Are you seeing changes through your new efforts to control your to-do list and make every day great?
You’ve been reducing stress, maximizing productivity and doing what matters most. Reviewing each day at the end of the day has helped you stay on task and your feeling like a champ! Now, let’s take your game to the next level!
We are going to take your daily review to the next level by implementing an evening routine! An evening routine is a series of simple habits performed together at the same time each night. No matter how crazy a day may be, you can restore calm with an evening routine.
While an evening routine will look slightly different from person to person, here are some guidelines that will get you going in the right direction. A typical evening routine takes no more than 30 minutes, and can potentially save you hours of work time.
5 Elements of An Effective Evening Routine:
1. Have A Set time to do it: As simple as it sounds, this can’t be overlooked. If you don’t make an appointment with yourself to do this, it likely won’t get done. An evening routine will help you navigate each day successfully, so make it a priority and schedule time to do it.
2. Do A Daily Review: A good daily review consists of:
- A “brain dump” , to capture all your thoughts about the day (to-do items, follow up appointments, etc.)
- Reviewing and scheduling appointments on your calendar
- Prioritizing and scheduling your most important tasks
3. Pack any items you will need for the next day: Do you have a meeting? Review and pack any pertinent paper work. Will you be needing your laptop or tablet? Make sure they are plugged in and charged, then pack the charger or any necessary cables. Do you have pens and notebooks you may need? What about your fitness schedule. Will you head to the gym on your way home and need your clothes and shoes? You can fit it all and more in your “Make It A Great Day” bag!
4. Choose your clothes for tomorrow: Decide what to wear the night before and have it set aside….. and ironed! This can save you a lot of stress if you happen to oversleep. Plus, it will make you aware of what items need washing or ironic or even dry cleaning. Leave a Dry Clean bag near your most used entry way, and toss your items ready for the dry cleaner in this bag. Then on your day to make regularly scheduled trip to the Dry Cleaner you will set this bag out with your day bag and other items you are preparing for your next day.
5. Set your alarm! You should be going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day. This helps your body stay fresh and energized. A Consistent Biorhythm allows your body to rest deeply when it needs to and awake and be focused when it should. But maybe you have an appointment earlier than normal tomorrow. Because you did your daily review you are aware and prepared. Make sure your alarm is set for the correct time!
Use the Make it a Great Day Bag to help make your night-time routine even easier.
Forming the habit of a simple evening routine only takes about 30 minutes each day! Before you know it, you will be doing it without much effort. It will become second nature to you and will help you make every day a great day. With numerous specialized pockets, you can secure your iPad, charging cables, files and even your gym gear the night before and make your next day great before it even starts. Check out how truly versatile the bag is in our recent post Make it a Great Day with your Family at the Beach!
