Even if the day’s about to end, you still have the power to maximize the night’s potential in setting you up for a good night’s sleep. If you’re looking for a way to be productive in the morning, a good night routine might just be what you need.
Jumping straight into bed after working all day might work for some busy bees but more often than not, people have a hard time sleeping on time. When you spend idle time staring at the ceiling wondering when you’ll doze off, you’re not really setting yourself up for a good morning when you wake up the next day.
Incorporating a night routine might just be the thing you need to jumpstart your productivity in the morning. To get you started, here’s a 5-step night routine that can help you have more productive mornings.
1. Unplug and Disconnect
First things first, disconnect from any of your electronics at least an hour before sleeping. Yes, this includes your laptop, phone, television or any other blue light-emitting technology. This practice lessens your exposure to blue light thus improving your quality of sleep.
In a more scientific sense, blue light blocks a hormone called melatonin that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. When this happens, your mind tends to think that it’s still daytime and you’ll feel more alert.
If you’re not used to unplugging from your phone an hour before bed, you can do this gradually by starting at 30 minutes first. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, it will be much easier for you to let go of your phone for the night and reconnect with it the next morning.
Aside from losing your sense of time, mindlessly scrolling through your phone makes you lose precious hours of sleep in the process too. This is exactly why unplugging is the crucial in your night routine if you want to increase your productivity for tomorrow.
2. Declutter and prepare for tomorrow
“Never leave till tomorrow that which you can do today”
– Benjamin Franklin
Your productivity level for tomorrow morning highly relies on this step in your night routine. If it’s something that can streamline your activities for tomorrow, then you might as well do it now.
Before you go to bed, tidy up your space by fixing the things on your desk and folding your clothes. When in doubt, just ask yourself: is this what I want to see first thing in the morning? If your answer is no, then you better take care of it now instead of possibly getting frustrated over it tomorrow. Plus, waking up to a messy area just isn’t a good way to invite positivity and productivity to your day.
Preparing for tomorrow is also important in getting a headstart for tomorrow’s agenda. Instead of rushing in the morning while looking for that specific journal you swore you left on your desk yesterday, make sure to pack it in your bag already, along with your other work necessities. This not only saves time, but it saves your sanity as well. The less trivial things you have to think about in the morning, the more productive you’ll be throughout the day.
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3. Do your skincare routine
If there’s one thing you should invest in for yourself now, it’s skincare.
The skin is the body’s largest organ that acts as the primary barrier to external infections and harsh environmental conditions. Given this, you should have a proper regimen that keeps your skin healthy and moist.
If you’re worried about spending too much, you don’t really have to follow that intricate 10-step Korean skincare routine you’ve been seeing a lot online. It’s okay to start with the basics first using a facial cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. With these three products, you won’t even have to spend more than five minutes with your skincare routine.
Trust me, your future self will thank you for this.
4. Read a book
“As we start [reading], we set aside our own goals and concerns, somewhat as a person does who is starting a session of meditation.” – Researcher Keith Oatley PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto
Reading a good book is a great form of self-care in itself since it significantly reduces stress.
A study from the University of Sussex proves that stress levels are lowered by 68% after six minutes of reading. This means that cozying up with a book is much more relaxing than listening to music or drinking a cup of tea. Whether it’s a self-help book or a dystopian novel, you can expect it to engage your mind and clear your headspace from your current worries at the same time.
RELATED: 30 Self-Care Ideas You Must Absolutely Do Right Now
5. Meditate
A night routine isn’t complete without a soothing activity like meditation.
Aside from calming your mind, meditation can also reduce stress and promote your overall emotional health. With everything that you’ve been dealing with throughout the day, chances are, you’ve barely had enough time to check in with yourself.
Saving this night routine practice for last is the best way of bringing proper closure to your day. Once you’ve properly completed this, you’ll be in a state of calmness that can help you have a good night’s sleep.
What’s your current night routine? Tell me in the comments below!
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Love the post! Very helpful and informative.
Great post!!
Lovely tips!
Meditation is something I definitely need to add. 🙂
Great advice and something I need to be more consistent with. Your website is lovely!
Great post! I believe night routines are vital to have good rest and a better morning. I force myself (the struggle is real) to replace my phone for a book at night time. Thank you for sharing!
These methods are great, but I will need to enforce more discipline in me so that I can actually do it. 😅
Personally, I have problems with unplugging my devices before bed. I know the blue light will disrupt my sleep, but I am currently on a long distance relationship, and the last thing I do before bed is video calling my fiance. But I guess this post is a wake up call for me 😭
These are wonderful ideas for how to establish a nighttime routine. #3 is the only one that I’m consistently good at! I think the one that would make the most impact for me is not using my phone for a while before bed. On the occasions when I do this, I do notice a big difference. It’s hard to break that habit though!
these are wonderful tips!
I really love these words of wisdom.
Jumping straight into bed after working all day might work for some busy bees but more often than not, people have a hard time sleeping on time.
thank you so much for sharing!
