I am a creature of habit. I could eat the same thing for lunch every day and be completely satisfied. (Macaroni and cheese, tomato soup,and grapes, in case you were interested. I am also, apparently, a five-year-old.)
In addition to being a creature of habit, I can also get completely overwhelmed by my to-do list to the extent that I want to crawl back into bed and take a nap. (Hmm…maybe I really am a five-year-old.)
Because of these two characteristics, I absolutely need routines. Routines make me feel safe, they give me a sense of security. They also help me know what to do next so that I don’t get overwhelmed. And so, I have LOTS of routines! I have the 6 Things I Do Each Sunday, my Morning Routine, my routine for Morning Prayers, and more.
There is one routine, however, that the others all depend on. My Evening Routine. Without my evening routine, my mornings wouldn’t be set up for success. Without my evening routine, I would likely be walking around dazed and confused each day.
So, here are:
5 Things I Do At Night to Set Up My Morning for Success
1. Clean the Kitchen
I learned this one from Crystal at Money Saving Mom. There is nothing that makes me feel behind in the morning than walking into a dirty kitchen. Just taking a few minutes in the evening to do the dishes, clean the counters, and sweep the floor can make a world of difference in my attitude and my productivity. I try to clean up right after supper each night and run the dishwasher before I go to bed.
2. Pray as a Family
Each evening our family gathers in our icon corner and prays the Evening Prayers together. As Orthodox Christians, we believe that establishing a rhythm of prayer in our house is vitally important. So by making family prayers a priority, we are showing our children what truly matters to us. Praying together also ensures that I confess sins, ask for forgiveness from Christ and my family, and receive strength for the next day.
3. Make Lunches
This one is huge! Every evening I pack lunches for myself and my three young children (my husband generally packs his own lunch). By doing this in the evening, I avoid help tame potential morning chaos. We leave the house each morning at 6:30, so anything I can do the night before really helps out!
4. Read
I try to take the last half hour or so before bed to read a good book. I generally avoid reading fiction in the evening because I have little self-control when it comes to stopping in the middle of an exciting part! Somehow I find myself staying up WAY too late when I read novels. 🙂 So, I generally read nonfiction, spiritual books, or the Bible before bed. This relaxes me, gets me off of electronic devices, and refuels my “introvert tank” that needs time alone each day.
5. Go to Bed Early
Finally, I go to bed early each night. I have actually given myself a bedtime. That bedtime may change a bit depending on the needs of the particular season of my life (right now it is 9:30), but I try to stick to the bedtime each night. Because I have hypothyroidism and anemia, I tend toward exhaustion. In order to take care of my health, I absolutely need to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night.
Where I Learned About Evening Routines (and you can, too!)
I learned everything that I know about evening routines from Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom. I have been following Crystal’s blog for eight years now, so I kind of consider her like a friend I have never met. (Hmm…I hope that doesn’t sound too creepy!)
Crystal has developed a 14 day course entitled Make Over Your Evenings. This course:
” is designed to help you end your day calm and relaxed, streamline your routines, invest your time in things that truly matter, and find more joy and peace in the process.”
Each day’s lesson is designed to be completed in 15 minutes and contains a video and a workbook exercise and action plan. I have gotten a behind-the-scenes sneak peak at the course and was truly impressed. The videos were high-quality. The workbook was full of practical advice. And, Crystal, as usual, was an excellent teacher!
I am passionate about helping women develop systems and routines that will improve their quality of life. This is definitely a product that will do just that! To purchase or to get your free copy of Day 1, click HERE.
The Best Resource to Help You (with an AMAZING deal!)
Would you like to have stress-free mornings? Do you want to learn how to create your own evening and morning routines that will help you eliminate the crazy and focus on the productive?
Crystal Paine, of Money Saving Mom, has created two amazing courses that I have used and loved. In fact, pretty much everything I have learned about homemaking routines has come from her!
Crystal’s courses are called Make Over Your Mornings and Make Over Your Evenings, and I do not exaggerate when I say that they will change your life. Because of them, I was able to create a peaceful atmosphere in my house, find time to start a blog, and write two books. Talk about life-changing!
Simply click HERE to find out more about this deal and the courses themselves. You can even see the first lesson for free! There is also a money-back guarantee, so you literally have nothing to lose.
When you do, I’d love to hear about your experience. Let me know what you think!
I would love to hear about your evening routines. What do you do each evening? How do you set up your day for success?
(This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and purchase a product, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting The Orthodox Mama!)
