Bedtime should be the most relaxing part of your day. It truly is such a special time, the sun goes down, your bed looks as inviting as ever, and you’ll have the opportunity to rest your head on the pillow and dream up the most beautiful thoughts. As a kid, bedtime looks a lot like this, cozy and inviting. Unfortunately, as people age, they tend to look at bedtime as the perfect opportunity to put themselves down, let their most anxious thoughts run free, and beat themselves up over what they didn’t do. Let’s channel our childhood selves, shall we? If you want to make your night peaceful and productive, try incorporating these habits into your wind down routine.

Declutter

I truly believe that a clean space equals a clean mind. Before bed, make time to tidy up your room. Put notebooks and pens back where they belong, put clothes away, and clean up any counter space. This will help you to wake up feeling more fresh, organized, and ready to conquer your day. If you’re working from home, clean up your workspace and have everything ready for the next morning. If you’re commuting to work, get your clothes out from tomorrow and have your bag packed and ready to go. Your future self will thank you.

Have a routine and stick to it

Having a nighttime routine will keep your mind focused and in the mood for winding down. Because most of us go from one thing to the next all day long, our minds have trouble recognizing when it’s time to settle down and sleep. If you have a routine that you do consistently, you’ll be able to train your brain for bed. This will help you to relax and fall asleep faster.

Plan for the next day

If you want to be successful, you need to be intentional with your days. Instead of taking thing as they come and being unprepared, make a list of what you want to accomplish for the day. This will keep you focused on your priorities and more equipped to handle distractions that may pop up. I use the High Performance Planner by Brandon Burchard and I love how it asks questions about my goals for the day, how I will handle any type of inconvenience, and who I want to connect with. It hits all the important areas of life and has a section to plan the day hour by hour. This is really helpful because it keeps me accountable throughout the day and I can’t make an excuse that I don’t know what to do with my time. As you’re planning for the day ahead, reflect on the day that passed and list three things that you’re grateful for that occurred. This will help you to have a more positive outlook in life and get you excited for the day ahead.

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