6 Amazing Habits You Can Add to Your Evening Routine

Whether or not you realize it, you already have an evening routine. Maybe you watch a few shows on Netflix, read, or catch up on social media. While it’s normal to feel exhausted and tired after a long day of work, you might be surprised how much you’re able to do when you really focus and plan out your evenings. Coming up with a productive evening routine is simple and you can pick and choose what works for you.

Here are 6 amazing habits for creating an evening routine of your own.

Do a power hour right after dinner

If you have a side hustle or are looking for an evening routine for students, I love allocating 30 minutes or an hour after dinner as a “power hour” to work on my side hustle or other important projects. I find that this is the perfect time because once you’ve finished dinner you’ll likely have a boost of energy. However, if you wait too long, you’ll likely put things off in favor of easy options like Netflix or Instagram. Try to have a habit or easy transition to move straight from dinner seamlessly into your power hour. This might look like having your computer or iPad ready to go with your phone in another room. Do whatever you need to do to limit your distractions as much as possible.

Learn something new

Even if it’s only for a few minutes, I love learning new things. One way that I implement this is by watching short documentaries on YouTube. You can check out the Weird History Channel for bite-size videos on all sorts of topics like historical figures like China’s only female emperor. Or, maybe you could take a class or read a book on something that is completely foreign to you. I like to do this right after my power hour and then I reward myself afterward with a show or just browsing online.

Indulge with a mug of herbal tea

Especially in the winter, having a mug of tea in the evening is so cozy and is something I always look forward to. You could also combine this with your screen-free time that we will talk about later on. To make this even easier, try setting out your tea bag and mug as soon as you finish dinner so that you have a visual reminder to make your tea later on.

Take an Epsom salt bath

While this isn’t something to do every single day, taking an Epsom salt bath is something fun to add to your list of healthy evening habits. I try to do this about once a week. You might be surprised that something as tiny as rose-scented Epsom salts can make you feel like you are at a spa, even when it’s 8:00 PM on a Wednesday night. Allow yourself to soak for a few minutes and just relax. You might even use this time to appreciate what you’re most excited about or grateful for in your life. Even during the most difficult times of life, we all have something or someone that we can appreciate.

Choose a daily habit for each day of the week

Something I started incorporating a few years ago was having a different theme or habit for each day of the week. For instance, I might do a face mask on Sunday night to start off the week on a high note, and then a bath on Monday night. I’m sure that we all have habits or rituals that we'd love to do more, but find that we just don’t have a system for implementing them. Weekly habits are ideal for self-care or other habits that you want to do regularly but usually push aside. Also, until the habits are really solidified, try writing them in your Flourish Digital Planner in your monthly or weekly templates (or both).

Create your ideal evening routine

While none of us can stick to a perfect evening routine 7 days a week, it can be fun to think about what an ideal evening routine might look like for you. Then, try it out once in a while. Feel free to make it as silly or indulgent as you want to with an extensive skincare routine or a fancy after-dinner beverage. This could be something fun to do once or twice a month.

Give yourself some screen-free time

Having some screen-free time is helpful for anyone but this is especially important if you’re looking for a nighttime routine for anxiety or stress. Try putting your devices away at least 30 minutes before you head to bed. You could use this time to chat with a partner or roommate, indulge in a self-care routine, or read a book. Just giving yourself a small period of time without your devices can go a long way towards helping you fall asleep quickly and allowing your mind to feel less cluttered or overwhelmed.

Most people want to know how to have good evening habits for success, but either doesn’t know where to start or are too tired to even begin The key is to be patient with yourself. You don’t need to have the perfect evening routine all of the time. Instead, try to strike a balance of having fun while also including a few habits that you know will keep you healthy and will move your life in a positive direction so that you can continue to flourish.