Evening Routine Habits For Productivity - More Than A Mom Of Three

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Routines often relieve stress. A solid night time routine can help you get more done. Here are 11 habits to add to your evening routine as a busy mom.

An evening routine can be so effective for the following days productivity. Routines often relieve stress and chaos, especially when you have kids, jobs and so many other responsibilities.

How does your evening routine look right now?

Do you wake up each morning feeling like you are behind?

It all starts with a night time routine to help you get a good nights rest and a few things to tackle to set the next day off on right foot.

Here are 11 habits to add to your evening routine for better mornings ahead.

1 – Create A Bedtime Routine

Sleep is so important for our bodies and mind. You should aim for a good solid 7 hours of sleep each night.

This may be hard for some momma’s, I know but the key is to try to go to bed at the same time every night. That way you can wake up at the same time every morning.

A healthy sleep routine can help you be well rested and more productive each day.

2 – Put Your Phone To Bed

By creating a healthy sleep routine this means lights out for your phone as well.

Placing my phone on sleep mode each night has become a game changer for my sleep patterns.

Like many of us I was guilty of scrolling on my phone before bed. Before you know it, it’s way later than you think and you get less sleep.

Your phone and most electronic devices have a blue light that stimulates your brain from “shutting down” properly. So, by looking at your phone before bed it will be harder for you to fall asleep.

I have an iPhone but I’m pretty sure most phones contain the bedtime function in the clock app.

If I get up at 5:30 am then I need to be in bed by 10pm for 7 and a half hours of sleep. So I set that timer to alert me when it is time for bed.

This is such a great feature, it will alert me 15 minutes before so I know it’s almost time for bed. This also silences any messages that may come across my phone during that time.

I also put my phone to bed in another room. That way I am not tempted to look at and it helps by having to get out of bed to turn off the alarm.

3 – Lay Out Your Clothes and Anything You Need For The Next Day

By laying everything out the night before this makes your morning routine run so much smoother.

There is no guess work involved in the morning.

Stay ahead each day by picking out your clothes and your children’s clothes.

Make sure the shoes are ready to go by the front door.

If you need a certain bag packed or your kids need their backpacks make sure they are all ready to go.

That way all you have to do is get ready and walk out the door with everything you need.

4 -Plan Your Day The Night Before

Another thing to do is prep for the following day each evening.

Take a few minutes the night before and go over your planner.

Write the things down that you need to do, want to do or where you need to be.

I like to time block each day so no time is wasted and I know what my day will look like.

5 – Brain Dump Your Thoughts

A brain dump is a fairly new habit I have added to my evening routine and it has been a game changer for my sleep.

There is nothing worse than going to bed with your mind racing.

Did I do this? I need to call so and so? Or even just thoughts that take up space in your head.

If your head is spinning with a million things, free space in your mind with a brain dump.

Write all those thoughts in your head down so you are able to forget about them.

Sometimes, these brain dump sessions do not even have to make any sense. It’s not a to-do list, or even actual sentences just thoughts in no particular order.

You can go back and organize them later into your weekly or monthly to do list.

The key to a good nights sleep is less distractions. What a better way to be less distracted when you have a clear mind.

6 – Read A Real Book

Reading is an amazing de-stressor and can help you fall asleep faster.

Many successful people read at least a half an hour before bed.

Why?

It forces you to lie down and relax. Pick something you enjoy to read about and see how well not only you retain the information but drift off to sleep quicker.

Just make sure this is an actual book, not a digital device as we talked about earlier. That will cause you to stay awake longer.

7 – Practice Self Care

A good habit for your evening routine is to make time for you!

Momma’s take a few minutes to do something for you at night.

Maybe paint your nails, put on a face mask, whatever your jam is to do a little pampering for yourself each night.

By doing a little something just for you can make all the difference in how you feel about yourself. The better you feel the more productive you’ll be.

8 – Prep Your Meals

Along with prepping your to do list for the following day, prep your meals as well.

This could include kids lunches, your lunch and quick breakfasts.

A good way to stay on top of this is by meal planning!

Related: Meal Planning Planner

9 – Clean The Kitchen

I love going to bed with a clean kitchen. It’s a evening habit that I have stuck with for years.

And, let me tell you it makes all the difference.

After dinner I load the dishwasher and wipe the counters. I try to make sure my sink is empty.

That way, I’m not waking up already feeling behind with a mess. It just feels better to go to bed with the kitchen cleaned and “closed up” for the night.

Related: How To Clean Your Kitchen Fast