Self Care: Unexpected ways I improved my Evening Routine
Why your Evening Routine is a hot mess & how to save it now!
4/15/20256 min read
Why Your Evening Routine is a Hot Mess
Look, we’ve all been there.
We spend way too much time organizing our morning routines—matcha lattes, five-step skincare, journaling.
From 6 a.m. yoga to meticulously timed avocado toast, you have practically got it down to a science.
But when it comes to evening routines? Yeah… that’s where it all falls apart.
Evenings are loose and you feel like doing anything. One minute you are brushing your teeth, the next your knee-deep in TikTok or you tell myself, “Just one more episode,” which somehow turns into a Netflix-fueled all-nighter that even you would be ashamed of.
The truth is, evening routines are the underrated heroes of wellness. They help reduce your stress, align your body to ‘go to sleep at a reasonable hour’, boost mental clarity, and even give you time for some good old-fashioned self-care.
But instead of a soothing herbal tea and a book, your evenings look more like:
8:30 PM: “I’ll just check Instagram real quick…”
9:15 PM: “How is it already tomorrow in Europe ?”
10:00 PM: “Should I start a skincare routine or just hope for the best ?”
11:30 PM: “Why do I scroll so much on my phone when I need to be sleeping ?”
1:00 AM: “Okay this definitely isn’t sustainable.”
So yeah. Time for a serious change. Put your phone down, you are in a chaotic bedtime battle.
Step 1: Pick Your Bedtime (And Actually Stick to It, You Sleepy Rebel)
Ah yes, bedtime. That hour you all say we’ll stick to… right before watching 3 episodes of a show we don’t even like that much and eating cereal.
But if you want to stop living life in a caffeine-fueled blur, you have got to start somewhere—and that somewhere is choosing a bedtime. According to sleep experts you should be in bed by 10pm and aim to get a solid eight hours of sleep.
“But wait,” you cry, “I only need six hours and three Red Bulls!” Okay, but do you really feel good, or are you just numb from years of chaos?
The “Rule of Eight Hours” OR what works for you
Here’s the deal: it takes a hot minute to fall asleep. Even professional sleepers (read: people with working circadian rhythms) need about 20 minutes to drift off. Which means if your bedtime is when you want to be asleep, you’re already behind.
You need to be in bed one hour before your actual sleep goal to give your body time to wind down, wonder if you locked the front door, think about something embarrassing you did and then maybe fall asleep.
How to Find Your Bedtime (Math Is Involved, Sorry)
Pick the time you want to wake up.
Subtract 8 hours.
Boom—that’s your bedtime.
So if you want to wake up at 6 a.m. like a functioning adult, you’re looking at a 10 p.m. bedtime.
But Wait—There's More: You Have to Be Consistent
Yes, your body is basically a stubborn toddler. It thrives on routine. You can’t go to bed at 9 p.m. one night and 1 a.m. the next and expect to feel great and refreshed in the morning. It doesn’t work like that.
Commit to your bedtime like it’s a gym membership you actually use. Set a phone alarm labeled “GO TO BED.” Put on your PJs. Dim the lights. Make going to bed an event.
Step 2: Your Nightly Clean-Up Shift: Now Hiring (You)
You don’t need to deep-clean. This is light housekeeping, people. Like, 5–10 minutes max. Here’s how being a functional adult looks before your head hits the pillow:
Toss dirty laundry into the hamper, not near the hamper.
Stack those random dishes in the sink or, dare we dream, into the dishwasher.
Clear your desk of the chaos that screamed “I was productive… .”
Think of it as giving Future You a present. “Enjoy not tripping over a shoe while half-asleep at 6 a.m. You're welcome.”
Bonus: Evening routine "Sets the Vibe"
There’s something deeply satisfying about crawling into bed knowing your space isn’t a disaster zone.
You’ll sleep better. You’ll wake up smug. You might even start believing you’ve got your life together.
So tonight, do your mini clean-up. Fluff a pillow. Tidy a corner. Wipe down a suspicious sticky surface.
When you're done your body and your brain will start winding down.
Step 3: Be the Tomorrows Hero You Don’t Deserve
Here are some low-effort, high-reward things you can do at night so Tomorrow You don't feel rushed.
Lay out your clothes – You will appreciate having your fashion look ...ready to go.
Prep your lunch/breakfast – Because “grabbing a granola bar ” is not a meal plan.
Fill up your water bottle – So you can hydrate while commuting to work or working from home.
Put your coffee stuff together – Save money make your own coffee, matcha the Future You will thank you for your foresight.
Write a to-do list – So you’re not spending your morning figuring out what the heck you were supposed to be doing (besides crying softly into your coffee).
Step 4: Take 5 minutes for yourself
After you step away from constant stimulation, responsibilities and your daily demands.
Not sure how to unwind ? Here are some ideas that won’t make you question your life choices:
Take a walk around the block – Bonus points if you push yourself further each day.
Journal – Even if it’s just writing “I’m tired” 15 times. Valid.
Stretch – Touch your toes, wiggle your spine, feel smug and bendy.
Read something that’s not a tweet – A book, a magazine, the back of a cereal box. Anything.
Sit in silence and think nothing – Revolutionary, I know.
Stare out the window – Works best with tea and let your thoughts be free connecting your inner peace or gratitude.
Five minutes is all it takes for you to start your self care journey.
Step 5: Put Your Phone To Bed (Before It Tucks You Into a Scroll Coma)
You made it to the final step of your Nighttime Glow-Up™, and it’s time to address the glowing rectangle in the room: your phone.
That innocent-looking device has been quietly sabotaging your sleep for years.
According to science (and your eyeballs), screens at bedtime are like tiny vampires that suck your melatonin and leave you wondering why you woke up feeling like a zombie that got hit by a bus.
Put your phone to bed. Physically. Like it’s your needy digital child.
Pick a cozy, out-of-arm’s-reach spot— anywhere you can’t roll over and “accidentally” open TikTok. No excuses. It’s bedtime for both of you.
Let your VIP people know you are now on a sleep-focused journey and not to text you after 9 p.m or whatever time you designate.
Congratulations, You’re Officially a Bedtime Icon
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the glow-up you have just pulled off.
If you don’t feel motivated for a workout or anything at all. Take a few minutes to tidy up your space and do something for you. You will learn that something is better than nothing.
Take a few days to experiment with this new evening routine.
This evening routine will make you feel grounded and organized without stressing over whether your actions were perfect. Write out your to-do list, read some pages from your current book, place your vitamins on the kitchen counter, so you remember to take them, put everything you need for the next day in your bag/ backpack, charge your devices, and pack your lunch for the next day.
Before trying this evening routine, you come home after work, throw your bag/backpack in a chair, and flop onto your bed and stay there until nightfall, watching random videos on YouTube and aimlessly scrolling through Instagram Reels.
Now that you have a set bedtime (8:30 a.m. is the time you want to wake up, so 10:30 p.m. is your bedtime), You know what time you need to shut off your screens and start tidying up, doing tasks that will make your next morning easier.
Five steps. Zero excuses. Mild resistance. Some sass. And boom—you’re one step closer to sleeping like the majestic, fully functioning human you were always meant to be. (contains affliate links)
