One of the most important things I can recommend for overall productivity is getting the most out of your evenings. I know it is super easy to get home after work, sit and watch tv, and let the rest of the evening slip away. To be productive, you cannot let this happen. For myself, I know that once I sit down, it is pretty much game over. When I get home, I need to keep it moving. I exercise in the evening, so I start by changing into workout clothes and eating a snack. Then I get the workout done right away. Aside from that, the rest of my evening routine varies a bit from day to day, but it always consists of the following tasks. This is why I consider it more of an evening checklist than a routine.
I also want to point out that most of these tasks only take a few minutes, but they help set you up for success the following day. Typically, working my way through this list takes about 2 hours and leaves me with another 1-2 hours for reading, watching tv, or anything else I feel like doing before bed. Don’t believe how little time this takes? Time yourself. This is how I realized that doing my dishes takes only 10 minutes most nights. My excuse about not having the time to do them was more about not wanting to do the dishes than not having 10 minutes.
- Do the dishes and put away leftovers. I think it’s important to wake up to an orderly kitchen. Plus, it takes much less time to clean dishes before all the residue has time to cake itself on. Even when I’m not feeling like it, this is good enough reason to get the dishes done.
- Do a general pick-up. Having a clean, fresh environment helps maintain a clean, fresh mindset. Taking just 10 minutes each evening to put everything away and wipe down counters ensures you don’t wake up to an overwhelming environment that makes you feel behind when the day has barely begun.
- Do one bonus household chore or errand. This has been a valuable addition to the evening checklist. I used to dedicate most of one weekend day to all chores and errands, but it wasn’t the most fun way to spend my day off. I have found that this habit spreads the load and keeps me on top of things. I avoid feeling overwhelmed, and I don’t need that difficult-to-find, entire day to catch up. If you’re interested in implementing this habit, I keep a running list of small tasks and chores for that week. This could include anything from vacuuming to making a doctor’s appointment to running to the library to following up with Verizon yet again for plaguing me with more inexplicable fees and price increases.
- Plan/prep breakfast and lunch for the following day. This habit will minimize the number of decisions you need to make in the morning and ensure you have energy all day.
- Prep the morning coffee and set delayed brewing. Fresh coffee always provides helpful morning motivation.
- Hygiene and skincare. Shower, wash your face, take out your contacts, etc.
- Brush and floss. This step gets its own bullet because it’s important. I also tend to wash my face early in the evening and brush right before bed, so I need the reminder of a separate step. Making teeth care its own step makes sure I’m dedicated to getting it done.
- Take vitamins and/or medications. Self-explanatory, no?
- Meditation. Mediation has numerous benefits. For one, taking 10-15 minutes to explore your own mind every day is a great way to manage your stress levels.
- Check tasks planned for the following day. This way I don’t waste any time the next morning wondering what the day holds. I wake up and can already start thinking about what I’ll be working on that day.
- Pack up work bag. Again, this habit streamlines the morning. After I’ve checked my agenda for the next day, I know whether I need to bring anything additional like notes, my laptop, or my laptop adapter to work. Putting them directly in my bag makes sure I won’t forget anything in the morning.
- Check weather and plan outfit for next day. I like to have an idea of what to expect in the morning, and this cuts down on the decisions I need to make when groggy.
- Put water, sweater, and socks by my bed for the morning. This is how I’m able to convince myself to get out of bed in the morning. My bed is warm. I like to be warm. Every time I need to leave its warm embrace, it’s a struggle. But if I have a sweater and socks, I can stay as warm as possible and wake up by drinking some water to get my system going.
- Set alarm. After all this prep, you should be ready for the sun bright and early!
- Bonus: Drink some tea and read before lights out. Typically, I also have candles lit and string lights on for cozy vibes. Other bonus items could be journaling, gratitude journaling, watching tv, wandering around the internet, etc.
