5 Things I Do After 5 PM: My Evening Routine

Looking for an evening routine? A way to wind down from your busy day so that you can get a restful night’s sleep? Check out these simple steps in my evening routine (5 things I do after 5 pm) that helps me be more productive the next day.

I’ve found that when I am able to wind down at the end of the day and follow an evening routine, the following day is so much more productive morning and that my morning routine goes so much smoother!
Even though I work for myself now and have a lot of flexibility, I STILL wake up between 4 and 5 AM. Why?
Because I am one of those strange people who is a morning person! By the time 3pm rolls around, I’m DONE lol.

In the last year, I decided to really lean in to my evening routine. As someone with insomnia, in order for me to have a successful day, I have get a good night’s sleep . And the best way for me to do this, is with a bedtime routine that works.

When I first tried this evening routine, I noticed that the next morning was effortless, stress-free and that I was much more productive and successful.

So my evening routine was born and I’ve been refining it over the years.

So today, I’m going to share with you the 5 things that I do after 5 pm that helps me to have a more productive morning. 

My Evening Routine:5 Things I Do After 5 PM

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Prepare for the next day: 

Prepping is half the battle, so I make sure that I take the time to prep for the next morning. I have food that needs to be unthawed for dinner, I take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator.

I meal prep school lunches for Pookah ( or lay out what’s going in his lunch) and myself, and sometimes CDUb. 
Another one of my evening rituals is that I clean the kitchen because the worst thing ever is to have to wake up to dirty dishes in my sink at 5 am. I wash or iron Pookah’s uniform for the morning, and make sure homework makes it off of the dining room table and into his book bag. That way, in the morning, I’m not rushing around forgetting stuff or running late.

I also lay out my workout clothes. That way there is no excuse. I just get up and put them on.

I plan out the NEXT day 

I used to wake up and do this. And then, I would feel all out of sorts when I did something that was not on my to-do list.So I started planning at night.

I work off of one main list that I make every Sunday. By the end of each day, I know what I have completed and what still needs to be done. I can look to see if there have been any schedule changes to my work schedule, what’s due tomorrow, what appointments we have and plan my day accordingly.

I then make sure everything is written down in my planner. It has saved my sanity.Now its time to wind down!

I take a bath

Not a quick shower…a bath.
I used to do a hot shower, but found that the bath is much more relaxing and it helps me wind down because bath time is perfect at the end of a long day. There is something luxurious about a bath. There is something relaxing about a bath..it’s glorious. I’ve become obsessed with Lavender Bath Salts and bubble baths and bath bombs.

I usually listen to music, read a book or just sit in silence while in the tub with candles lit. It’s like the signal that tells my body that it’s time to rest.

I Journal my thoughts and gratitude 

I use my 5 minute journal in the morning because it’s quick and easy and it helps me focus. I used to do a full journal session in the morning, but I found that when i set aside time in the evening, there is something about a brain dump in my journal at the end of the day works so much better for me. I write down my wins, my losses, what worked, and express gratitude for the day.

I’ve found that especially when I’ve had a hard day, getting these things on paper and THEN making sure I note what I’m STILL grateful for, despite it all, it releases that last bit of tension and gives me peace of mind to help me rest and start fresh the next day.  

And finally…

I Put Down my Electronic Devices 

This is usually the last step in my evening routine.
I put down my cell phone.

Studies have shown that blue light has the largest impact on our circadian rhythm.

This has made a BIG difference in the amount of sleep I get every night and the quality of sleep I get.
Blue light suppresses the body’s release of melatonin , a hormone that makes us feel drowsy. This is great during the day when you are trying to be active and alert. But it’s hurtful at night when we are trying to get our bodies to wind down. Being exposed to blue light before bedtime can trick our brains into believing it’s still daytime leaving us alert instead of tired and ready for bed.

So what do I do rather than scrolling social media or checking email before bed?
I read a fiction book.
Reading relaxes me and you know I always have something to read!I allow for 30 minutes to 1 hour of reading time in the evening( depending on when I started) just to completely relax me. And i fall asleep, EVEN BETTER.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not the only time of day I read, but this is the main block of time and it not only guarantees that I read something non-work related every day, it helps me to calm my mind. 

So that’s it! Hopefully, this gives you ideas for your own perfect evening routine so that you can get better sleep ! Tell me, what do you do to wind down at night to help you get enough sleep so that you can have a productive day?

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