I am someone who loves routines! Having a routine in place helps me function better and gives my days more structure. While my morning routine is aimed to set the tone for the day and set me up for success, I have designed my evening routine to help me unwind and relax. Apart from helping me rest and sleep better, I love how a healthy evening routine holds space for me to slow down, make time for things that are important to me and be intentional with how I spend my time.

The point of an evening routine is to prepare your mind and body for a good night’s sleep by allowing it to relax and unwind after a long and tiring day. Building yourself an evening routine is also a great place to fix bad sleep and wake up more refreshed the next morning. Additionally, by filling your evening with activities that help you relax, you end up bringing more mindfulness into your life.

If you are looking to improve your sleep quality, live more intentionally, and find better ways to unwind and relax after work every day, then building an evening routine might be a great place to start.

Scroll down for my simple and mindful evening routine…

• Go for a walk

As soon as I finish work, I change into my workout clothes and head out for a walk. This is something I have only recently added to my daily routine, but I can tell you that I already love it! As someone who works from home, I need to consciously schedule a walk in my routine otherwise I don’t up leaving the house for days together. And I love starting my mindful evening routine with a week as it allows me to clear my head, get in some fresh air and just be present.

• Cook dinner

After I come home from my walk, I freshen up and head straight to the kitchen to cook dinner. I usually cook something light and have at least a few things prepped over the weekend, so this doesn’t take me more than 30-45 minutes. To make this time even more fun, I either play a fun playlist or put on a podcast or audiobook.

• Tidy up

Typically, I like to tidy up as I go, but I still spend a few minutes before bed to tidy up my living room. I clean the countertops, put the utensils away, arrange the cushions and put anything that maybe out of place back in its place.

Apart from the fact that I like waking up to a tidier space, I have noticed that a going to bed after a little clean up also helps me sleep better. It puts me in a calmer state of mind, and it makes me believe that when I wake up the next morning, I am not going to have any pending chores from the previous day.

• Relax and read

Next, I like to curl up on the couch and read whatever I am reading. I usually read fiction, as reading non-fiction is a part of my morning routine. This is also when I catch up with friends and family, reply to personal texts, and just scroll on social media for a while. I put my phone on ‘work’ mode for most of the day so as not to get distracted, but this is when I allow myself to chill, play Candy Crush and just scroll for a while if I feel like it.

• Shower and skincare

Then around 9 pm, after we have come back from Abby’s walk, I like to go for a quick shower, change into PJs and do my skincare. I don’t have an elaborate skincare anymore. After years of trying out different skincare routines, most of which very elaborate, I finally have found a minimal routine with just a few products that work for my skin. Even though this entire part of my evening routine doesn’t take more than 20 minutes, it’s something that brings me a lot of joy and makes me ‘fresh’ for bed.

• Unwind for the night

After this, I usually spend some time with Sayak. We cuddle on the couch to catch up, talk about our days and watch some tv. We try to stick to just one episode of whatever we are watch and leave binging for the weekends. No matter how busy are days have been, Sayak and I usually like to spend at least 30 minutes with each other each night before bed. This little ritual has really done wonders for our relationship.

• Journal

By then, it’s time for bed. I like to end my day with a few minutes of journaling. I have been consistently doing this for years now, and I cannot emphasise on how much it has helped me. I don’t spend a lot of time journaling in the PM. I usually just write down my gratidue list from that day and quickly review my to-do list for the next day. No matter the kind of day I had, doing this helps me shift my focus to the good in my life and sets me up for a better next day.

After this, it’s time for lights out and sleep. Apart from this routine, I avoid using my phone an hour before bedtime and leave it another room when sleeping. I also try very hard to not consume caffeine post 12 pm. Following this bedtime routine not only helps me sleep better, but also allows me to exercise boundaries with my phone and just generally where I spend my time. And that is a good enough reason for me to stick with this one!