14 Strategies to a Successful Nighttime Routine
14 Strategies to a Successful Nighttime Routine
It is quite a common scenario. You go through your day, not able to finish that much and promising yourself to do better the next day then end up doing the same – not accomplishing the tasks you needed to finish. If you have witnessed this cycle happen in your everyday life, it’s time to put a stop to it. You need to stop feeling sluggish and stressed the whole day as it will affect your productivity. You can continue cramming and scrambling about doing last-minute errands but over time, you will get further and further from your goals. What you need to do is check what you are doing wrong that is not giving you the energy and motivation you need the next day because most often than not, it has to do with your nighttime routine. At the most, you might not even have what you can call a routine at night and just do whatever you want binge eating and watching Netflix till you fall asleep.
On the other hand, you can wake up feeling revitalized and pumped to face a new day when you have a nighttime structured routine going. What you do before bedtime has a direct effect on how productive you will be the next day. The key is to de-stress the night before so you can face the following day refreshed and perked up. Here are 14 strategic things that you should be doing every night as a routine to become successful during the day and the rest of your waking life.
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- Tear yourself away from technology
You just can’t help it. You just gotta keep scrolling and scrolling and before you know it, you are still wide awake and it’s already past your bedtime. Whether you are browsing your favorite Pinterest, stalking someone on Facebook, or reading how-to articles, the online world can be very addicting. Sometimes, you work on your PC the whole day and still get hooked on your mobile at night that you end up feeling distracted or anxious with the tons of information that you load up into your brain. Research has shown how engaging with technology heavily before bed will make falling asleep hard on you especially with the blue light that comes from your devices disrupt your melatonin production. And so you if you have to, you got to literally tear yourself away from your laptop, tablet, or mobile for at least an hour to 30 minutes before you get to bed. Say goodbye to your mobile before you lie in bed and disconnect yourself from all the sleep distractions.
- Relax and unwind mindfully
This strategy emphasizes mindfulness as to the kind of relaxation activity that you choose at night. Again, this does not include movie marathons or anything that involves technology. It has to be an activity that helps calm you and slow you down such as meditation, cooking, yoga, and the like. It has to be something that you truly enjoy that has nothing to do with work. For instance, Joel Gascoigne, the CEO of Buffer practices nighttime walks as part of his routine. Now, he is an extremely busy individual but when he is out on his walk, he literally turns his thoughts off on anything work-related and then eventually brings himself into some state of tiredness. If you’re like Joel who is very active, you can try giving night strolls a shot. Put your mobile on silent mode so you do not instinctively pick it up when it sends you notifications. Relax your mind and body for the night and enjoy a productive day tomorrow.
- Maintain a sleep hygiene
Hygiene is extremely important and especially so in relation to sleep. However, it entails more than just arranging your bed. The National Sleep Foundation has got it all laid for you with a sleep hygiene routine that is so extensive it will ensure your deep sleep. It includes having a comfortable bed, a well-balanced room temperature, snug pillows, and time for you to unwind for at least an hour before you doze off to dreamland. Your self is your priority and no matter how loaded your schedule is during the day, you have to allot time for you to unwind, rest, and sleep for hours to avoid burnout. The most successful individuals are those who do not forget to stay healthy despite everything.
- Say good night to work too
Your tasks may be endless but it doesn’t mean you have to work endlessly as well. The most successful know when to stop and say good night to work for the day so they can do more the next day. Initially, it may sound like you will be able to finish more if you extend some work hours at night but your tendency is to feel tired to do anything else the following day. Aside from reducing your productivity in this way, you are also wreaking havoc on your physical and mental health. So do not try to sneak in work when it is time to rest because tomorrow, you will be more energized, productive, and able to repeat this healthy cycle over the course of the year. Remember that the goal is for you to stay consistent because consistency is what’s going to help you succeed. Strategize your nighttime routine effectively by sticking to it no matter what – work, rest, and sleep and say good night to work too so you can face it dynamically the following day.
- Sleep at consistent hours
When you are relaxing, you tend to forget about time. Meanwhile, when it comes to sleep, it is important that you do it at the same time every night. The key is to have your day planned ahead as much as you can so that you can sleep at that allotted hour no matter what. You have to allot space for flexibility as well because some things won’t happen as planned and you have to be ready for it, but as much as possible, get to bed according to the time that you have set. You won’t be able to do your usual hustle and grind unless you stay dedicated to a sufficient period of rest and inactivity every night. If you want to be like most successful individuals, you have to learn to understand how valuable sleep can be and put value on planning your bedtime to make sure that you stick to the recommended 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted rest. Set your bedtime and slide in under the covers at the same hour every night. Once you are able to keep it consistent, your body will then recognize your sleeping pattern and help you to dreamland without much tossing and turning.
