Whenever someone talks about productivity and success, they always talk about mornings. But what many people fail to understand is the dependency of a successful morning on an effective evening routine.
It is easy to sit on the couch and binge watch Netflix in the evening but that does not set you up for success.
Evening routines are underrated but so full of potential. It has the power to set the right mood and prepare you for tomorrow.
After a busy day of work, your body, mind and soul deserves nourishment and calmness.
A mindfully spent evening helps you clear your mind of any negative energy, have a good night sleep and prepare for tomorrows success like a boss.
10 things to include in your evening routine
Save this on Pinterest to read it later
1. eat a healthy dinner
Start your evening routine with a healthy and nourishing meal.
Take out some time of your evening to cook your meal.
Cooking after a long day of work seems a daunting task but once you get into the habit of eating healthy dinner, there is no looking back!
To avoid skipping dinner and eating junk food, dedicate a day of each week to meal prepping. This way you won’t have to cook every meal from scratch.
Healthy food works as a therapy and replenishes your body with energy that you lost during the day.
Try and eat your dinner before 7 and keep it light. Make it as simple as possible.
A light dinner means easy digestion and a good night’s sleep.
2. declutter the mess
A messy home means a messy mind.
Tidy up your kitchen and home in the evening, so that you wake up to an organised and clean house.
Wash the dishes and put things back at their place to enjoy a stress free morning.
Don’t wait for the weekend to clean the mess in your house.
The little things when left undone, add to the clutter in the house.
If you do not feel like tidying up your house entirely, at least keep aside 5-10 minutes solely for this purpose.
Something is better than nothing.
To beat the morning rush, you can also prepare your breakfast a night before and store it in the fridge. This way you won’t come home to a dirty countertop.
3. go for a walk
Walking is the simplest, cheapest and easiest way to remain healthy.
Go for a walk and burn some calories.
Walking should be 100% a part of your evening routine, especially if you have a desk job and hardly move your body during the day.
Walk to the nearest park, enjoy your company and appreciate the nature around you.
If you live with a partner, an evening walk can help you two spend quality time together.
Walking is not only great for your health but it also helps improve your mood.
Avoid being on your phone while walking and focus on yourself and your surroundings.
Become aware of what is around you and relish the moments of quietude.
4. practice dental hygiene and skin care
It is tempting to hit the bed after a long tiring day without taking care of your body, but it hurts you in a long run.
Hit the bathroom and pamper you skin.
- Brush and floss your teeth
- Remove your makeup and cleanse your face.
- Take a warm bath if you feel like.
- Apply a night cream or a night serum on your face.
- Moisturise your body.
This part of the evening routine is an act of showing love and respect to yourself. Practice dental hygiene and skin care religiously and you’ll feel much better.
5. prepare for tomorrow
Mornings are notorious for being hectic. What if I tell you, that there is a way to make your mornings super smooth?
Wouldn’t it be great if you could get an extra hour in the morning to meditate?
Here are some tips, to take the load off your morning by preparing things a night before.
- Charge your phone, laptop and any other gadget.
- Check the weather for tomorrow. This will help you make so many choices like what to wear and whether to carry an umbrella or not.
- Pick out the dress you’ll be wearing tomorrow and iron it.
- Set aside any accessories.
- Pack your lunch.
- Prepare or semi prepare your breakfast.
- Fill your water bottle. (Hydration is important)
- Organise any files or documents that you need to take to work.
- Declutter your work bag and check for all the essentials.
6. Plan and visualise your day
Write a to-do list for tomorrow and make a detailed plan for the day.
After planning your day, try and visualise it.
When you do not have a reason to wake up in the morning, it is very difficult to start your day right.
Condition and prepare your mind for tomorrow’s success.
Let your brain know what lies ahead, so that it can function in the right direction and not wander aimlessly.
Planning helps to set your goals for the day and visualisation allows you to the find the ways to achieve your goals.
One of the best ways to be productive tomorrow, is to plan today.
7. let it go
Sit in a quiet room, take deep breaths and reflect upon your day.
Close your eyes and think about what is disturbing you.
Do not go to bed with negative thoughts.
If there is any negativity that you faced during the day, throw it away.
Clear your thoughts.
Question yourself – Is it possible you are overthinking?
If the answer is yes, fill your mind with positive thoughts and let it go.
Do not let your yesterday ruin your today.
To start the day afresh, you need to scrap negativism.
Dump your thoughts in a journal and sleep like a baby.
8. unplug and read a book
Blue light interferes with your sleeping pattern.
Your constant presence on social media keeps you wide awake and makes you feel less sleepy.
Do not bring your laptop and phone to your bed.
Give some time to yourself, away from the constant social buzz.
Dim your room’s lighting and read a book.
Reading not only provides knowledge but also a sense of calm.
It is always better to shut your eyes to a book than social media.
Try and make reading a part of your evening routine, even if you are not an avid reader.
Start small, like read for 5 minutes for first few days and then gradually increase your time. Experiment with different genre, till you find what you like.
9. Practise gratitude
Be grateful and thankful for what you have, so that you go to bed all happy and cheerful.
Write down or think about things that you are thankful for or good things that happened to you today.
If you have had a bad day, instead of focusing on the negative stuff, try and find at least one good thing that happened.
Our thoughts create an emotion.
Think about happy things and you will feel happy.
10. go to bed before midnight
Your body needs rest and adequate amount of sound sleep to function at its best.
Sleep time is essential for the body to recover and prepare for the next day.
Sleep before midnight to allow your body to rejuvenate. After all, you cannot cheat the circadian rhythm.
And above all you cannot wake up early if you do not go to bed early.
How you begin your day is indirectly related to the night before.
So sleep tight and enjoy a productive day.
You may also enjoy
HOW TO STOP CARING ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK
PRODUCTIVE THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU ARE BORED: 50 IDEAS
HOW TO STOP BEING LAZY AND BECOME INSANELY PRODUCTIVE
Pin for later
The last is most important one that is going to bed before midnight. Now people have made an addiction of using social media for late nights. And these habits also affected our todays generation of sleeping late nights.
So just like morning habits one should also acquire these evening habits to help themselves stay healthier.
Thanks so much for the great ideas. I can’t wait to try them out as I really need help in this area.
Thanks again Kim