November Wellness Challenge: 29 Daily Habits to Boost Energy
- Julia Maslava
- Oct 31, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
This gentle Wellness Challenge is designed to help you stay grounded, energised, and connected throughout November.
No pressure. No perfection. Just 29 calming daily habits that support your well-being in a season when your body needs extra tenderness.
Each practice comes from real, lived experience — micro-rituals I’ve personally tried, tested, and woven into my digital planner to keep my days balanced, intentional, and nourishing.
Why a November Wellness Challenge Helps Refill Your Energy
Late autumn is a unique moment in the year. Our natural rhythms begin shifting toward rest, yet life rarely slows down at the same pace. That mismatch can create:
Afternoon fatigue
Mental fog
Low motivation
Increased stress
Emotional heaviness
A sense of falling behind
The solution isn’t pushing harder — it’s supporting your body with small, energy-restoring practices that work with the season, not against it.
This challenge helps you:
reset your energy
deepen your self-care
reconnect to your body
build consistent wellness habits
support mental clarity
reduce overwhelm with gentle routines
If you enjoy structured self-care, you’ll also love the reflection tools inside the Wellness Planner, perfect for reviewing your monthly energy patterns.
Week 1: Building Your Energy Foundation for Balance
The first week focuses on setting a solid foundation for energy and balance. Soft steps to gently realign your rhythm and stabilize your energy for the month ahead.
Day 1: Morning Sunlight Ritual
Start your day with a moment outside, even if it’s cloudy. Natural light within 30 minutes of waking helps reset your circadian rhythm, boosts daytime alertness and improve sleep. Even on grey days, stepping outside has changed my mornings dramatically — I feel calmer, clearer, and more awake.
Try: 3–5 minutes facing the sky, breathing slowly.
Day 2: Creative Visualisation Meditation
Spend 10 minutes imagining a place that energizes you — a sunlit beach, cozy cabin, or slow forest path. Focus on the sights, sounds, and feelings to recharge mentally and physically. Visualization is a powerful grounding method I often rely on during overwhelming weeks.
Tip: Pair it with soft music or nature sounds.
Day 3: Hydration Reset
Focus on hydration with a twist: add a pinch of sea salt and a slice of lemon to your water. This simple “electrolyte boost” has helped me avoid midday crashes and stay focused.
Day 4: Grounding Ritual
Spend 10 minutes standing on grass or earth to reconnect with nature’s energy. As you breathe, imagine that with your breath, energy moves down through your body and feet into the earth, and as you inhale, you draw energy from the earth through your feet and raise the flow through your entire body from the bottom up, saturating every cell of your body, all organs and skin. This is a wonderful practice, which is best done in the morning and during the day. I do not recommend doing it in the evening, as it can make it difficult to fall asleep. I do this whenever possible, even if it’s just a few moments.
Day 5: Intuitive Eating Day
Instead of following strict meal plans, notice what your body truly wants. Choose nourishing foods that give lasting energy: oats, nuts, warm soups, leafy greens. For me, listening to my body instead of forcing routines changed everything.
Day 6: Digital Wind-Down
Screens off at least an hour before bed. This allows your brain to wind down and prepares it for deep rest. I replaced my screen time with a simple evening ritual—reading or journaling by candlelight— my sleep quality became deeper almost instantly.
Day 7: Gratitude Walk
Take a 20-minute walk in the evening naming things you’re grateful for. It shifts your emotional state and helps release the day with softness.
Week 2: Embracing Seasonal Changes with Your Wellness Challenge
This week is about aligning our habits with the natural rhythm of the season. November is a month of inward energy. These habits help you lean into warmth, presence, and gentle transitions.
Day 8: Warming Morning Elixirs
Try a ginger–turmeric–cinnamon drink. These spices naturally support circulation and steady energy — a beautiful alternative to caffeine. I started experimenting with these drinks last fall, and they’ve become my favourite way to start chilly mornings.
