Productive Night Routine Ideas For A Better Tomorrow!

Monday, April 20, 2020

After a long day, organising your plans for the next day may be the last thing on your mind. I love relaxing in the evening and planning how to tackle the next day as it helps me slow down. Building a night routine can help you stay motivated for the week ahead and feel refreshed in the morning. Here are some of the best productive bedtime routine ideas and how to create a night-time routine that works for you! 


The Benefits Of A Night-time Routine


Routines aren't for everyone, and suddenly things can cause habits to change. You need to be flexible with your routine, but there are some benefits to keeping a steady schedule. Here are some reasons why you might want to build a productive night-time routine:


  • You'll have a better sleep pattern if things are consistent
  • You may get a better night's sleep
  • You may wake up feeling happier and more refreshed
  • You'll have things planned out, reducing stress
  • It gives you a chance to reflect on your day
  • You'll save yourself time in the morning
  • It can improve your mental health


How To Build A Routine The Works For You


Building a routine can be hard when you don't know where to start. The first thing you need to consider is time. Forming a productive routine means you need to achieve certain things in the time you have available. For example, you may only have an hour after dinner that you can get ready for the next day. Then, you have to think about what there is to achieve in the evening. If you only have an hour, you may not have the time to practise self-care, meal prep, plan your week and study. Decide what is important to you, and build a schedule that is easy for you to follow. Routines need to flow, and if you're forcing yourself to do something, it's not a good routine.

I like to stop working around 9 pm so that I have time for planning and self-care. I meal prep on a Sunday so that I have the rest of the week free from cooking. For me, self-care and watching films with my partner is a necessity, so I build that into my routine, along with packing my bag and writing a to-do list. Find what works for you and include things you want to do. You'll find it much more productive and easy to stick to if you're mixing up needs and wants. 


Plan For The Week Ahead


I love doing life admin. I take a whole day to sort things out and get my life together. If you're not able to take a day for life admin, why not tackle it in the evenings? Before you go to bed, take some time to organise your week. I like to plan on a Sunday, and I use my journal to make sure I write down everything. I find that things are less rushed in the evenings. Your mind is clear, and you've tackled all you can in the day. You know what you didn't get round to, so you can include those tasks in your weekly plan.

Take around 15 minutes to write down any meetings, appointments and admin jobs you need to do. If you need to book things, blog or do something during the week, give yourself time. I love planning my week and picking which days I should do things. If I have done all of my tasks for that day and have time, I can start doing the jobs for the next day. Make sure you spread things out to give yourself plenty of time and to avoid burnout. 

Reflect On The Day


Take some time before you go to bed to reflect on the day. You could journal, write a list or even meditate for 10 minutes. Reflecting on the day is a productive way to decide what you need to do tomorrow. If you haven't finished your to-do list, why not make a note and attempt it tomorrow. Here are some prompts to help you reflect:


  • What were your favourite things about today?
  • How are you feeling at the end of today?
  • Who made an impact on your day and why?
  • Where did you go today?
  • How are you spending quality time with the people you love?
  • What would you do differently if you relived today?
  • What things did you achieve?
  • What things were you unable to complete but could try tomorrow?
  • What progress have you made on achieving long term goals?
  • List 5 things that made you grateful
  • Name something new you'd like to try tomorrow?
  • Are you living a life that you'd like to lead?


Create A To-do List


Before you go to bed, write out a to-do list. You could spend the time making your list pretty or just doing a brain dump of everything on your mind. Writing a to-do list is different to planning your week. You don't need to allocate time or plan things in detail. I love writing down any blog posts I'd like to write in the week, revision pages I need to tackle and other little bits for the week.

If you don't like lists, doing a brain dump can be beneficial instead. You don't need to be neat. Just write down everything that is on your mind. It can be feelings, thoughts, plans, gifts etc. Brian dumps and lists are a wonderfully productive tool to help you. I'd recommend including them in your night routine as they can help you to clear your head. You also won't forget anything important. If you keep your brain dumps, you can refer back to them and tackle any issues you may have.

 

Practise Some Self-Care & Unwind


The evening is one of my favourite times to relax and unwind. Before heading to bed, make sure you practise some self-care. With such busy lives, we often don't take the time to relax and do what we want. Self-care can be anything from reading a book to watching a movie. Give yourself at least 15 minutes of self-care to look after your mind and body. I love to do a bit of yoga and watch a TV show with my boyfriend. If you're stuck on ideas, here are over 50 ways you can practise self-care in just 10 minutes. Self-care should be part of your daily routine, but it's easier to fit it into the evening.

Self-care and relaxation are productive and is beneficial to your mental health. It gives you a chance to connect with your mind and feel anything you've pushed aside during the day. You don't need to worry about work or deadlines. There are many mental and physical benefits to self-care, including better sleep and reduced stress, so don't forget to include it in your routine!

Prep Your Meals


If you're busy during the week, why not spend some time prepping your meals in the evening. I like to cook my lunches for the whole week on a Sunday night. It means that I have to pick up a fork, and I'm ready to go for the day. Making meals in bulk saves you time, money and ingredients, so it's a good habit to get into. There are lots of meal prep ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so you'll be able to find something suitable for you and your lifestyle.

For lunches, you could cook rice or pasta in bulk. I like to use precooked chicken, but you could cook your own too. I then add veggies and pack the meals into containers for the week. If you finish later from work, you could try meal prepping dinner. My mum bulk makes shepherd pie and freezes it along with lasagne and other meals that are easy to double. It means you save time during the week, which can be used for other things! 


Everyone will build and follow a different routine. As long as you're getting everything done and having a good night's sleep, you're doing it right. Productivity doesn't need to be stressful, and you don't have to cram your evening's with jobs to have an easier morning. What things do you like to do before bed? I'd love to hear what productive things you do before bed to help you in the morning! 


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7 comments

  1. I love having a routine. I was supposed to be back at college today so, I’m back in that routine and I feel great!
    Al x

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  2. I'm back to my college routine now and on my weekends I try to make sure I'm doing something like blogging or reading so I'm not just wasting my time! Your routine sounds really good! - Sophie Lou x

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  3. I love a routine and it’s how I’ve been able to maximise my productivity in lockdown... there are always day where you just need an aimless/pj/brownie eating day and that’s okay too, we’re all human aren’t we! Loved this... x

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  4. I love a routine and fortunately have settled into one for home schooling my eldest. The morning coffee is my time to reflect. A fab post!
    Sarah
    Www.simplysarahjayneloves.com

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  5. You are so organized; I love too how you built in selfcare/free time for yourself as a reward!

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  6. I love your routine, I might have to adopt it myself. You seem to be able to manage your time so well so that you get everything done.

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  7. I've been working on loosening up and being more adaptable, so my rule is to do something in each category - blog, work, reading, learning, cleaning, and fun. I've also been letting myself work and sleep when it feels natural, and it's completely flipped my schedule around - as I write this at two in the morning, while promoting my blogs, posting some work, and working on an upcoming blog post - but submitting to late night creativity has made me write faster and better, so I'm going with it. Even though it drives my Type A side insane.

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