2 Evening Routines That Transform Your Weekdays
If you feel you don’t get a break during the workweek, if you struggle to get-out of bed to exercise in the morning, or you’re frustrated at being WORN OUT by the end of your weekdays, then this post is worth a listen/read for you.
Because there IS a way to get an amazing break everyday (yes, during the workweek!), feel rested & restored, and set yourself up for success the following day.
Today on Happy Working Woman, we discuss “2 Evening Routines That Transform Your Weekdays”.
Here’s what most working women do:
Your workday runs up against dinner time… You come home from work, get dinner ready, eat, clean-up dinner, then it’s 6:30pm or later
All you want to do is SIT DOWN & CHILL OUT
So you flop down on the couch, flip on the TV & scroll your social feeds (aka “veg-out”)
But there are consequences to operating this way:
You go to bed later than you know is ideal (and are NOT getting up the next day for morning exercise)
You get ZERO breaks during your workweek which contributes to being worn-out
Evening snacks & drinks become the ‘pleasure’ of your evenings (leading to weight gain)
Life is just passing you by… QUALITY time with your partner, kids & yourself feels non-existent during the workweek!
I did this for years! I’d flop onto the couch, turn on the TV + phone scrolling OR work in the evening. I was plain worn-out by the end of my workday and like so many, developed an unintentional evening routine for the first 10 years of my career.
That was until my executive coach finally pointed out to me that my evening routine sucked. Instead, she wisely coached, “Create an evening routine that you enjoy and one that sets you up for success the next day.”
Simply put, I developed evening routines that had INTENTION. I wrote out my plan then set an alarm on my phone to remind me every weekday to actually start doing the routine by 8pm. After just one evening of spending my time intentionally, I felt more rested at the end of the weekday and even felt like I had a bit of a handle on my busy life (at least for the next day). As I continued my evening routine practice, it soon became a habit. I no longer looked at my written out plan or set a reminder alarm. I had something to look forward to everyday (and not just the weekend). The biggest benefit? The QUALITY of my life experience improved as my following day’s tasks (like morning exercise and kids morning routines) finally felt do-able. I was rested and prepared.
And it’s not just me. My clients who struggle with consistent morning exercise get coached about their evening routines as a key way to nail their morning workout habit. Typically, she goes to bed later than ideal AND is not doing the simple things to set herself up for success the following morning. Once we take a look at what happens (and does not happen) in her evening routine, she finally becomes more consistent with morning workouts.
Two Evening Routines That Transform Your Weekdays:
ONE: “Rest & Recovery Routine/Ritual”
Rest & recovery should not only happen on the weekends. As working women, we need it daily (or at least a couple times a week!).
Rest & Recovery is NOT (a) Working, or (b) Vegging out in front of a screen (OK occasionally, thank you Seinfeld reruns… but not every weekday).
Computers, televisions, tablets and other electronic devices give off all colors of light. Evidence has been emerging that these screens — and especially the blue light they give off — can disrupt the body’s clock. Data shows that this blue light tends to make us more alert at night. That makes it harder to fall asleep get all the rest we need.
Also, non-scientifically put… screen-time turns you into a zombie in your one-and-only life.
Rest & Recovery Rituals for Working Women:
Reading…. especially fiction or “mindless” books/magazines
Go for an evening walk (bonus quality time with spouse or friend)
Sit outside on a porch or at a fire-table (bonus quality time with spouse or friend)
Do your nails (doesn’t have to be long…5-10 minutes of quiet self-care)
Take a shower
Slowly do your evening skincare system
Call a friend
Bath or hot-tub
Listen to music with essential oils
Fold laundry & iron
Coloring book
Perspective is EVERYTHING for these… don’t make this another to-do/should-do for you. Shift your perspective that these are for your enjoyment, pleasure and self-care. Go slower, be present and enjoy the action you are taking for yourself and others.
TWO: “Tomorrow’s Success Routines”
What do you struggle with during the workweek? Is it getting up in the morning to exercise, eating snacks in the evenings, going to bed at a consistent time, or rushing like a crazy woman in the morning? Those struggles are your clues of what would be most impactful to implement into your evening routine.
Typical Struggle: Get Up to Workout In The Morning
Evening Success Routines: Set coffee machine / Layout workout cloths / Pack gym bag / Set ‘go-to-bed’ alarm on your phone
Another example,
Typical Struggle: Crazy, Stressful Mornings
Evening Success Routines: Pack your lunch (or kids lunch) for the next day / Pick out your work clothes
My Personal Weekday Evening Routine:
Starts as soon as dinner is done
Set coffee machine as I’m cleaning-up dinner…now it’s ready for a fresh brew tomorrow morning! (“Tomorrow’s Success Routine”)
I go upstairs and floss & brush my teeth to avoid evening snacks (“Tomorrow’s Success Routine”)
I take a shower, do my skincare system and put on my coziest clothes (“Rest & Recovery Routine”)
I set out my workout clothes for the next day (“Tomorrow’s Success Routine”)
I read for 15 minutes in my favorite chair in my bedroom… by myself. I’m away from my kids & family for this short interlude so that I can fully do a mindset shift (“Rest & Recovery Ritual)
Return to my family & spend quality time with them (Intentional Quality Time)
Read with my kids, or if they are watching sports on TV, I read while I sit beside them
Sit outside on porch or at fire-table with my husband
Go to bed by 9:30 pm (I’m up at 5am)
Now It’s Your Turn!
Actions To Transform Your Weekdays With An Evening Routine:
Make a list of the Rest & Recovery Routines/Rituals that YOU enjoy and post it on your fridge. Next time you are worn-out from the workday and just before you flop onto the couch, review your list to see if something else would better serve your evening recovery time.
Write-out what evening routines would set you up for success in the areas you struggle with during the workweek. Put the actions in chronological order. Set a start time reminder alarm on your phone to actually do it!
Set a ‘go-to-bed alarm’ until it becomes a habit ;)
