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Your night can make or break the next day. It can determine whether you’re going to be a hot mess running around trying to find more deli meat for your wrap, or whether you’re going to be a serene, ready-to-tackle-the-day #girlboss. I have had my fair share of both kinds of mornings, but I think we would all rather have our lives together. So, here is my night routine when I am living my best life; not every night looks like this. To be honest, I’m mostly writing this to remind myself of how I want my nights to look like during the week rather than binge watching yet another series on Netflix!
My night routine definitely changes based on whether it’s a work night or a weekend night, but here’s a glimpse into what an average night would look life for yours truly. If you want to know how I have the best mornings ever by preparing at night, then keep reading!
My Summer Night Routine
Usually I’m trying to make it to bed by 10:30/11:00pm, so my whole routine starts around 8:00/8:30pm, this is when I start to get ready for the next day and finish any last minute tasks of the day. **Mondays are The Bachelorette nights and I usually will start before the show preparing for the next day and multi-task while watching.** On Sundays, I wind down with the #BloggingCollege Chat!
I think what really makes the difference between whether I’m going to have a smooth morning is whether or not I pack my lunch. It saves so much time to either meal prep or at least plan out what you’re going to have. Cut up your fresh fruit, measure out the spinach you need for your salad, and throw your water infuser in the fridge!
Shower and Nightly Skin Routine
Since I’m still sweaty and gross from the gym, I’ll make sure to shower. A quick face wash immediately after returning from the gym is essential to get off all the grime that is exposed after a good sweat. I like to use just a simple, gentle cleanser for this wash.
I save my heavy duty skin routine for after I get out of the shower! Currently, I’ve been struggling with acne a little bit; my eating habits haven’t been great the past week or two. I pulled out my favorite cream Acne cleanser from Neutrogena. It’s gentle enough for sensitive skin, but has worked in the past for clearing up past acne blips, and works on preventing new pimples from popping up!
I’ve also started using two Origins products I got in an Influenster Box. The two products are specifically made to be used at night and smell absolutely amazing. You can find them here and here. On a my-acne-isn’t-ruining-my-life day, I love the Cera Ve products which were recommended by my dermatologist. If you’re a sensitive skin gal like me, these products are super gentle!
End of TV and Computer Use
This is the part of my night routine that rarely ever gets followed. Whether I’m trying to do some last minute edits on a vlog or blog post or watching another episode of Gilmore Girls, I typically am using some kind of digital device until my eyes close.
I’ve been trying really hard to tell myself to give it a break. Relax your eyes from the harsh LED screens and enjoy a book, talk with my roommates, or plan a little bit. Something that gets me away from the computer, TV, and tablet!
I think what I’m going to start doing now is have the bedtime function set to an hour before I actually want to go to bed. This will allow me to know exactly when I need to shut off all my electronics. Also, I think if I pick up a good book that I might actually read then that’ll help me want to stay off the technology. If you have any pressing recommendations leave them in the comments down below!!
Since, I’m usually chilling in my room for all of this, I typically will pick my clothes for the next day! This sometimes isn’t really necessary because I can wear any combination of jeans and t-shirts to lab and it really doesn’t matter all that much since I’m wearing my lab coat 79% of the time. However, if I want to be cute, I’ll throw a little something-something out to prepare for the next day!
Time For Sleep
I should have hopped off my computer and turned off the Netflix by 10:30/11:00pm. I’ll typically grab a cup of water or decaf tea to wind down even more for the night. This is just a soothing way of preparing my body for bed. If it’s one of those days where Netflix runs my life, I will end off the episode when I start falling asleep and finish off the water I probably didn’t finish from my workout and then I’ll hit the hay!
Hopefully, that was helpful in seeing how I have a productive night when I come home from work during the summer. I make changes when I have plans at night, but I basically just replace working on the computer with social hour. I even **try** to work out every day even when hanging with friends in the evening.
Finding your own rhythm and a system that works for you is going to be key to keeping up with a great night routine. I love having my smoothie and making my lunch and then moving to being productive and having my shower shortly after. What is your favorite way to wind down at night? Cutting off your devices a lot harder than you thought? Let me know in the comments down below. I’d love to know which Netflix shows have you up at night!
xo,