Day 9: Bedtime Stretching for Deeper Sleep
Try a 10-minute stretching ritual for the neck, shoulders, and lower back, it helps melt tension and prepare the body for deeper rest. It’s a practice that allows me to wake up more refreshed.
Day 10: Nature Journaling
Spend 15 minutes journaling about what you observe in nature during your day — the sky, a leaf, a breeze. This simple activity keeps you connected to the season’s beauty even on busy days reducing stress and increasing energy. For me, it’s a mindful practice that brings clarity and focus.
Day 11: Warm Oil Self-Massage (Abhyanga)
In Ayurveda, Abhyanga (self-massage with warm oil) is a powerful way to calm the nervous system and improve circulation. Use sesame or coconut oil warmed slightly, and massage your skin gently before showering. This Ayurvedic ritual has soothed my nervous system through many cold days. I’ve found it incredibly grounding and energising.
Day 12: A Mindful Presence Tea Moment
Take a break during the day to mindfully prepare and enjoy a cup of herbal tea. Choose blends with adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, holy basil or lemon balm to support energy levels. This mindful pause has become my favorite way to reset during busy days.
Day 13: Aromatherapy Boost
Use essential oils like rosemary or peppermint in a diffuser or roll-on. These oils are known for boosting focus and alertness. One deep inhalation instantly refreshes my mind when I’m working.
Day 14: Creative Expression Break
Dedicate time for creative activities like a doodle, poem, sketch, or quick photo walk. Engaging in creativity without pressure or judgment can be a rejuvenating break. Creativity is energy-giving — not output-focused, but joy-focused. I keep a small sketchbook for this purpose, and it’s amazing how even a quick doodle can uplift my energy.
Week 3: Movement & Mindset Shifts
November can feel heavy. Movement breaks lift the fog and re-energize your whole system.
Day 15: 10-Minute Morning Dance
Start the day with a 10-minute dance session: choose a song and move freely. It’s such a quick way to wake up your body and boost your mood. Dancing increases endorphins and boosts energy. It’s one of my go-to practices, and it never fails to elevate my mood.
Day 16: Midday Yoga Flow
Integrate a short yoga session focused on poses that activate energy centers, like sun salutations or backbends, or gentle stretching. I find that these movements help me combat the afternoon slump and stay energised through the day.
Day 17: Power Poses for Confidence and Energy
Two minutes in a power pose (like Superman pose) increases cortisol regulation and boosts confidence, energy and your readiness for the day. It’s a simple practice that I use before tackling a challenging task or meeting.
Day 18: Energy Affirmations
Write down and repeat affirmations focused on energy and positivity, like:
“My energy is rising today.”
“I move through this season with ease.”
“I honour my pace.”
"I am filled with vibrant energy".
Affirmations have helped me reframe many low-energy moments.
Day 19: Walking Meetings
If possible, take your meetings or phone calls on a walk. Movement and fresh air boost creativity and keep energy levels high. It’s a practice I incorporated recently, and it’s made workdays much more dynamic.
Day 20: Energising Visualisation
Spend 5 minutes visualising yourself feeling energised and accomplished. Picture your ideal day flowing with ease and energy. This 5-minute practice sets a positive tone for my day.
Week 4: Reflection, Renewal & Seasonal Adaptation
The final week encourages reflection and adapting these habits for long-term wellbeing.
Day 21: Weekly Energy Review
Reflect on your energy levels for the past week. Journal about what worked and what could be improved.
Try this prompts:
What boosted my energy this week?
What drained it?
What do I want to adjust?
This weekly check-in has become one of my favourite rituals.
Day 22: Digital Detox Day
Dedicate a full offline day if possible — or even half a day, focusing on mindful, screen-free activities. It resets your nervous system in the most profound way. I do it monthly, and it’s become essential for preserving my energy and mental clarity.
Day 23: Connection Ritual
Reconnect with a loved one or friend through a phone call or coffee date. A heartfelt check-in with someone you love brings emotional warmth and grounding energy. I prioritise this practice whenever I feel low on motivation.
