Even though you’re technically a grown-up once you turn 18, the reality doesn’t really set in until your 30. Here are 16 habits you should start striving for once you blow out more than 29 candles on your birthday cake.
A list of go-to makeup
Even if you can afford it now, your makeup doesn’t necessarily have to come from the counters of a department store. But you should know what colors look good on you, what’s good for your face and mostly, have a daily routine that can get you out the door in a pinch.
A hairstyle
OK, even I’ll admit that I tend to change up my hairstyle a lot more often than I should. And even though I have yet to master what cut I love the most, I have narrowed down my shade (which I’m sure my hairstylist thanks the heavens for), a daily routine, a fancy up-do and a fun going-out style that makes my hair function like the adult I should be.
A legitimate skin routine
Let’s face it, when you get to your 30s, it’s time to start worrying about your fine lines and wrinkles. And even if you haven’t started to walk down the aisles of Olay yet, you should know enough to wash your makeup off before bed and put on a daily moisturizing product.
A decent sleep schedule
Sorry to break it to you, but gone are the days of all-nighters, four-hour cat naps and barely making it off a few hours of sleep. Considering that you’re a big girl now, you should be going to bed at a decent time, waking up fairly early and ensuring that you’re getting your recommended seven to eight hours of Zs every night.
A good exercise regimen
If you’re anything like me, you probably bid adieu to your killer metabolism around the same time you parted ways with your 20s. If not to fit into your jeans from last decade, you should at least be exercising for heart health and overall physical well-being.
A financial formula
Although it’s ideal to have no debt upon entering your thirties, it’s not always a reality. If anything, you should be focusing on paying off debt, not adding on frivolous spending (like knowing if you should buy one item from the Lilly for Target line compared to all of it) and paying all of your bills on time.
A real birth control method
Even if it’s just condoms, birth control should be something you’re in control of by the time you blow out thirty candles on your birthday cake. Know what works for you, and always, always protect yourself with a new partner. Period.
A primary care doctor, gyno, dentist, etc.
Considering your mama should have stopped making your doctors’ appointments for you when you were 18, it’s time for you to grow up and make some of your own. Your thirties should be all about preventative care. Schedule a regular check-up, a Pap, a mammo, a teeth cleaning, etc. If you pay for the health care insurance, you might as well use it.
A decent diet strategy
While we’re on the health kick, by age 30 you should also know how to eat right. We’re not asking you to jump on paleo or go gluten-free, but you do need to be eating better than everyday take-out and frozen pizza for dinner. Add some greens into your diet and before you know it, you’ll actually have a taste for the healthy stuff.
A way to get your dose of what’s going on in the world
Sorry to break it to you, but your friends on Facebook aren’t the most reliable sources of information on the internet. Taking into account that you’ve been the legal age to vote for at least 12 years, you should have a viable source to know what’s going on in the world. This includes politics, which truly matter if you haven’t noticed already.
A healthy relationship with your phone
Put. Down. The. Phone. Read a book in the sunshine, get brunch with friends and please, please be present in your life.
A list of hard and soft limits when it comes to relationships
This is true for both friendships and intimate relationships. By 30, you need to learn what you want, what you don’t and on what you’re willing to compromise.
A relationship with your parents
Similar to friendships and intimate relationships, you should also have limitations with your parents. If you’ve got a decent pair who gave you a good childhood, call them. If you don’t, figure out how to deal with that and move on.
A career or life goal
You may still not know what you want to be when you grow up, but by 30, you should at least have a starting point.
A retirement plan
Because you’re going to grow old one day.
Self-love
You’re awesome, and if you don’t know that yet, we just told you. Give yourself some self-love. You made it to 30 and that’s an achievement in itself!
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