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Jumpstart your day (the night before) - an evening routine


Not long ago, I talked about the importance of a morning routine … it’s a great way to incorporate your goals into each day, at the beginning of the day. This is a beautiful time of day, when all is quiet and the world sleeps.

But there’s another part of the day that I love, and that can have great benefits for you at a cost of only 10-30 minutes each day: the time right before you go to sleep.

If you’re following my advice on how to become an early riser (and if not, try it out!), then you are going to be earlier, and perhaps reading yourself to sleep, so you won’t be so tired in the morning. Well, just 10-30 minutes before you go to bed, try going through an evening routine that can make a huge difference for your morning.

Each person’s evening routine will be different, but here’s a sample routine that’s based on something I’ve been trying, with some good ideas that most people can use:

  • pack lunch (for yourself and the kids)
  • get your clothes (and other gear) ready
  • check your calendar
  • plan your MITs
  • review your day
  • wash any dishes, clean the counters
  • pick up so that you’re greeted with a clean house in the morning
  • set your alarm
  • read yourself to sleep

You will of course modify this to fit your needs, but you can see some of the most important elements: you’re cleaning up so that the house is beautifully clean when you awake, you are reviewing your day and planning for the next, and you are prepping your stuff for the next day so you don’t have to do it in the morning.

Create your evening routine today and get a jump start on tomorrow!

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Brilliant comments (10)

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Carrie Says:

February 12th, 2007, 18:20 pm

Great tips as always! This is something I had done before, but want to start up again. It worked well for me for a few months. Eliminated a lot of stress in the mornings (especially if you have kids).

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Robb Says:

February 12th, 2007, 19:41 pm

I’ve been doing an evening routine for the last year or so. Without getting into too many details, here’s what I do:

* crunches
* email
* prep clothes
* clean up
* shower, shave
* journal
* pray

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Leo Says:

February 12th, 2007, 22:09 pm

Thanks for sharing, guys. Robb, I like your routine! Carrie, best of luck. Let me know how it turns out.

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francisca Says:

February 14th, 2008, 9:51 am

wow great tips il surely put em into use.

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Pamela Says:

February 22nd, 2008, 12:22 pm

Learned of your site through Parent Hacks, first time visitor. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts on morning and night routines and can’t agree more. In the evening I do my COBHL routine (I pronounce it cobble). I set the Coffee pot, pick my Outfit, decide what we’ll eat for Breakfast, do a quick Straighten of the house, and pack my Lunch. Some it I do right after dinner and some I do before bed, but accomplishing these items helps me in the morning.

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michael Says:

April 18th, 2008, 6:55 am

If you consider yourself a “good person” do yourself a huge favor. Sit and listen to your heart, there you will find your natural life. Forget all these people (including most parents and teachers) that somehow what you to do or be something that eminates from their minds, perhaps they have motives other than your happyness.
You can do ANYTHING in the world, the only rule is that you can’t hurt another in any way in the persuit of your happynesss. have a laugh at your self, maybe even this entire experience.

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bkyube Says:

May 25th, 2008, 6:26 am

been learning a lot from this posts. my evening routine looks like this:

1. go walking to meet my pedometer walking target for the tday
2. watch the news
3. catch up with email to family and friends
4. read up
5. list thingz to do thee next day

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Julia Podloujnyi Says:

June 9th, 2008, 17:37 pm

I feel like you shouldn’t make yourself feel bad if you mess up on your schedule, but you shouldn’t also not keep trying the next day if you messed up on it the previous day.

Basically treat each day as if it was your monday.

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Veronica Says:

November 9th, 2008, 14:01 pm

Jumpstarting a day is like first thing that anyone would like in the morning. These tips really helps in getting this dream come true.

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free divorce papers Says:

June 7th, 2009, 17:47 pm

Deciding what to wear and getting them ready in the evening lessens my stress the next morning.

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