Take the stress out of your evenings August 8, 2015
Life is stressful but it does not always have to be as stressful as we make it. Establish a routine that enables you to take the stress out of your evenings and make it one that actually works for you. If it doesn’t seem to fit your lifestyle, be open to make adjustments to your plans. And don’t worry about it. Every day is different and that is what makes life interesting.
I have collected some ideas for you that you might want to integrate into your personal evening routine. So let’s get started, shall we?
If possible, leave your work at work
Even though it can be tempting at times or there is so much work to do that you feel left with no choice – do not take work home with you! In some professions, like for teachers or doctors that is not always possible but in many cases and for the most of us the work can wait until the next morning.
Do not run lots of errands
If you over-schedule your evenings with personal errands you have to run, appointments, shopping and so on, chances are you will be utterly exhausted once you arrive at home. You worked hard during the day and the best thing you can do is to try to limit your evening to-do list to the bare necessities. Just spread your tasks throughout the week to prevent exhaustion.
Do not rush coming home too much
This may sound a bit crazy, but do not hurry too much on your way home from work. Chances are there will be a lot of traffic on the streets and people rushing to the subway, bus or train, but you shouldn’t be one of them. You can choose to be relaxed about it. Make the most of your commute and look forward to your free time. Now the relaxing part of your day should begin, so do not get all worked up about a traffic jam, all the chores that wait for you at home or the fact that you missed your connection in the station again. Take a deep breath and relax! Choose not be stressed out like a lot of people around you. It is all up to you on how you judge rush hour. Instead of getting stressed out, think about something nice you will be doing later in the evening to boost your mood.
Check your calendar for what is coming up next
Be prepared and stay ahead of your daily plans. Make sure to tie up any loose ends in your scheduling and make sure there is nothing that you forgot about. Check all upcoming events in your weekly planning, too. You will be able to really switch off the work thoughts now.
Make plans for tomorrow
Plan your daily schedule, and even the meals for tomorrow if you can. I always check a weather app,too. Because I do not like to spend time on it in the mornings, I also put together what I want to wear the next day. This way I can save time in my morning routine when I am tired, and I can lay everything out already in the evening.
Enjoy your dinner
Really focus on your food while you’re eating it and spend time with your loved ones if you can. I love to eat in company but if you eat alone, make the most out of your dinner and set up a nice spot at your dining table. I like to put music on when I am eating, too. Just relax! Think about all the good stuff that happened to you today and be grateful for it.
Do not make too many plans
See friends, watch some TV or a movie, enjoy a good book or spend time on a hobby. Just do not overfill your evenings with events or do anything that unnecessarily stresses you out. Enjoy your free time activities but do not let it get hectical and overwhelming.
Relaxing ritual to end your day right
To improve your sleep habits, establish an evening ritual to help you unwind. One great way of doing that is to make time to read before you go to bed. Just find out what relaxes you and build it into your nighttime routine.
Go to bed at the same time, every evening
This is something that can be a bit difficult for many of us, but it is helpful for a good night’s sleep to have a fixed time to really go to bed. Just try it! If you establish a fixed time to go to bed and get up at the same time every morning, your body will get used to it and your sleep patterns will improve. This is also a good remedy for any light form of insomnia you might experience every now and then. Sticking to a sleep schedule on weekends also helps to have a less overwhelming Monday morning start.
One last thing: There is not really a right or wrong way to design your own evening routine. It is all about trying out what works for you and what you feel comfortable with. In the end, only you know what works best for you. But it is always nice to overthink your routines when you feel particularly stressed out with your every day life.
If you have any more suggestions or want to share your evening routines, feel free to leave a comment below!