5 Simple Steps To End Your Day Relaxed
There is no better feeling then slipping into bed after a big day feeling relaxed, happy and on top of things. How often does that actually happen for you though? I have found it is a lot easier to achieve by implementing a simple 5 step night time routine. When I realised just how effective it was, I also created a morning routine that worked for me. You can read about that here and here.
As a busy Mama, I am usually the last one awake in our house so I find it to be the perfect time to get my head and surroundings in order. When I follow my routine I definitely go to bed much calmer and find myself falling asleep easier, which is something we all long for. When I don’t follow my routine I find my brain keeps going over the events of the day, what I have to do tomorrow and what I think I should probably be doing instead of going to bed! Falling asleep with so much going on is almost an invitation for a restless sleep so it is something we want to try and avoid. To do this, I follow 5 simple steps.
1. Prepare for tomorrow
I usually meal plan our evening meal for the week ahead every weekend. I also prepare foods for lunches and breakfasts where possible, such as chopping and par cooking bulk vegetables to place into a storage container in the fridge, ready to grab when needed. So, every night I make sure our lunches for the following day are made and packed. I also pull out my workout clothes and pack my bag if I know I am going straight to class/gym after finishing work. These few simple tasks free up time in the morning and leave you feeling prepared!
2. Tidy up odds and ends
I don’t know about you, but I find it so much nicer waking to a tidy house in the mornings! I don’t suggest you go on a cleaning spree every night (I tend to do most of that on the weekend) but a quick whip around to pack toys away, tidy off the kitchen benches, pop clothes away where they are meant to go etc.
3. Journal
I am huge fan of journaling and have seen how it can help women overhaul their lives. Although I do some brief journaling in the mornings, I find at night it is a great release – it’s very therapeutic! There is usually 3 parts to my night time journaling: brain dumping, daily gratitude and a mood/food log. Stay tuned for more details with How to Fall in Love with Journalling next week.
4. Meditation
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If you’ve read part one and part two of ‘How to create a morning routine that works for you’, you would already know that I meditate in the mornings. Well I do it at night time too! Again, this doesn’t need to be a long practice. Ten minutes is usually sufficient for me. At night time I either meditate in the shower or use a guided meditation just before going to sleep – it usually depends on if I have already showered with my toddler! Shower meditation is beautiful. In a nutshell, as the water falls on your skin you imagine it washing away any concerns, stiffness, heartache or general ‘stuff’ that you feel yourself hanging on to. Imagine the weight of those things being released and your body being cleansed of worry as the water trickles away.
5. Lastly, pop your phone on do not disturb or flight mode
There is a setting on most smartphones to do this. I prefer using do not disturb as I am more comfortable knowing if there is an emergency I can still be reached. In this mode all sounds and notifications are disabled, however if someone phones you twice within 5 minutes it will ring. By switching your attention away from your phone (or laptop) you can let your body recalibrate and relax.
As always, if you can incorporate some beautiful music or gorgeous aromas (candles, essential oils etc) while working through your routine it makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. Once completed you can lay down in bed, comfortable and at ease, and thank the universe for gifting you another day in your amazing life.
