Setting up an (evening) routine for success

Routines can be a positive addition to your life. Setting up a routine thats allows for maximum productivity, whilst simultaneously supporting a balance between the 'have-to', 'want-to' and switched off time. Find out what a typical evening looks like for successful people.

How you use your evening can set up your experiences for the next day. A late night and too much alcohol usually means a foggy brain the next morning. But a little bit of preparation means that you can enjoy your evenings without marginalising your outcomes for the next day.

The evening is an opportunity for reflection and preparation.

In the last 15min before you leave work: write the task list for the following day. Emails not responded to or things to concentrate on first thing.

Dinner (60min): For healthy lifestyles an earlier meal is important. If you are a late eating person, make the meals smaller and less dense. Remember, your evening meal should NOT be your big meal for the day. If you are going to drink alcohol on a weeknight, keep it to no more than 2 standard drinks. If you are at home, use the time to engage with family. Make it an electronic-free time where you make the engagement with family meaningful.

(Meal) Preparation (10min): make sure lunch is prepared the day before, to ensure your morning is not wasted cutting up salad or aimlessly looking at the pantry. Taking something out of the freezer, checking the food for breakfast means one less decision in the morning to make.

(Day) Preparation (5min): Hopefully you already keep your bag/wallet/keys etc in one place, so they don’t get lost. But check to make sure everything you need for the following day is there. Routine is important, if you don’t keep your gym gear together, or your work things together, you can waste time and most likely involuntarily create stress when you are looking for things in a hurry.

Energy boost (30min): whilst it is so much easier to lie on the couch in a zombie state, try to do something that involves expelling energy. Go for a walk after dinner or get active cleaning (vacuuming, sorting out the laundry, wiping down bathroom). They are all activities that burn energy and do not take long.

Cleaning/organising (10min): spending a few minutes everyday doing a chore such as dish washer, cleaning the kitchen or lounge makes a world of difference to your time and energy. Inherently organised and clean people are more like to have a clear brain and can focus better. Think about how you motivation plummets when you walk into the kitchen in the morning and have to fight to find a clean mug in the piles of grime and often smelly leftovers.

Health & Beauty: In the five minutes before you go to bed, give your body some love. Brush your teeth, wash your face, moisturise. Give your body the chance to rest and recover.

Yes, the routine will take 2 hours out of your evening. But they are 2 productive hours. That still leaves plenty of time for tv/tinkering/ working on a project. Consider double duty where there is a task. If you need to iron, consider doing the ironing whilst watching television. Of course, quality time with loved ones shouldn’t be compromised – after all, the point of being productive is to get more out of life (not work)!

Some simple no-no’s:

• Try to work your sleeping quarters so that there is no tv and as little electronic gadets as possible. The bedroom should be a place of tranquillity and there are definitely more productive activities to engage in! (like sleep, of course)

• Get mood lighting in your home. Bright lights, as opposed to diffused lamp lights can make it harder for the brain to programme itself towards rest. Change the lighting about an hour before bed and you will find yourself becoming sleepy.

• Even if you are not feeling tired, go to bed at a reasonable time. A book is a good way to unwind.

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