5 Night-time Routines To Be Successful
Our society is collectively obsessed with morning routines.While these routines set the foundation for good work, they do not set the foundation for a good life.There is an argument to be made that night-time habits are even more important than morning ones. Without the right set of evening habits, we risk falling into destructive tendencies by default due to low will-power.
Success isn’t just a result of making good decisions–it’s also a result of avoiding bad ones. Making the wrong decisions in the evening can mean poor nutrition, poor sleeping habits, and a poor relationship with your family.
Here are five tips that will make you the master of your evening schedule and set you up for a high-energy and focused tomorrow.
1.Assess your day: what good did I do today?
Ben Franklin was famous for his rigorous routines and schedules. He ended each carefully mapped day by asking one single question, “What good did I do today?” The sentiment is right, but as an business person take a slightly more structured approach to examining your day. Take time to review your schedule, projects and insights.
Ask yourself three questions: What progress did I make toward my vision and goals today? What am I grateful for today, specifically? Finally, what improvements can I make with what I learned?
2.Set priorities for next day.
What you do in the evening can ensure your success the following day. Each night follow this process :
- Review a To Do List, in Microsoft Word
- Pick 3-5 key tasks that you will get done the following day
- Write those tasks down on a 3×5 index card
- Lay the card out with your keys so you will see it first thing in the morning.
Using the methods,you will define your top priorities for tomorrow before bed. You’ll wake up with a clear agenda and be ready to accomplish more.
3.Improve sleep hygiene.
In the evenings, people often fall prey to mindless eating and emotional eating. These are often caused by boredom, stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Prioritizing sleep and protecting that time is essential to sleeping when you’re struggling with anxiety, fatigue and other issues that can arise as part of your life.
The National Sleep Foundation lays out a good plan for sleep hygiene, but the keys are simple. Set a consistent sleep schedule and stick to it. Brushes your teeth, uses mouthwash. Make your room as dark as possible and keep your bedroom a screen-free zone. Play with the temperature and keep things cooler. Invest in a comfortable mattress setup. And finally, give yourself enough time to unwind before bed.
4.Do something for pleasure.
Every night, do one thing that you enjoy. Spend time with your family over a leisurely dinner with no tablets or phones in sight,read a book ,watch a movie exercise or even meditate. These were found to help reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
Make the most of your non-work time to refill the well a bit each day, rather than relying only on weekends or vacations.
5.Follow A Progressive Muscle Relaxation Routine.
Closeup hand open book for reading concept background
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a practice that was first developed by Harvard-educated physician Edmund Jacobson.During this 15-minute routine, take deep breathes, clears your mind, and tightens and releases your muscles, section by section, from your toes to your head.
Since our bodies and minds are intimately linked, reducing physical tension allows us to also decrease our emotional stress. In a study of patients suffering from insomnia due to cancer, PMR reduced the time to fall asleep by 75%, and the effect of easier, faster sleep lasted for 3 months.
