the ones that do not.