1, 2, and 5 are things that I should really master. I used to sleep with my phone on my bed, but recently I’ve been putting on the effort of placing it on my desk once I sleep. As for 2, I was just thinking about it right after I read Atomic Habits. Thank you for this post!
Thanks for these tips, I will try to follow them. This time, I am completely ignoring the night that leads me start my day with thr feeling of demotivating and tiredness.
Great tips! I’ve been trying to add meditation to my nighttime routine.
It’s so hard to to get off phone at night and it’s something I always try to get rid off. I like the point where you said to fix the place to wake up in positive surrounding, I will try to incorporate that.
I love reading anything by Jennifer Weiner before bed. Great read.
Been using the Calm app for meditation and it’s been a game-changer, glad you included that suggestion!
I loved it! I definitely will benefit from your tips for this upcoming week 🙂
Love the tips! I love to tidy up before bed. I don’t like to get up in the morning to dishes in the sink and clothes in the dryer. 🙂 I also believe in good skin care. I use a mixture of coconut oil and essential oils for a night time skin cream.
Ugh need to work on the unplug and disconnecting lol! Great post 🙂
— Monica
Great tips. I realized when I dont fo my night prep, everything seems off in the morning.
I’m always working on my morning routine that I often forget to have a nighttime routine. These are such great tips! I’m going to try them.
Great tips. I need to put some these in action.
Love this! Thank you for the reminders! I do 4/5 religiously and need to remember to read a couple pages of my current book before shutting down. Will pin for future reminding! 🙂
These are great tips, I will definitely be implementing some for tonight!
Helpful tips to develop a nightly routine, I’m happy to say that I do most of them!
Yes! Love these! 🙂 I feel so much better when I’m prepared for the next day. Also LOVE reading at night. Such a good way to relax! Thanks for sharing!
I am pretty consistent when it comes to the time I go to bed. I wash up before. I have been bad about looking at my phone before sleep. If my mind is busy I will use the calm app to settle down.
Since I have started my blog, working on it has become part of my nighttime routine, unfortunately. Prior to blogging, I would make a cup of chamomile tea. After drinking it, I would do my skincare routine, followed by brushing and flossing. Then I would put on my pajamas and do something relaxing, like watching TV. After turning off the TV, I would recall all of the things that I had to be grateful for that day and thank God for them in prayer. Then I would almost immediately fall asleep as the chamomile is imperceptibly relaxing…until your head hits the pillow. Now that I have endless tasks to do as a new blogger, after I am in my PJs, it is back to work and no TV. I have been up to 1:30 AM finishing up my to-do list quite a bit. I am trying to stop by 11:00 pm, no matter what and switch to reading a book before bed. Good suggestions.
These are awesome tips! I never really thought about how a nightly routine could help me in the morning, but it totally can! I haven’t been taking care of my skin lately, but you have reminded me to start doing that again. I think it will help in calming me down for the night 🙂
Yes, I so heartily stand behind the importance of having a good skincare routine. I also just use the basics: facial cleanser, toner and moisturizer and the occasional sunscreen and eye serum thrown in there. But as we get older and we are overworking ourselves, it shows our body and skin that we still care about it. Thank you for sharing your other amazing tips xxx
Currently doing all of these except meditation, looks like it is time for me to add that into the mix as well!
Love these tips, I definitely need to NOT go on my phone right before I get to bed! Thanks so much for sharing!
fantastic advice, I really like #4. I’ve started to batch my reads to keep up the momentum and self care spirit. and LOVE the design of your website, who did it?!?! 🙂
You are so right. Not only is it important to unplug and disconnect but it is also vital that we have the ability to declutter our mind. For example when I get home from work I will cook dinner and prepare food for tomorrow to take to work, whilst getting everything ready including what I’m wearing and what I’m doing the night before.
I really should unplug more at night, I think that is my biggest downfall.
I’m a total morning person and love all of these ideas! Preparing the night before and waking up to a clean, well-prepared space just gets the day going on the right note!
Unplugging an hour before bed is a hard one for me, especially as I now use a Kindle to read my books on. But I do love reading for 30 minutes at bed time, allows me to relax.
I think meditation is very important and starting to become more popular! Like you said “ really helps you check in mentally.” Thanks for the tips!
These are some great tips, I particularly like meditation before bed to calm your mind!
I have a very hard time unplugging and disconnecting – very difficult for me! The others I actually do (well accept read a book….that doesn’t happen very often).
Love love love this post! Tidying up my space before I go to bed is so necessary for me!!
I love this post so much! I am currently not sleeping well and the doctor recommended literally all of these things! Disconnecting and unplugging is the hardest one for me. I tend to play on my phone or scroll Instagram while I fall asleep. I love that you suggest reading a book instead! That’s much more interesting anyway!
Lockdown really made me lose my routines and I really need to get back into it as this is the new normal and I just have to come to grips with it