In my home, life is busy, and I’m guessing that it’s really no different in yours. Evening routines are essential in the lives of busy women and moms since what you do in the evening largely determines the quality of the following day. An evening routine checklist is the perfect solution to ending your day strong. And, starting the following day off right.
For me, getting up and starting my day long before my kids get up is essential. When I don’t, I tend to blow it in some way, which is never any good at all.
Before we get started…
The perfect counterpart to an amazing evening routine is a morning routine. You can grab my morning routine templates – one with a suggested morning routine as well as a blank one. Just tell us where to send it!
While my quiet time in the morning is essential to me, it doesn’t just start there. It actually starts the night before.
In all actuality, I treasure my quiet time in the morning, but I really love my quiet time at night. Even though I’ve got kids who are staying up later and later as they get older, I still need to make my evening routine happen. There is just something I love about doing some planning, housework, and even cooking in the kitchen at night when the house is quiet, or at least mostly quiet.
Just like I find it so important to have a morning routine, I have come to discover the importance of a nightly routine as well.
Having an evening routine checklist is such an important part of a great evening routine.
Following is a look at what my evening routine looks like
“Cleaning” the house
My nightly routine starts with a house that is clean…or should I say a house that appears clean. My house isn’t always perfectly clean, but I make sure it feels and appears clean at the end of the day. We do a deeper clean on the weekend, which is when we make sure things are properly cleaned.
Having a home that feels clean when I get up in the morning is SO important. And, I’m guessing it will start your day off on the right foot as well.
A brain dump
Brain dumping is the practice of getting the things in your head out onto paper. Sometimes these might be things you need to remember to do. Other times they might just be things you’ve thought of. Take some time to just empty out your brain. You’ll sleep so much better.
Create a task list for the following day
If I leave this until the morning, I find that I am just too overwhelmed. Somehow in the evening, I have more clarity. I will say that I wait until the morning to prioritize that list and schedule, but I find it so helpful to have the actual activities written and waiting for me in the morning.
Get things ready for the morning
Whatever you can think of that would make the morning go more smoothly. This could include making lunches, getting kids’ things together, or getting your things ready for work. It could also mean getting clothes figured out for the following day, and in my case it means getting my clothes & earbuds ready for the gym in the morning.
Get enough rest
Resist the temptation to do just one more thing or burn the candle too long every day. Having a good day starts with getting enough rest. And, deciding on a reasonable time to go to bed to be able to get up on time is key.
A few more things to keep in mind about your evening routine
Make sure it’s realistic
Make sure it includes something you enjoy doing at the end of a long day
Your evening routine should be something you look forward to rather than something that overwhelms you
Creating an evening routine with purpose is one of the things I talk about in my course, Less is More. This course is all about teaching you what to take off your plate so you can focus on what really matters.
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