Evening routine for busy mothers
- byfluene
- May 12, 2021
- 5 min read
As with morning routine, an evening routine is a way to tune and settle down for the day and getting ready for the beginning of tomorrow.
An evening routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed in the evening, usually right before bed. The sequence of actions, if performed daily and consistently, will become a habit. An evening routine is a conclusion to the day. It serves to settle your mind and tunes you down after the hustle bustle of the day. As we end each day with calm and peaceful feeling, we can better focus on what is expected of us, where to prioritise our time and ultimately increase our productivity and focus.
As mothers are usually busy looking after the whole household, it is understandable that at the end of the day, we tend to just want to drop on the bed. Forget about routines. Rest and sleep are all you want. However, an evening routine will greatly benefit you. Not only it helps to calm you down from the feeling of overwhelmed that you experienced during the day, an evening routine will also help to prepare you for the following days ahead. Being prepared will lead to feeling of in control and thus will eliminate stress.
As with morning routine, an evening routine can be as long or as short as you want it to be. Herewith is an evening routine that would benefit you.
1. Journaling
Journaling is not only limited to only recording what happened during the day. It also serves as an outlet to let go of our feelings and a place where we express our hopes, anticipations, goals and steps to achieve them. Through journaling, we will be more in tune of our feelings. It helps us to understand why such feelings occur and what we can do about it.
There are many types of journals; gratitude, productivity, daily recordings, habits, etc. A gratitude journal is a good way to help you being mindful of what you have and be happy and contended about it. A productivity journal on the other hand, serves as a reminder of what your goals are and help you keep track on where you are in achieving these goals. It is not necessary to have all kinds of journals. Pick one that suits your need.
Keep your journal in a safe, locked place. You can really pour your heart out only when you are sure that the journal is for your eyes only.
2. Plan for the following day
Writing down your activities for the following day will help you in better planning and time management. Having a to do list takes the mental load off your mind of having to remember them all the time. It must be understood that there are times where one cannot do all in a day, especially with children in the picture. There is always something that pops up all of a sudden which needs your attention and make your day go haywire. Writing down your activities of the day helps you in dealing with all these contingencies. While we can’t anticipate what will happen, we can always look back at our diary and make adjustments to fit them in.
3. Pick next day’s outfit
As with planning your schedule, picking out the outfit that you intend to wear the following day will also helps your day to run smoothly. Remember the countless time we stood in front of our wardrobe, overwhelmed by the number of clothes that we have and yet there is this feeling that we have nothing to wear? Planning and picking out the outfit the night before will help to overcome this feeling of overwhelmed and loss, in addition to saving time in the morning.
4. Plank
If you have no time to workout during the the day, a 3 – 5 minutes plank will give you much benefits. Among others, it strengthen our cores, something all women who had given birth before can relate to. Besides that, doing plank will help improves our posture, improve flexibility, metabolism, enhances mood, as well as help us becoming more coordinated.
Plank is an all round exercise that one can do almost anywhere. There are many forms of planks. The simplest and most common is the high or front plank. To do a high plank, first, place your elbows and legs flat as though you are doing push up. Push your body upward and keep your chin tight to your neck. Make sure that your back is completely straight. Hold this position for 3 to 5 minutes or as long as you can.
Do not be disheartened if you cannot hold the pose for longer than one minute. Getting into plank is easy, however it is strenuous to hold the pose for long, especially for beginners. As with other exercise, do consult your doctor before starting, especially if you are pregnant, had back injury or other injuries before.
5. Stretching
Light stretching helps loosen your muscles and joints. It also makes you feel good. There is no need to follow a stretching video for this light stretching. However, if you feel more comfortable with a guide, there are many videos that you can follow. As you become more familiar with the stretching routine, the exercise will come naturally. Do bear in mind that this is a short and light stretching. You can leave the strenuous, whole body stretching during your actual work out time. Doing light stretching will also help you getting a good night sleep.
6. Quick meditation
A short meditation helps clear the mind at the end of the day. It also prepares your mind for sleep. People who meditate reported of better quality sleep
Beginners can follow a guided meditation or if you prefer, you can do it on your own with the timer set in order for you to not having the urge to repeatedly looking at the clock to see whether you have exceeded the allocated time.
7. Have a cup of tea
Now that we are done with the planning and light exercise, it is time to brew a nice cup of caffeine free tea to enjoy before hitting the sack. Caffeine causes sleeplessness so you may want to skip tea with caffeine such as green tea. I personally prefer chamomile and lemongrass tea.
Chamomile (Matricaria recuita) is a flowering plant in the daisy (Asteraceae) family. It is known for its calming property which lead to quality sleep. Studies also found that chamomile is helpful for anxiety relief. Lemongrass on the other hand, is also known as one of the best sleepy time teas. One of the main benefits of lemongrass is its calming effect and delightful smell. However, lemongrass tea can have diuretic effect, meaning that the kidney may release more urine than usual although the effect varies with each person. Do beware of this before start taking lemongrass tea.
Enjoy the quietness of the night while sipping a cup of tea. In my opinion, nothing is more peaceful than that, perhaps well, sipping a cup of tea while reading a book on a quiet night.
8. Read a book
Busy mothers rarely have the time to sit down for own indulgence, which is why reading a book in the evening before bed is one of the most important thing that I include in my evening routine. I love reading, more so than watching tv, which explains why my evening routine does not include watching a show or two.
Reading is a great way to end the day, before getting to sleep. It quiets the mind in addition to many other benefits. Children benefit from reading as well. It would be good if you could include reading to your children as part of their sleep time routine.
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