Create your ideal nighttime routine

While the morning is a good time to set your day up, night time is an excellent time to prepare and tie off any loose ends.
Many of us are exhausted by the end of the day, but using this routine guide along with my 5 steps for creating your ideal morning routine, you will be saving a lot of time and energy in the long run.

Starting a new routine it can be daunting at first. Having to remember these new things you’ve put in place, but once you’ve turned it from a routine into a habit you will wonder how you ever lived without it!

How to set up a nighttime routine

When setting up a nighttime routine, it is important to work out what is best for you. This is your personal journey, I am just here to help guide you.

Below you will find 5 sections, each section is something you should ideally cover before going to bed.
Think of one thing for each section, and voila, you have your nighttime routine!

One thing to tidy

Similarly to my steps to creating your ideal morning routine, we have cleaning again!
How is cleaning part of your ideal routine?
While it may not seem ideal to clean, it is helping you in the long term. A quick tidy now can save you time tomorrow, it is one less thing to worry about when facing a new day.

Quick tidy ideas:

• Pick up toys lying around
• Load the washing machine for tomorrow
• Tidy a surface (Bench, table etc)
• Wipe down the bathroom sink
• Pick up a bag of rubbish

One thing that will make tomorrow easier

As with tidying, there are other ways to prepare for your day or week.
Pick something that won’t cause you any stress now but will also help save time on a future task.

Some ideas that can make your life a lot easier:

• Layout your clothes for tomorrow
• Pre-prepare your lunch and/or your children’s lunches
• Set up your playlist or pick your podcast for tomorrow
• Pack your child’s school bag

One thing to unclutter your mind

Before you get ready to relax it is a good idea to get things off your mind.
Whether it is something bothering you or tasks you need to conquer tomorrow, take the time before you sleep to get things off your mind.

• Write in a journal – something that you are feeling, that is bothering you.. doesn’t matter what it is!
• Write out your to-do list for tomorrow
• Make a list of anything that you have been meaning to do – such as small home maintenance or your Christmas shopping list
• Write in a gratitude journal

One thing to finish off

Again, don’t make this a huge task. If you have to finish writing a book, now is not the time for that.
If you have something small to finish off, now is the best time. This will help you sleep easy because you won’t be staring at the roof thinking “I really should have folded those clothes!” 

Ideas of things to finish off:

• Folding and/or putting away laundry
• Reading notes from your latest class
• Setting up that chromecast you bought but haven’t taken out of the box
• Replying to an email you meant to tend to

You won’t be doing the same thing every night for this one. If you were, it wouldn’t be finishing something off!
So if you like, you could make a note in your schedule to cross one thing off your to-do list that won’t take more than 5-10 minutes.

One thing that will help you relax/wind down

This one seems to be a given for a lot of people, yet we fail to implement it quite often.
Winding down is important for a good night’s sleep, if your mind is still active when you go to bed it can make it difficult to fall asleep and that limits how much sleep you are going to get.
So find something that helps you wind down!

I have a specific blend that I use every night that helps me relax both mentally and physically, it has been a Godsend! If you want to check out this blend you can find it here.

Ways you can relax and wind down

• Have a shower or bath
• Drink some herbal tea
• Read a book
• Make a rule of no electronics half an hour before bed, and stick to it!
• Colouring/drawing
• Diffuse some calming oils, such as lavender or vetiver
• Put on some relaxing music and just be still

Examples of a nighttime routine

Routines don’t have to be stressful, and as I said earlier – once you get them in place and they become a habit you will definitely notice the benefits.
Here is an example of a nighttime routine you can create. (Remember to create your own routine, unique to you that suits your needs)

8:10 pm – Fold the laundry and put it away
8:30 pm – Make school lunches
8:40 pm – Write out your to-do list for tomorrow
8:45 pm – Change the lightbulb you’ve been forgetting about
8:48 pm – Have a hot bath with your favourite book
(See how the last thing took only 3 minutes and has taken something off your mind as well as finishing a task!)
9:30 pm – Go to bed and have an amazing nights sleep!

Woo! We got there!
Let me know how it goes, I always love hearing from my readers!