After work, you have dinner, then watch TV series while lying on the couch, or stay glued to your phone until late at night.
And in the morning, you wake up feeling unrested and burned out by midweek. All of this can be addressed with simple evening rituals.
Prepare for the next day
Choose the clothes you will wear to work and place them in a visible spot. If you plan to exercise, lay out your workout clothes. Pack all the necessary documents in your bag.
Then write down how you would like to spend your morning. Tomorrow, you will be more productive because everything you need will already be within reach.
Imagine the opposite scenario, where you are unprepared for the new day. You oversleep, struggle to decide what to wear, and forget where you put important documents. If you prepare everything in the evening, this won't happen, and your morning will start calmly.
Disconnect from work
Work messages and emails often distract even at home, hindering relaxation. To avoid this, always end your workday in the same way: tidy up your desk, save important documents on your computer, and make a to-do list for tomorrow.
As soon as you come home, transition to your post-work ritual. It can be any relaxing activity that you can repeat every day: spending time with family, engaging in sports, pursuing hobbies, or reading. This essentially adds a happy ending to any day.
Choose a relaxation spot
If you spend the entire day staring at a screen, you need to relax both physically and psychologically in the evening. In such cases, binge-watching TV series is the least effective method.
Find a place where you feel comfortable and spend 20 minutes there just to unwind. For example, you can sit quietly in the kitchen or gaze out the window. Another option is to take a shower as soon as you come home. This signals your brain that the workday is behind you.
You can also engage in simple household chores that relax you.
Reflect on the day
This only requires 5–10 minutes. Recall the pleasant moments of the day, celebrate small victories, and consider what could be improved.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself during these reflections:
What did I accomplish, and what did I not manage to do?
How do I feel as a result?
Could I have completed tasks in less time? If so, how?
Which actions were unimportant or unnecessary but seemed urgent?
What would I change to become more productive?
Engage in a favorite hobby
Weekdays usually don't leave much time for hobbies. We constantly postpone our desire to write a book, start a blog, learn a foreign language, open a business, engage in painting, or programming. But the evening is the perfect time to do it.
By doing so, you not only distract yourself from work and relax psychologically but also become more productive in your main job. Find at least half an hour to dedicate to your important hobbies. It uplifts your mood and self-esteem.
Read something for pleasure
It's a great stress reliever. Choose any book according to your taste — a fictional novel, memoir, or something inspiring — and set aside some time for reading. During sleep, the brain consolidates the acquired information, and you will remember it better.
If you enjoy reading in bed, opt for physical books. They won't interfere with falling asleep, unlike e-books that emit blue light.
Avoid screens an hour before sleep
The blue light from laptop screens and smartphones suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep. Additionally, watching videos and looking at pictures stimulates the brain, which also hinders falling asleep.
"Ten minutes of concentration on a phone is roughly equivalent to an hour-long walk in sunlight," says psychologist Richard Wiseman. "Imagine spending a whole hour in bright sunlight and then trying to sleep. It won't work.
"So, avoid looking at screens at least an hour before sleep. If you urgently need to do something on the computer, reduce the screen brightness or install a program that provides warm lighting during nighttime.
Prioritize sleep
We often neglect sleep, prioritizing other tasks. However, getting enough sleep is important for both health and productivity throughout the day. Regular, quality sleep helps maintain a stable psychological, emotional, and physical state.
To ensure sufficient sleep, go to bed and wake up at the same time. Declutter your bedroom and avoid keeping anything work-related in it overnight, as it may remind you of work.
Read more: The most dangerous toys for children: which ones should not be purchased in stores
As we wrote earlier: A 12-year-old boy has obtained five college degrees: how did he manage it
