This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Evening habits are important to help you unwind from your day.
You might have overheard successful people talking about their daytime rituals that help them to stay focused, alert, and motivated throughout the day. But have you ever thought about how do these people unwind from their daily stress?
Arriving home after work is very comforting as it symbolizes the end of your day.
But in reality, it is not the end!
Over the years, we have made it our practice to carry our workload home with us.
It is important to understand that not only the morning routine but also an evening routine is crucial for staying well-balanced in life.
7 Evening Habits to Help You Unwind From Your Day
1. Spend time with your family/friends
Spending quality moments with your family or friends is an awesome way to detox your mind.
Don’t practice eating alone on the couch binge-watching TV instead, set the table for dinner, and call everyone for food. Have some random chats and giggles to uplift the positivity in the environment.
Build this habit not only for the evening but also in your everyday life, try to get more in touch with your family and friends.
Nowadays, we have evolved our lives around our work or gadgets. Either we spend time working, or we waste the remaining hours in front of the TV, cell phones, or Netflix.
2. Plan Your Days Ahead and Prioritize
Having your day all set and structured encourages you to have a productive day. But who said that this planning has to happen only in the mornings?
Alternatively, instead of spending your early hours in the preparation of your day, you can utilize your free nighttime in setting your daily planner for the next day.
Usually, it takes around 10-15 minutes to plan out and prioritize your days ahead.
This way you can brain-dump all your work from today and then unwind for the rest of the night.
Related Reads:
3. Practice Journaling
Let’s do an activity!
Shut your eyes, take deep breaths, and start reminiscing about all the blessings that you had throughout the day. Beginning from your relationships, your residence, your work, the clothes you wear, the meals you consume, or even the safe and clean water that you drink each day.
Journaling in the evening helps to lower anxiety and stress and even helps you achieve a better night’s sleep.
Download any online journal app or if you prefer writing just grab a notebook and make it your practice to write every event that occur that day and all the things that you are thankful for.
Pour your heart out on your journal.
Journaling will help you to leave behind the anxiety of previous days and will also help you learn gratitude and kindness.
One of my favorite journals is the Five Minute Journal.
4. Turn off your phone and go to sleep
We spend so much time on our phones.
Sometimes we just need to step away from text messages, phone calls, and social media to unwind from life.
Even before bedtime, we have developed a habit of using our mobiles until it collapses on our faces.
Lessen your screen time before going to bed and make sure to switch off all the lights around you to help you relax and have a good night’s rest.
5. Prepare a Relaxing Bath
The excessive workload can drain you both psychologically and physically.
So as journaling is a brilliant approach to help ease your mental state similarly, taking a lukewarm bath can also relax you physically.
A calming warm bath is always considered to have a therapeutic effect because when the warm water touches your body, it liberates endorphins in response to the warm, soothing water. It not only carries away all the dust and dirt, but it also takes away your worries and helps you to reinvigorate.
It improves blood flow and also improves your breathing. Take a warm bath right after you arrive home to feel refreshed before continuing to unwind for the night.
Tip: Add some aromatherapy to your bath to feel more rejuvenated and relaxed.
6. Read a book
Many of us prefer to read books on our laptops, tablets, or even cell phones without realizing the strain that these tiny screens cause on our eyes.
Rather than downloading books online, use a day for purchasing unique books that instantly grab your attention.
Reading books before bedtime serves to combat insomnia by driving you to sleep.
It relaxes your muscles and provides a state of peace to your mind. It also expands your vision and knowledge and assists you to think beyond the bars—a great way to learn creativity and innovation.
Tip: Have a cup of tea like chamomile to help you relax while you read a book.
7. Exercise
Hit the gym and move your body after sitting all day a the office.
Do yoga to relax your body and calm your mind. Or even take a walk outside and get some fresh air.
Creating an evening habit of exercising can help unload the stress that accumulated over the course of the day.
Habits to Avoid in the Evening
- Don’t carry your work home. Learn to leave behind your burden and enter your home with a sense of calmness and serenity.
- Don’t just jump on the couch or your bed and start watching TV
- Don’t eat large meals before bedtime as it generates digestive problems and causes uneasiness.
- Abstain from caffeine at night.
How do you unwind in the evening time?
Michelle Gagliani
Owner & Founder
Michelle is the Founder of The Balanced CEO and a Holistic Nutritionist + Health Coach. She was born and raised in St.Thomas, U.S.V.I., and is currently living in Austin, TX. When she’s not running this blog and online business, she is cozied up at home watching TV, taking long walks in nature, or trying out new healthy recipes.
I am so guilty of spending too much time on my phone before bed. I really need to stop. I keep saying I’m going to get into journaling. I’ve read so many posts about it lately, so will definitely be trying it.
Hey Natalie! I know it is tough to not lay in bed on your phone till you fall asleep. I use to do it all the time. Now, I stop using my phone 30 minutes before bed time. I just put it out of sight to reduce temptation. Journaling is so much fun. You should join a journal challenge. It really helps to keep you accountable.