7 Step Night Time Routine After Work – The Checklist for the Ultimate Evening
This blog post is about the perfect night time routine.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Although this post is how to have the perfect night time routine, in reality, an evening routine is setting you up for the next day’s morning routine.
Everything accomplished in your night time routine will allow for a easier, more relaxing morning routine.
Allow yourself to wake up in a mental and physical space that prepares you for a productive day.
After a full day of working, you are physically and mentally drained, tired, and completely beat after 5pm. Setting an exact night time routine schedule and checklist for you to have each day takes the stress out of it. Knowing exactly what you want to do and accomplish will allow for a smooth night after work.
Mindset Shift – Not everything will be perfect at the end of the night. Accept that not everything will get done. However, with the time you do have, allow yourself to feel productive and relaxed.
Creating a mental checklist and having a basic timeline for the evening alleviates the stress of the evening. When you have a structured evening, it makes it 10x easier to get everything done that needs to get done.
This blog post is about the perfect night time routine.
Night Time Routine Products that will Change your Life
Non Dated Planner
Erin Condren has the BEST planners & this one being non dated is perfect for planning your night time routines. Plan out workouts, meals, and activities for the evening to keep you organized.
5 Minute Journal
The 5 minute journal has been purchased multiple times in my household. Our family loves these because it makes it SO EASY. The journal does the prompting for you. Add this into your night time routine!
Self Help Book
Atomic Habits is a 12/10 Self Help book! The chapter are quick and effective. It is a great pre bed read.
Hatch Alarm Clock
Not only do I love and sleep better with this alarm clock, my husband does too. He is ALWAYS ready for his white noise in the evening. You can customize your sleeping noises, alarms, and sounds for any day or time of the week.
What is the most calming music for sleep?
Hatch Alarm Clock white noise!
Best Night Time Routine After Work
1. Movement/Activity
Once you get home from work, DO NOT go sit on the couch. As much as you want to rot on the couch after work, this is absolutely the worse thing you can do for yourself.
Have an evening movement activity planned out so you don’t even have to think about it when you get home.
Here are 4 Easy Night Time Movements/Activities
What to do After Work instead of Watching TV
- Go for a Sunset Walk.
- Head to the Grocery Store to try a new dinner recipe.
- Pickleball Tournament with friends
- Try a new Workout Class.
If you morning routine already includes your workout, a low impact activity will still be SUPER beneficial to avoid the evening slump after work.
2. Dinner
You have to eat right? Dinner is a key element for the night time routine.
Your body needs a good, quality meal after a long day at work. Treat yourself to a new recipe or one of your favorites.
TIP – Plan your dinners for the week in advance so you don’t have to think about it after work.
3. 1 House Chore
Do you like that I said 1 house chore? I did not say deep clean your entire house or anything crazy like that. This is just 1 chore (or more if you want) to avoid your house becoming a hot mess by the end of the week.
Working full time does not leave any time or energy to come home and do an entire house clean. By doing a small chore every night, it helps avoid the house becoming overwhelming.
Doing the dishes are an easy chore to do every night. There might be coffee cups from the morning, lunch containers, and dinner dishes to do.
Quick Chores when Building a Night Time Routine for Success
One HUGE tip is to always run the dishwasher. There is no reason to wait until it is completely full. We are constantly unloading and reloading, it keeps the dishes from piling up and is easier to empty (always having clean dishes!).
Throwing in a small load of laundry is also another easy house chore for your night time routine. If you work out all the time, it is nice to do a mid week load of laundry so you are not running 5 loads of laundry on the weekend.
Night Time Routine Chore Schedule
- Sunday – run dishwasher, vacuum floors
- Monday – unload dishwasher, clean stove & countertops
- Tuesday – run dishwasher, run a load of laundry
- Wednesday – empty dishwasher, fold load of laundry
- Thursday – load dishwasher, vacuum floors
- Friday – enjoy the weekend 🙂
- Saturday/Sunday – weekly cleaning list (check out the Essential Weekly Cleaning Checklist!)
4. Night Time Skin Care
The BEST part of your night time routine!! Skin care is the well deserved “me” time that you need after a full work day.
Take 30 minutes to 1 hour of your night time routine and dedicate it to yourself. This time period in my night time routine truly washes away all the stress from the day.
Shower, take a bath, wash your hair, shave your legs, put on a face mask, do your full skin care routine.
5. Prepare for Tomorrow
It takes under 10-15 minutes to prepare for the next work day which is beyond worth it.
Pack your lunch, set out your clothes, get your work bag ready.
Set yourself up for success. The small tasks make the biggest differences in your daily life. Take the extra 10 minutes and set yourself up for a productive morning.
6. Wind Down with NO Phone
Journal, read, self help book, meditating, stretch
If you try and go bed after sitting on your phone for half an hour, you will feel not productive, not sleepy, and probably guilty because social media made you buy something that you did not need in your life. You need a wind down with NO PHONE.
Step away from your phone and spend some quiet time alone allowing your body to get ready to sleep.
5 Wind Down Activities with No Phone for your Night Time Routine
- Journal
- Read a Fictional Book
- Meditate
- Self Help Book
- Stretch
7. Lights Out
Time to set the alarm and head to bed. This does not mean to scroll on your phone for another hour or watch another episode of your show. Lights out & eyes closed.
My aunt always use to say “time to watch The Back of your Eye Lids”. This could not be more accurate. Turn off the lights, set the alarm, turn your white noise on, and go to bed. You will not fall asleep and get a good nights sleep if you do not set yourself up for success.
This post was about how to have the perfect night time routine.
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