How I Made My Evening Routine The Best Part of My Day

I know self-care is incredibly trendy right now (as it should be!) but I think there are more ways to take care of yourself than just bubble baths, meditation, and facemasks. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of those things but sometimes it’s nice just to simply be prepared for the next day and have the time you need to take care of yourself.

As the kind of girl who puts out her vitamins the night before and requires at least 20 minutes to myself in the morning (along with my one true love, coffee) I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can make my evening routine feel even more leisurely.

Recently my schedule has relaxed a bit so I’ve been able to get my evenings back. I was working pretty much until I went to bed before which was not ideal. Here is how I’ve been spending my nights and the ways that I prepare for the next day.

6PM: WORK IS DONE

Shower, jammies, and dinner (plus wine, duh)

I try to make sure I’m closing my laptop by around 6 so I have the time I need to really unwind and get to bed at a decent hour. So I start by washing the day off of me, changing into cozy jammies and then having dinner.

I meal prep on Sundays so I am usually heating up something yummy I made but occassionally I’ll whip up something in the moment (usually towards the end of the week).

It may not be my healthiest habit but it certainly is my happiest: I love a glass of wine with dinner or later on in the evening. Personally I’m a sauvignon blanc kind of girl.

6:30PM: PREPARE FOR THE DAY

Meal prep, tidying up, prep outfit and to-do list

Often times I have to rush off to pilates or work in the morning and I really cherish my ritual of getting up early to enjoy my coffee so to avoid cutting into that time I take a little time each evening to prep for the next day.

As I said, I do meal prep on the weekends but I have 3 roommates and therefore my fridge space is limited. This means that a lot of the things I prepare are stored in one large container and so the night before I’ll separate everything as needed. So instead of having a million little containers filling my fridge and pissing off my roommates, I’ll assemble all of my salad ingredients into their Tupperware the night before.

After that, I like to tidy up a bit to maintain the house. I’ll put the dishes in the dishwasher, wipe down the counters, clean up my room (there’s often papers/clothes/books scattered across the room by the end of the day), etc.

I try my best to pick out and steam my outfits ahead of time over the weekends but if I can’t get to it then I take time to pick out my outfit (I check the weather too!) and get my bag ready to go for the next day. I hate wrinkles but rarely have time to steam things in the morning so this helps me feel my best every day.

Finally, I update my to-do list in my phone. I reference my calendar to see what I have to get done the next day, what I’m doing and if I have any appointments. I also will see what I didn’t get to that day and see where I can squeeze it in the next day or later that week. This really helps me feel ready and confident going into the next workday.

7PM: RELAX (yay!)

Netflix, read, skype catch-ups, and maybe (probably) popcorn

This is when I get to sit down and be a little lump on the couch which is one of my favorite parts of the day. Sometimes I’ll have my glass of wine (or my second glass if I’m being honest) and watch something on Netflix (currently binging Love Is Blind like everyone else on the planet!) or get into bed early and read for an hour or so.

Two of my girlfriends and I use to skype (they live in Seattle and LA!) a few times a month, something we need to get back into! We have wine, hang out and catch up. It’s lovely.

Also, popcorn is 100% my favorite snack so you can often find me with a bowl of it next to me on the couch in the evenings!

8:30PM: SKINCARE

An elaborate routine

I recently updated my skincare routine and am loving my new products! An in-depth blog post is coming very soon to fill you in.

I like to do facemasks 2-3 times a week in the evenings depending on what my skin needs so sometimes I’ll put one on after the shower but I also still have a routine I do each night right before bed. It makes me feel like a glowy Queen and of course, I love how it makes my skin look and feel afterward!

8:45-9PM: GET INTO BED

A little reading, most likely some scrolling and an early bedtime!

I am an early bird so I try to get into bed as early as possible so I can fully unwind and fall asleep on the earlier side. My sleep is super important to me and most days I honestly can’t wait to crawl back into bed if I’m being honest! LOL

I read in the mornings mostly but I do sometimes (depending on how much of a page-turner the book is) enjoy a little bit of light reading before bed. I have been trying really hard not to be on my phone until the very last minute before I close my eyes but it’s a hard habit to break. I use this time to catch up on texts from friends or call my mom so I need to find a way to get used to putting my phone down for the night earlier. I will update you once I’ve figured it out if I ever do!

Obviously there are lots of nights where I have friends over for dinner or go out or am working late on a deadline, which means everything I just told you does not happen. BUT I do try to prioritize having these types of nights to myself at least 3-4 nights a week. They make me happy and they keep me sane.

Thank you for reading! I hope you found it helpful if you’re also trying to create a more consistent evening routine.

Xo,

She