Simple After work evening routine to keep you sane

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After-work evening routines are not as common as morning routines. Most of the time the thought of having a routine after work makes one feel dreadful. After all, at the end of a hectic day at work, we are drained of energy and want to just chill and rest. But having an evening routine doesn’t mean it’s all about work, they can be relaxing, fun, and productive too.

If you are looking for a good evening routine after work. I have got you covered.

In this post, I’m sharing an after-work routine that I have been following for more than 5 years now and with some tweaks have been able to make the best of it in different stages of life.

You will certainly find inspiration to

• Make your after-work  evening routine
• Build a routine that makes you ready for the next day
• Have an evening routine that is a balance of fun, relaxation, and productivity.

Let’s look at how it’s done …

P.S. If you are looking to create a morning routine you will like 5 steps to build a morning routine before work that is best for you and 50 Good morning routine ideas that suit everyone

Why do you need an after-work routine?

Before diving deep into an evening routine after work or office. I would like to draw your attention to the benefits of having an evening routine after work. 

So, here is why you need an evening routine after work

1. It helps you to relax and unwind after a long day at work.
2. It helps you be more intentional with your time after work.
3. It helps you to be better prepared for the next day.
4. It helps you attain a work-life balance.
5. It reduces anxiety and stress.

10 Things to Do After Work for a happy life

Here are things that you should include in your evening routine after work for a balanced, productive life

1: Reflect on your day and make a To-Do list

At the end of work, it is good to reflect on your day at a glance to know the things that were achieved and those that were not and need to be moved to the next day.

Reflection on the day makes us more aware of the time we spend on various things and improves our time management skills.

The next thing that is a must in an evening routine is to view your calendar for the next day and list down things that you need the next day. Planning the day in advance helps you be more productive and reduce anxiety.

P.S. If you are looking to completely organize your life you should check the below spreadsheet-based organization system. I absolutely love it.

P.S If you want to know more about making an effective To-Do list and planning your task at work you should read these

10 Ways To Make An Effective To-Do List 

Timeboxing at work: An effective way to get the most done

2: Relax and unwind

The next thing in your evening routine must be things that help you relax and unwind after work. After spending long hours at work in all the hustle it is not easy to relax. Hence you should identify activities that can help you transition your mind from work to a relaxed state. This may include a quick cup of tea or creating a soothing ambiance at home to help you unwind, it varies from person to person so find the things that suit your need.

I have an elaborate article on 5 step system to help you relax and unwind after a busy day, you should definitely read it if relaxing after work is challenging for you.

3: Cook dinner and prep food for the next day

Having a delicious, healthy meal is a great way to end a day. I like to make meals and put on some music or sometimes hear a good podcast. It not only helps me take my mind off work and all the thighs that happened at work but also feels relaxing and satisfying to have a homemade meal (good for the pocket, good for health).

It is also a good time to bond with kids and partners and catch up with them.

If you are not keen on cooking you can help your partner with the same. 

I also like to use this time to prep a few things for the next day, like prepping for breakfast, soaking grains, and keeping coffee, tiffin boxes handy for the next day, as mornings get crazy.

4: Make time for self-care

Next is time for some self-love, me-time whatever you like to call it. Even on the busiest evening make sure to find at least 10 minutes for yourself. This time should be just for you, no gadgets, no talking with others, no social media just some minutes with yourself. Just to check in how are you feeling?

You can use this time for quick stretching, yoga, meditation, reading, listening to music, anything that makes you feel better should be part of your self-care time.

It sounds cliche or something that a busy person cannot have but trust me,  it is the best time to spend and will help you feel calm and reduce restlessness.

5: Shower and get comfy

Shower at the end of the day not only reduces a task to do in the morning but also helps you feel calm and help you sleep better. I feel taking bath after a long day is very therapeutic and more hygienic to get one clean of all the dust and sweat of the day.

Getting in comfy pajamas after a shower is so relaxing and instantly gets you into a cozy mood.

6: Share your day with family

Talk about your day with your family, and find out about their day and things that they want to share with you. Share your achievement and avoid sharing a bad experience unless you wish to seek comfort from them. Give an ear to others if they had a bad day. 

Make fun plans for the weekend, so that you have something to look forward to and spend quality time with the family.

If you struggle with a busy life with less time to spend with your partner and kids you should read Secrets To Spending Time With Your Partner When Busy and Secrets to spend quality time with your kids in a busy life.

7: Give a quick reset to the house

Just give a quick reset to the major areas of your house like the living room, kitchen, or bedroom to make sure all the things are in the right place. If you do a quick reset each day and include it as part of your evening routine you will be able to keep things organized easily and spend less time over it. 

As a working professional, it is difficult to find time to do cleaning and organization, so spending a few minutes in the evening makes it less overwhelming and you do not need to spend your entire weekend resetting your house while living in a messy environment during the week.

However, there are times when work overtakes our priority at home and we land in a messy situation, for such times read How to get household back on track after busy times.

8: Make time for short entertainment 

Entertainment is often considered a non-productive thing to do and many suggest limiting it to weekends but a regulated amount of time spent over entertainment help to take the mind off worries and refresh the mood.

It can be watching an episode of web series or watching a movie in parts depending on the time available. This lightens the mood and gives a feeling of having a balanced day of work, chores of life, and fun.

When you don’t spend a regulated amount of time on activities such as entertainment and social media you may fall for revenge procrastination. Revenge Bedtime Procrastination is delaying sleep by indulging in things that you could not do during the day due to the unavailability of time.

So make quick time-regulated time for social media, movies, series, and YouTube to have a balanced life either while eating food or folding laundry to make the best of your time and needs.

9: Get ready for the next day

Make sure to include in your evening routine things to ensure you are well prepared for the next day, to avoid the morning hustle.

These can be things like laying out your outfit, keeping your bag ready, setting your coffee machine and phones charged, or setting an alarm. Try to find things that take your time in the morning and can be done ahead of time in the evening.

Try to quickly visualize your next day to help you align your mindset for the next day.

10: Express Gratitude

A perfect way to end your day is by expressing gratitude. With a busy day full of chaos you may tend to feel life is difficult and you have so much to deal with.

But just take a moment at the end of the day before going to bed to be thankful for all the good things you have, the small help extended by your family, co-workers, or a stranger on the way can make a very positive impact on your mood, the attitude towards life and your relationships.

You can write gratitude each day or best say it to the person and make them feel good too.

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Conclusion

So, these are some things that you can include in your after-work evening routine to keep your sanity. The things shared in the post are those that are doable by busy people with limited time after work. These are part of my evening routine and have been of great help to me to detach from office work and get a work-life balance.

I hope it has inspired you to make your evening routine after work that is just perfect for your needs.

If you like this post be sure to follow me on Pinterest for all the latest tips, tricks, and hacks on work management, work-life balance, and productivity.

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