Happy November! Before the month runs away with you, grab a pen (or your notes app) because there’s a new list in town, and for once it isn’t another to-do list. It’s called the “Monthly 10”, it has taken over social media, and the people who’ve tried it swear they’ll never go back.
The idea is simple: at the start of each month, you write down ten small, enjoyable things you’d like to do before it ends. That’s it. No five-year plan, no vision board, no 5am wake-up calls. Just ten little ways to make the weeks feel less like Groundhog Day.
So what’s the catch?
There isn’t one. The Monthly 10 grew out of the “intentional living” movement, which is a fancy way of saying “actually noticing your life while it’s happening”. The list is meant to break the monotony of the daily commute-work-dinner-sofa loop.
It’s called the Monthly 10, it takes five minutes to write, and the only rule is that it must not feel like a chore.
The key difference from a normal to-do list? You’re not writing down what you have to do. You’re writing down what you want to fit into your life. Paying the electricity bill does not count. Sorry.
The golden rule: you don’t have to finish it
Here’s the twist that makes it so popular: you don’t need to tick off all ten. If life gets busy, plans change or the weather turns, the list can wait. This isn’t a productivity contest, and it’s definitely not one more thing to feel guilty about. Seven out of ten? Brilliant. Three? Still three lovely things you wouldn’t otherwise have done.
What could go on your list?
The point isn’t to cram every free minute with activities. It’s to choose things that take you, even briefly, off your usual route. Need inspiration? Here are ten ideas, with a little Cypriot flavour:
- Visit a museum or exhibition you keep meaning to see.
- Finally read that book that has been gathering dust on your bedside table.
- Try a new restaurant or café, not your usual one.
- Cook something you’ve never made before. Yes, homemade koupepia count.
- Go for a walk without music or your phone. Just you and your thoughts.
- Pick up an old hobby you abandoned years ago. The guitar in the cupboard misses you.
- Call someone you’ve lost touch with. They’ll be glad you did.
- Watch a sunrise or sunset from somewhere new, perhaps Cape Greco, the Akamas or a rooftop in your own town.
- See a film at the cinema, popcorn optional.
- Spend an afternoon doing something purely for fun, without trying to make it “productive”.
And not everything has to be planned. Leave room for the unexpected: a spontaneous night out, a great conversation, or a detour you decide to take at the last minute.
Why it works
New experiences make us pay more attention to what’s going on around us. They give us reasons to try something different, meet people and create memories that stand out from the daily routine.
No, it won’t literally slow down time. But it can make your days more interesting, so that you don’t reach the end of the month realising it vanished in a blur of obligations.
The end-of-month ritual
When the month is over, take another look at your list. Not to count how many you completed, but to remember what made you happy, what surprised you and what you’d like to do again. Then write next month’s.
Ten things. Thirty days. Zero pressure. What’s on your list?
