Developing an Intentional Evening Routine

Sorry for the late post, but I was traveling this weekend!

As I write this, it is Sunday early evening, and I am thinking about getting back to work tomorrow. Instead of stressing about the upcoming work week, I have already unpacked my bags from my weekend trip, and I have a productive yet enjoyable evening planned. I plan to eat a nice dinner, finish writing my post, take a shower, decide on my breakfast for tomorrow, get my lunch ready, and then relax and watch a little TV. I will round out the evening by putting away my cell phone and reading in bed until it's time to go to sleep.

How do you usually end your day? Do you just veg out in front of the TV until it's time to go to bed? Do you get in bed and scroll through your phone for an hour (or two) before putting your head on the pillow? If so, you're not alone. Many people reward themselves at the end of the day by watching TV and scrolling on their phones to relax. This is fine to a point. Remember how I'm going to watch TV for a bit? You just need to limit how much screen time you have and not make it the last thing you do before bed.

So many people have a hard time falling asleep and getting a good night's rest. Some of it is because our devices produce a blue light, which can confuse our brains and make us think it's daytime. This will stop your body from producing melatonin, a hormone that helps your body prepare for sleep. This is why you should avoid electronics at least an hour before your bedtime.

Another reason may be having too much on your mind before going to bed. There are several ways to reduce this. First, try to clean up after dinner so you're not thinking about having to load up the dishwasher later. Put away that load of laundry instead of leaving it until the next day. Decide on your breakfast and lunch for the next day and get things ready. Have your clothes laid out for the next day. This will ease your mind and make the next morning easier.

If you have things that cannot be done ahead of time, make yourself a to-do list for the next day so it doesn't have to stay on your mind. You can even do a brain dump before bed by writing in your journal and getting everything off your mind. Then, you can focus on the things you are grateful for.

Another tip is to do some kind of self-care in the evening. You can soak in a warm bath, treat yourself to a facial mask, or use that scented lotion that you love. It doesn't have to be something big, just something that makes you feel good. Be sure to be present in the moment and enjoy how it makes you feel. This practice will also help to relax you for bedtime.

One thing I love to do is aromatherapy. Calming scents, like lavender and chamomile, are great for relaxation and sleep. I like to blend essential oils and diffuse them. I personally recommend doTerra essential oils, but there are other good brands out there as well. I also put scented lotion on my hands and feet before bed.

I make sure I am wearing comfy pajamas, and I turn the overhead light in my bedroom off to start signaling my brain that it's time to slow down and start preparing for sleep. I have my bedside lamp on and read for a bit to continue to relax and wind down for the evening. I love mysteries, romance, biographies, and nonfiction books as well. Tonight's read will be a story from Tales Through Time: Women of the South.

If you're like me, you don't like to go to bed without sound. Don't ever sleep with the TV on. You can't control what you're hearing and will not get a sound night's sleep. Instead, try listening to relaxing music or sounds from a sound machine. You can even use an app on your phone for this. When I travel, I use an app called BetterSleep. I actually used this the last two nights while I was out of town.

If these tips are a total 180 of what you usually do, start small with building micro-habits. Choose one or two things to add or change and stick to them until they are established habits, then try adding another one or two. Don't totally upend your routine all at once. It probably won't last. Build up to it.

Now that everything is taken care of, you are relaxed and ready for the next day, you can rest easy knowing that you will wake up ready to conquer the day! I hope you found this helpful. Let me know in the comments if you have something that I did not include, or tell me something you plan to add to your routine. I'd love to hear from you.