Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
– Jim Ryun
We all desire a smooth and peaceful morning.
The real secret to it all starts the night before.
It’s all about the prep work you do the night prior to your hectic day and morning.
If you implement these 12 simple evening habits from this article, you’ll find your tomorrows’ to be much less stressful and make your life better on the whole.
Here’s to evening habits for a more successful life.
1. Evaluate and review the day
Sit down for 20-30 minutes and review your day.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What was good about today?
- What didn’t exactly go my way and could have gone better?
- How can I make tomorrow awesome?
- What did I learn today?
The key to an awesome tomorrow is to constantly check in with yourself and set the right tone for the day ahead.
Familiarize yourself with the ups and downs of the day that’s just passed, up your knowledge and take it with you into the next day.
Write down your answers in your journal so you can keep track of your progress, knowledge and how much more amazing your life is now that you actually take notice.
You’ll be taking control of your days and your mood by evaluating and reviewing.
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2. Plan for tomorrow
This one shouldn’t come as a surprise.
You all know what an absolute planning NUT I am.
Planning is my all time favorite life hack for a more successful life.
Plan your tomorrow down to the dot.
Get out your Productivity Planner or your go-to planner and schedule the results you expect to get tomorrow.
Make your to-do’s time sensitive and break them down into easy and actionable tasks.
The key here is to plan for the results and not the actions.
For example:
- BAD EXAMPLE: 6 AM – 8 AM – Work on my online business
- GOOD EXAMPLE: 6 AM – 8 AM – Write one blog post and create one pin in Canva
Be as detailed as you possibly can and honor the commitment you’ve made to yourself.
You are much more likely to follow through if you set a deadline for the result you expect to get in the given timeframe.
#LIFEHACKINDEED
3. Self-lovin’
No successful woman has an evening routine without a little self-care.
Take an hour out of your day to do something that nourishes and relaxes you.
You do you, honey.
This is important for the mind, the body and the soul.
Don’t have a whole hour? Go for 30 minutes or even 10 minutes is better than no minutes at all.
Now, if you don’t have ten minutes to care for yourself, you need to prioritize your time a little better, girl.
Check out my post on 57 Helpful Self Care Ideas for examples of how to spend your downtime.
4. Prepare Tomorrow’s Outfit
Pick an outfit for tomorrow and hang it on a hanger on your door.
Just do it.
It will make your mornings so much more effortless and you won’t be throwing clothes around in a crazy haze, stressing over what to wear.
Do the prep work and prepare tomorrow’s outfit the night before.
5. Lay out workout clothes
The same goes for workout clothes.
If you are struggling to get that butt of yours to the gym, you are much more likely to do so if you prepare the night before.
Put your workout bag by the door and grab it in the morning.
Just don’t sleep in your workout clothes 🙂
6. Read
Incorporate a good 20 minutes for some blissful reading time.
Get out your favorite book and read at least one chapter every night.
This will spike your knowledge and make you feel more sleepy if you’re struggling to fall asleep.
Alternatively, you can listen to your favorite podcast – that surely drives me right to sleep.
- RELATED: The 10 Best Personal Development Books For A New And Improved You
- RELATED: The Best Personal Development Podcasts You Need To Listen To
7. Bring down the lights
Dim the lights in your home at least one hour before it’s bedtime.
This goes for your bathroom as well and not just your bedroom.
Dim the lights down low in whichever room you are hanging out in, whether it be your kitchen or your living room.
I usually have candlelights light up my apartment from about 8 PM until I go to bed around 10 PM.
By bringing down the lights, it will get your eyes and body ready for a good night’s sleep.
Plus, it’s really cozy.
Tip: Put your phone and computer on night mode to avoid that horrible blue light which will likely keep you awake for hours past your bedtime.
8. And bring down the temperature
Turn the heat off and bring the temperature down to a comfortable 18 degrees Celcius (65 Fahrenheit).
This is apparently the best temperature for sleeping.
Your body is more relaxed in a chilled environment.
Open your window and bring in a little fresh breeze to kick you into sleeping mode and lower the room temperature.
This life hack is proven to help with sleep.
9. Unplug, girl
Yes yes, you saw this one coming right?
Turn off your phone, computers, and TV at least an hour before bed.
You that blue light I was talking about? This is a good way to clear your eyes (and mind) from it.
Stay clear of excessive information when it’s time to whine down. You don’t need this distraction when it’s time to hit the pillow.
Settle your mind, body, and soul for a good night sleep and avoid the not-so-very-useful Instagram and Facebook feed.
Get out a good book instead.
I know how tempting it is to want to binge-watch Youtube videos before dozing off to sleep. However, I find if I turn off all electronics by 9 PM, I am much more focused and productive the next morning, and you may find this to be true for you as well.
I devote my mornings to my online business and my creativity, so it’s crucial that I am my most focused and productive at that time of day.
10. Meditate
If you haven’t tried mediation yet, where have you been the last five years?
No, I’m of course kidding.
There is absolutely no pressure here and I must confess that I too struggle to keep up with this habit.
It can be a little overwhelming although it really doesn’t need to be.
Everyone seems to be meditating – all the bloggers, celebrities and people who inspire you and you want to do it too, right?
Meditating doesn’t have to be hard, and there is no right way to do it.
Try and sit in silence, light a candle and focus in on your thoughts for five minutes a day.
Five minutes. That is all. You can escalate as you get your feet warm.
Alternatively, you can try a guided meditation app, like Headspace, if you prefer a soothing voice telling you what to do and how to do it.
Although, I prefer to just sit in silence with my own thoughts and focus on my breathing.
It’s called meditation practice for a reason. It takes a little time to get used to it.
11. Go to bed early
Get your butt into bed at a reasonable hour 🙂
Your internal clock really prefers a good night sleep between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM – I don’t have the science but this is what sleep experts say.
I’m a sucker for a long and productive morning routine so I like to turn the lights off by 10 PM and wake up sometime between 5 AM and 6 AM (let’s be honest, it’s more 6 than 5 AM).
Your body is dying for 8 hours of sleep and I really think you should give your body those peaceful hours to recharge.
You’ll feel so much better in the morning – focused, refreshed and ready to take on the day and be your most successful self.
- RELATED: The 4 Secrets To Waking Up Early & Why You Should Do It
- RELATED: 8 Ways To A More Productive Morning
12. Connect with loved ones
Last but not least, connect with your loved ones.
Snuggle up with your man (or woman, or cat) and give yourselves a good 30 minutes to share a joyous moment.
Good relationships are built on good connections – so make sure you connect, in any way you please, as often as you can.
The perfect evening activity, if you ask me.
Before You Go
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list and that you are indeed on your way to becoming your most successful self by implementing these simple but effective evening habits.
I’ve done all those things you suggest and become a successful woman over the years. Now tell everybody how we cope with the hate and jealousy!!!!!!
Love this Lesley! Way to go! 🙂
This is a great list! I am doing a lot of things on this list and it has been making a huge difference! I wake up refreshed and ready!