The way we spend our evenings can have a huge impact on the way we feel the next day, so it’s important to make the most out of them. If being more productive is your goal, there are tons of things you can do every evening in order to feel fresh, inspired, and focused throughout the following day, in order to slay your goals. Why self-care? As I’ve talked about before, I truly believe that if we do not fill up our own cup, we cannot pour out to others. It’s essential to fill up our cups and for most parents, this is in the evening hours, after the kid(s) go to sleep. We cannot thrive (and be productive) if we are running on low steam. If you’re currently looking for nighttime self-care ideas to turn into habits, here are 7 Evening Self-Care Ideas For a Productive Next Day:
7 Evening Self-Care Ideas For a Productive Next Day
Journal
Journaling is one of the most powerful acts of self-care out there. Not only is writing down about your day a great way to understand your thoughts and feelings better, but it’s also a wonderful ritual to keep a written record of your life. Moreover, making a habit out of it is a great way to have some serious “me” time right before bed. Contrary to what you may believe, journaling doesn’t necessarily mean you have to sit down and write a 2000-word essay on your day. In fact, writing whatever comes to mind for just 5 or 10 minutes has been proven to be a more effective way of doing it!
As you journal, consider making a gratitude list. What are you thankful for? Make a list of every single thing in your life you feel grateful for, no matter how small! This can range from huge things like a roof over your head to smaller items you enjoy, like that cup of tea you get to drink every morning. Taking a few minutes to reflect on all the good in your life can be a powerful reminder not to take things for granted as well as help you create a better mindset towards life. I read a quote the other day that said “joy is grown in the soil of gratitude” and I could not agree more with this. To have joy, you have to have gratitude…but sometimes, it can be tough to see all of the many things that you have to be thankful and grateful for. Sometimes, the bad feels like it is so big that it’s covering all of the good. When this happens, there are a few things you can do.
-You can journal and write a gratitude list, trying to almost force yourself to find the good. And yes, I promise – there is SO much good!
-You can sit and think. Sometimes, thinking does a lot of good for the soul and it can help you pull the positives out.
Light your favorite candle
Lighting my favorite candle sets the mood for me and helps me relax and feel cozy! Turn your house into a DIY aromatherapy session by burning candles and diffusing relaxing essential oils. Smells and odors can have a huge impact on the way we feel, and turning your space into a haven for them is guaranteed to turn your mood around. Since we’re on the subject of evening-time self-care, I highly recommend focusing your efforts on trying to get a better night’s sleep in order to feel as great as possible the following day. For this purpose, ylang-ylang, lavender, chamomile, and cedarwood are great choices! Beeswax candles are definitely the healthiest option too. Some of my favorites are wellness by Ari, Natural Sloth, Fontanta candle company, and Welch Candle Co.
Below is the candle from Wellness by Ari. Look at those ingredients! SO clean!
Exercise
This is a huge one! Get your exercise in. If you can get at least 30 minutes of some sort of movement in, you will be better for it. Stretch, do yoga, weight lift, whatever. A lot of people swear by meditation, too. Apparently, all you really have to do is find yourself a relaxing and quiet spot in your house and allow yourself to just *be*. I personally struggle with that and would prefer to stretch, do yoga, or weightlift, but to each their own!
Spend time away from your phone
Owning a smartphone is a great way to stay connected, but we can’t deny that they can drain humongous amounts of time away from our day. If you’re anything like me, chances are you find yourself spending way more time on Instagram than you should, and social media may just be the culprit as to why you’re not going to bed when you’re supposed to. Make it your mission to “switch off” during the evening. Not only could you invest that time on your phone doing something you enjoy doing or practicing more self-care, but you’re also guaranteed to fall asleep a little earlier! While we are on this subject, I highly suggest turning off ALL screens! Not only do they take away your valuable time and disconnect you from the people around you, but they also disrupt your circadian rhythm and the blue light that they emit can cause you to have not-so-great sleep.
Create a list of goals for the next day
Writing down our goals is an amazing way to stay organized and inspired. Creating a habit out of making note of your expectations and to-dos for the following day will not just help you have a clear image of what the following 24 hours will look like, but it will also keep you motivated to tackle that to-do list.
As a tip, make sure your list of goals is made up of activities you absolutely have to do (i.e. writing an essay, cleaning, working out, going to the grocery store, etc) as well as items you enjoy doing just for the sake of it (gardening, going for a walk, stretching, etc). Moreover, be sure your list is realistic to avoid overwhelming yourself!
When you are making your list and goals for the next day, also make sure you are setting yourself up for success! Prep what you can, end the day with a clean kitchen, and do whatever else that you need to do, knowing that your morning will be much better because of it!
Go to bed early
Yup! Absolutely nothing on this list will make you feel as great as actually getting enough sleep time. If you’re prone to staying up late browsing TikTok or you simply have a hard time falling asleep, make it your mission to change that ASAP.
Going to bed early will not only keep your health in check, but it’s also a great way to help you feel focused and fresh the following day, which is essential in order to stay as productive as possible. If falling asleep is an issue for you, try a few of these things:
- Switch off your phone and TV at least an hour before going to bed
- Meditate before bed
- Read a book instead of watching Netflix
- Light your favorite non-toxic candle
- Drink bone broth hot chocolate before bed
- Take a warm bath!
What are other ways you like to practice self-care during the evenings? I’d love to learn any more ideas you may have, so feel free to drop them in the comment section below!