5 Things to do Tonight, that your Future Self will Thank You for

Make your life better, right now.

The best days start with the best evenings. Mornings are hard enough already. why not make things easier on yourself with a little pre-planning? Taking half an hour to try a few of these things can make your mornings flow better, and give you the right start to an awesome day.

Lay out your clothes for the next day

Have you heard of decision fatigue? Every time we make a decision, it uses a little bit of energy. The more decisions we make, the more energy we use. This is why sometimes, someone might ask what you would like for lunch and you can’t answer. Your processing facilities are burned out. You might think it’s not a difficult decision to decide what to wear on any given day, but it’s one more decision to add to your morning. It burns that little bit of mental energy. If you lay out your clothes the night before, you use up a little bit of evening energy on a very simple task. In the morning you will just have to get dressed.

I find I also make better decisions about what I want to wear when I lay out my clothes in the evening. I have a little bit more time to put an outfit together and hunt out a nice pair of socks. In the morning, I’m changing out of my pyjamas and the temptation to throw on loungewear is high. I’m grateful that my past self has chosen a nice outfit for me.

Run through your to-do list and plan when you will get your stuff done

It’s all well and good having a to-do list, but do you get to the end of the day and realize you’ve done very little? A lot of people know what they have to do, but don’t have a plan for when they are going to do it.

On Sunday evening I will sit down with my to-do list (I use to-doist) and look at when I will get my stuff done. Right now I’m planning a house move in the summer. Every week I try and organise one area of my home, then take stuff to the charity shop down the road. I will allocate one lunchtime a week to sort an area, then another lunchtime to take the items to the shop. Another example, I will put a reminder to put laundry in, then take it out two hours later.

Every evening I sit down with my to-do list and my calendar and plan out my tasks for the next day. I add each item to my calendar as an event, covering approximately the amount of time it should take. If anything hasn’t been done that day I see where it will fit in the rest of the week. If it doesn’t fit, it moves over to next week’s list.

This helps me have shorter lists for each day. I also have a plan for when I can actually do things, rather than hoping I will find myself with time in the day.

Write down three things you are grateful for

It’s a pretty established view that keeping a gratitude journal is great for your mental health. Sit down in the evening and think of three things you are grateful for that day. Some days this will come easier than others. The days where it is difficult are the days you will truly learn to look for the good things in your life.

I found this difficult to remember to do at first, so I used a visual cue to help me get it done. I got a bright yellow notebook and a pink pen and left them on my bedside table. The book stands out and is a great reminder to write down my gratitudes.

After a few weeks of writing down three gratitudes a day, I became more aware of things to be grateful for. I would notice the first flowers of spring, the smell of freshly baking croissants, and the support of a loved one. I expressed more gratitude in my day-to-day life and became a happier person. Give it a try and see if it can work for you.

Stretch

It doesn’t have to be a great big routine or an hour of dedicated yoga practice. Taking a little time to tune into your body and work out any stiffness before you get into bed can help you get a better nights sleep. You’ll also feel better when you wake up. Try stretching upwards as much as you can, reaching down to touch your toes, pulling your shoulders back, rolling your wrists and your ankles. If you prefer a little more guidance, Yoga With Adriene has a lovely 12 Minute Bedtime Yoga routine.

Read a book for 10 minutes before you go to sleep

Do you find your mind is still whirring with the activities of the day while you are trying to drift off to sleep? Reading for just 10 minutes is my tried and testing technique for quieting a busy brain. The best part is, it doesn’t matter what you read. Pick anything you like. I generally prefer fiction. Sometimes thrillers, sometimes romance. Occasionally I will read none fiction, biographies, or self-improvement. Find something that you enjoy. The only restriction is that it needs to be a book (don’t browse the web, or scroll through Twitter, that’s not reading). I would recommend you either read a physical book or use a screen that does not emit light. I prefer one of the older kindles for this reason. Committing yourself to 10 minutes a night every day will help you read more, and help you drift off to sleep easier.

That’s my list! What’s your bedtime routine? Do you do any of these, or would you give them a try? Let me know in the comments and follow for more!

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