Day 24: Declutter One Small Space
Spend time decluttering a small area of your home, like your desk, a drawer, your bedside table. Clearing physical clutter instantly lifts mental fog. I find that even a quick declutter session makes my day feel lighter.
Day 25: Self-Compassion Practice
Spend a few minutes reflecting on self-compassion. Write a note to yourself as if you were a supportive friend. Write to yourself with kindness. This practice reduces stress and helps soften inner pressure.
Day 26: Mindful Eating Day
Practice mindful eating by savouring each bite and noting the flavours and textures. Taste, savour, pause. A gentle practice that improves digestion and helps stabilise energy.
Day 27: Afternoon Stretch Alarm
Set a reminder for a 5-minute break every afternoon: stand, breathe, and stretch. Moving your body helps combat fatigue and keeps your energy flowing. A small ritual that prevents the 3pm slump. It’s a habit I’ve incorporated into my planner for a midday boost.
Day 28: Monthly Reflection & Adjustments
Review the month’s wellness journey and note which habits you’d like to carry forward. Reflecting helps discover what truly enhances your energy, making it a valuable monthly ritual.
Day 29: Evening Gratitude & Intention Setting for the Next Month
Before bed, write down three things you’re grateful for from the month, end the month with gratitude and set one gentle intention for the winter season.
Related posts:
As you move through this November Wellness Challenge, you might feel inspired to go deeper into certain areas of your well-being — whether it’s your morning rhythm, emotional balance, or the way you support your body throughout the day.
To help you continue this journey with intention, here are some gentle, practical guides you may find nourishing:
Morning, Intention & Energy Support
If you’re craving more ease and grounding as you begin your day, these posts will guide you through creating rituals that bring clarity and calm:
Creating a Morning Routine That Sets the Tone for a Joyful Day — Learn how to build a morning rhythm that supports emotional balance and gentle productivity.
How to Set Intentions for a More Purposeful and Balanced Life — A heartfelt guide to setting aligned intentions that carry you through each month with clarity.
14-Day Energy Reset Challenge — Perfect if you’re looking for a shorter reset to feel brighter, lighter, and more balanced.
Self-Reflection, Mindfulness & Nervous System Support
If this challenge sparks a desire to explore self-awareness and nervous system regulation, these posts offer reflective tools and calming practices:
How to Use Daily Planning to Support Your Nervous System — Discover how simple planning rituals can soothe overwhelm and create emotional safety.
How to Add Moments of Mindfulness to Your Daily Routine — Practical ways to bring stillness, presence, and gentleness into even the busiest days.
How to Use a Digital Planner for Journaling and Self-Reflection — Learn how digital journaling can help you process emotions, track growth, and reconnect with yourself.
How to Turn Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Joys: — A soft reminder that magic lives in your everyday life — and how to notice it.
Wellness Routines: Sleep, Water, Food & Planning
To support your body with nourishing, sustainable habits throughout November, explore these practical guides:
How to Use a Digital Planner to Track Your Water and Sleep Habits — A gentle approach to improving two essential pillars of daily energy.
Create a Meal Plan with a Digital Planner Template— Simplify your week, reduce decision fatigue, and nourish your body with thoughtful planning.
How to Track Your Fitness Goals Using a Digital Planner — This guide explains how digital planners make the process of staying consistent with fitness goals simpler, organised, and even motivating.
For a Deeper Wellness Experience
If you’re ready to build a holistic wellness routine with guided exercises, mood trackers, energy logs, and monthly reflection pages, the Wellness Planner is a beautiful companion for your journey through the colder months.
Small daily habits can transform the way you move through the season. If you want support building a more intentional, calm, and balanced lifestyle:
Download your free Wellness Toolkit
Download your free Mindful Habit Tracker
Join the newsletter for monthly wellness inspiration
By embracing these energising habits throughout November, you’ll create a month full of vitality and inspiration. Let’s embark on this journey together—small, intentional steps can make a big impact!
I’m in!