- Organize work and stop strategically
Work is life that is true but it your life is not only defined by your work and the most successful individuals enjoy their life outside of work more than anything. Even the most prolific of writers do not wait till they finish a chapter before they call it a night. What they do is end right in the middle of a thought or a paragraph so they can start fresh the next morning. Writing is a creative process and extending work hours will kill your creativity. But if you stop mid-sentence and say goodnight, you will notice that it tends to boost your productivity more. So stop while it’s still going good and you know what’s going to happen next or what you will do next so you do not get stuck. You too can do the same thing and make it part of your nighttime routine in preparation for tomorrow. Create a pattern of success by stopping while you are still feeling motivated then start fresh the next morning. End while you are in the midst of a high note and you will see that you do not have to scramble for ideas. By the time your alarm goes off, you will be surprised by the solution that pops into your head
- Make time for dinner
If you have probably noticed by now, most of your nighttime routine involves giving yourself time for everything that is not work-related. However, the one thing that is often neglected and brushed aside is sitting down for dinner. If you are used to multi-tasking, it can seem like a waste of time especially when you can just scarf down your food while watching your favorite soap. However, if your goal is to wind down and make yourself stress free for some deep sleep then you need to be more conscious of what you do each night. Give it 15 to 30 minutes of doing nothing else but sitting down and enjoying your dinner and you will see how mindful eating reduces stress and gives way to a deep slumber. Go ahead and enjoy every bite, chew on the flavors, and finish your meal with full satisfaction.
- Learn something new
This strategy is for those whose minds seem hyperactive and involves learning something interesting due to its novelty. You see, when you’ve had a long, exhausting day, you are actually prepping your brain for more learning. In fact, after a busy day is the perfect time to learn. Author Josh Waitzkin of “The Art of Learning” has recommended that if you want to learn something new or some complicated concepts, you can do so after a particularly tiring day. Apparently, your subconscious is going to process that new information while you are sleeping. The most intelligent of individuals including Albert Einstein and Salvador Dali even made use of their nap times to prepare their minds for learning and producing new insights. While you are winding down, you too can learn something new as part of your nighttime routine.
- Reminisce the positive moments of your day
Think about it as daydreaming at night. This is not to say though that you can only do this routine when you had a great day because having bad days are a part of everyday life. The point is to be able to see the positive in every situation because indeed, there is always something positive that results from your daily challenges. Being able to stay positive no matter what is what’s going to keep you motivated and give you the peace of mind to sleep soundly through the night for an awesome day tomorrow. So whether your day was extremely challenging or full of laughter, take the time before you go to bed to reflect on them and think about the positive outcomes and purposes. You can write your thoughts on a journal, talk to a trusted friend about it, go on a meditative state, or simply enjoy a quiet moment recalling those beautiful events. They can be as big as landing your dream job or as ordinary as eating your favorite pasta. Imagine what you can achieve when you are able to develop the habit of reflecting on the positive each night. Appreciation and gratitude for the littlest of things can do you infinite wonders every day.
- Tidy up
If there is one thing that successful people do for a nightly routine is that they clean up and get organized. You do not have to be cleaning your whole room all at once but doing something to keep things organized around you also helps clear your mind. When there is so much clutter around you, your mind is likewise cluttered seeing trash, clothes, or stuff everywhere. It won’t really make you feel sleepy when you see all that clutter around you like they want to be picked up. But if you do some quick tidying up activities each night, this routine can help signal your mind that after you organize your things, you can then go to sleep with peace of mind. Go ahead and unpack your travel bag, pick up those dirty clothes, change your beddings, and dream away.
- Reconnect with love
A busy day can also be stressful but spending time with loved ones can easily make you forget about the rest and just enjoy your time with them. Reconnecting with love after a long day refreshes you with laughter, care, sincerity, and inner joy. Be it with your friends, your siblings, kids, or lifetime partner, it always gives you that hope that everything else will turn out just fine. Making this a part of your routine each night can warm your heart and put your soul to slumber. Spending quality time with loved ones keeps the pressure off and reminds you of the motivation behind your busy days. When everything else fails, reconnect with a loved one and restore your motivational energy.
- Get on a physical hygiene routine
Nothing like a nice lounge time in a bubbly bath tub where everything else around you is a blur. Immerse yourself in your own private, peaceful world in the bathroom and enjoy some scented candles to keep you relaxed. Make a nightly routine out of caring for yourself – taking a hot shower, brushing your teeth, putting on some luxurious oils, or indulging yourself in a home facial. Make it something that you can look forward to as your “me” time. Taking care of your physical needs each night will help you wind down and get to a restful sleep.
- Read pleasurably
If you are one of those who likes to read, reading at night for pleasure is a highly recommended routine. You can go for a suspense page-turner, a juicy romance novel, or a business book that you have been eager to read. The goal is help you relax and to shut the outside world for a few minutes to help you sleep soundly at night. Just remember not to get carried away and finish the whole book till wee hours in the morning. If this is more like you, then go for short stories and easy reads so you know when to start and end your pleasure reading.
- Gear up for the following day
What better way to put yourself to bed than to prepare for the next morning to come? Sometimes, you worry too much about what will happen tomorrow that you end up lying in bed wide awake. Be better at it and instead prepare what you will need the next day. This is definitely gonna help calm your mind and also use up all your energy until you feel ready to go to sleep. Review your to-do list, pack your bags, or layout what you want to wear tomorrow. This is especially helpful when you have an early appointment or have something big that’s happening the next day.
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