Today, I am grateful for a day in the hospital back in the family birthing center! I’ve had the last week off to help the kids adjust to school, so I’m also excited for a reason to get out of the house. I work in most of the units at our hospital , but it’s been a while since I’ve been able to pick up days in good ol’ OB. I am super excited to work with old friends, snuggle some cute babies, and educate their parents on how to keep those lil’ tykes alive and well.
How was YOUR week?! I hope it was great, and that you accomplished some of your goals from last week. Have you been keeping up with your gratitude journal? I pinned the free printable at the bottom of the page 👇🏼 in case you missed it earlier. Keep writing down your lists of gratitude, friends! It will pay dividends. Promise.
Today I want to touch on the importance of evening routines. My husband, bless him, every morning is able to get out of bed and immediately puts jeans on so he is ready for the day. He has piles of to do lists, and is always working on something. Me? I have a hard time finishing my second cup of coffee before 9am. And I definitely don’t have pants on. I am. so. not. a. morning. person.
I find it easiest to prep for the next day the night prior. And I’m hoping this easy evening routine below will help you also!
When I was slightly much younger, and a stay at home mom, I was obsessed with this website called the FlyLady. She had lists and schedules and it was ABSOLUTELY the most amazing system for my type A, OCD self. I have not been able to find her household cleaning manual that was my bible in my earlier days, but Mike and I have been slowly putting together our own version (hello, deploymentss and not knowing how to water the grass!).
The thing that stuck with me the most from the FlyLady was running the dishwasher right before bed and cleaning the sink. You can’t clean the sink if there are dirty dishes, am I right?! #goals
Preparing for success is the most important step, and planning to have a successful morning is going to be a thousand times easier if you have a solid evening routine!
Mike and I get ready for the next day as soon as we get home from work.. Our lunch bags are emptied and placed in their spots on the counter. Uniforms are washed if needed. Meals are prepped as we make dinner. We do a once over on the house, because who likes to wake up to a messy home? Not I, friends! We aim to be in bed by 7, so we can make it there by 9 (it’s good to know your limitations and work around them).
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/817262663613784675/
Here are NINE important steps to include into your evening routine TONIGHT!!
- Clean the kitchen. Wipe off the counters, the stove, even the dining table. Load the dishwasher and run it. My husband and I will spend the next 48 years arguing about whether or not to run the dishwasher when it’s “almost full” before bed. Seven kids that need to eat breakfast in the morning and use seven bowls of cereal and seven cups need an empty dishwasher in which to place their dishes, dude. If it’s run AND cooled off (these guys will procrastinate for hours proclaiming that the dishes are too hot) then whoever is assigned that day of the week can unload it before the morning rush. Super simple. Do a quick once over on everything else. It is SO nice to wake up to a clean house.
- Prep meals for tomorrow. If it’s a day off of work, I suppose this isn’t a huge deal, but it will still make the next day 100x easier if food is done the night before.
- Lay out clothes (and make sure said clothes are clean!). Nothing makes me Hulk out more than people cluelessly proclaiming their uniform/sports stuff is dirty five minutes after they should’ve left for the bus.
- Start on your daily planner. You can easily fill out your anticipated to-do list, hourly schedule, as well as your goals for the next day. See my free printable daily planner below!
- Meditate and practice mindfulness. Did you know that mindfulness can help with depression and anxiety? All it means is that you constantly push yourself to be in the present. We have a tendancy to dwell in the past, or anticipate the future, and that’s where so many of our stressors come from. Acknowledging those thoughts and then sending them off on their way so you can remain rooted in the present produces peace and calmness. Who wouldn’t want some of that?!
- If you’re an evening workout kinda person, make sure you knock that also. I love exercising before bed, and Mike is a total morning person. To each their own!
- Complete your gratitude journal. I love how insanely simple step this is, and how much positivity it infuses into my life. It’s like popping an all natural xanax. For real.
- Decrease your screen time. I know a lot of us are dependent on our phones like an actual lifeline, but decreasing that screentime before bed is SO IMPORTANT to your sleep and internal clock.
- Have a drink! I know the town we live in has been pimping the Blue Zones Project and they have some really helpful tips on healthy living, but our most coveted tip we gleaned was Wine at Five. Cheers!!
What do you do for your evening routine? How will this list help you be more productive? Drop some comments below!
As promised, here is my FREE printable daily planner and gratitude journal. Enjoy!
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http://www.pinterest.com/thesnodlife/
Great dear