These night routine ideas will help you easily relax and get prepared for bed. I’ve also included steps from my night routine with a toddler.
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Making the transition from working full time as a nurse to being a stay at home mom wasn’t anything like I envisioned.
I was awake at random hours of the night and taking multiple naps throughout the day.
My days had no consistency.
The only guarantee was that I would go to bed exhausted and frustrated because I wasn’t getting anything done.
Then I realized the secret sauce to making this whole stay at home mom thing easier.
Routines.
I always wanted to be the free-spirited mom who just goes with the flow.
But here’s the thing, having routines doesn’t mean you’re chained to a strict schedule. It’s just a way to create structure in your day.
After mastering my morning routine, I started working on a night routine.
But first, let’s talk about what exactly is a night routine and why it’s crucial to saving your sanity as a stay at home mom.
The surprising truth about night routines
Your night routine is anything that you do every evening (or most evenings) before going to bed.
Your night routine probably starts after dinner with your kids bedtime routine.
You may not even notice that you have a night routine, but most of us are creatures of habit so we do the same things over and over without even realizing it.
So if you enjoy taking a shower and watching Netflix until you fall asleep, that’s part of your night routine.
The real reasons you need a night routine
Creating a productive night routine has perks and benefits such as:
- Better sleep
- Increased productivity
- Seamless mornings
- More brain power the next day
It’s worth giving it a try!
How to create your night routine [and get more sleep]
Now that you realize you probably already have a night routine, let’s get more intentional about it.
1. Turn off screens
The blue light in screens have been shown to alter your circadian rhythm (your internal clock that tells your body when it’s time for bed).
Eliminating screen time at least 30 minutes (but the longer the better) before bed will improve your sleep.
2. Tidy the house
Don’t you love waking up to a clean home?
When I skip this step in my night routine I know I’m going to be frustrated when I have to wash the dishes and straighten up the kitchen before I cook breakfast.
And let’s not forget that I’m trying to wash the pans while my 18-month-old is crying and holding onto my leg because she’s hungry.
So this step is crucial.
Create a quick and simple cleaning routine that sets you up for an easy morning.
Related: How To Keep Your House Clean: 3 Easy Ways
3. Play some music
I’m pretty sure it’s next to impossible for me to clean without dancing and twirling around the kitchen and living room.
I have this little speaker suctioned to the kitchen window since I use it multiple times a day.
4. White noise
It’s not just for babies! I turn on my daughter’s white noise machine while we’re having quiet time in the living room before bed.
It gets us all relaxed and ready for bed. This one is my favorite and I love that I can turn it on from my phone so if we’re all snuggling on the couch nobody has to get up.
5. Turn lights off
Once I’m done cleaning and twerking, it’s time to relax.
At this point we still have at least 30 minutes before my daughter goes to sleep so I go around the house and start turning the lights off just leaving enough light so no one breaks their neck.
If you have lights that dim this is a great time to use them. My daughter and her toys always find their way to the one light I leave on.
6. Prep for the next day
Now that my daughter’s asleep, I use this time to write in my planner.
I plan my 3 most important tasks for the next day so I know exactly what I need to get done.
Once I’m done planning I make sure that I have everything set out and easy to access so I don’t have any excuses to not get it done.
7. Bath time
Once you’ve got a plan for the next day and everything is organized and ready to go, you can finally relax.
This is when I take a shower or bath depending on my energy level. I also use this time to do some skin care and prepare my hair for bed.
8. Chit-chat with hubby
Alone time with bae…yes please! Quality time is so important in a marriage so you don’t start feeling like roommates.
Prioritize time in your night routine to connect even if it’s through a phone call so you can keep that strong bond.
9. Set your alarm
Waking up before my family is one of my favorite productivity hacks!
My wake up time changes depending on my daughter’s sleep schedule, but I always wake up 2 hours before her.
I highly recommend waking up before your kids. It gives you time to get your life together and enjoy the silence.
How to stick to a night routine and skip common mistakes
So now you’ve got some tangible ideas and you’re excited to jump right in but hold up girlfriend.
Just like a New Years resolution, you’ll be all excited for a week or two (if even that long) and then you fizzle out. So here’s how to stay consistent with your night routine.
Make a plan
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Thank you for that super true quote Benjamin Franklin.
You have to know what you want to get and WHEN you’re going to do it.
Use your smartphone
Did you know you have a personal assistant? Yes girl her name is Siri and she’s the bomb diggity.
Tell her what times you want alarms and reminders set and she’s got you!
Keep it beyond simple
I know you’re excited and ready to put 17 things on your night routine checklist but pull the reigns just a tad.
Start with no more than 5 tasks, because you’re probably already doing a few of these tasks already, and master those 5 tasks for a week.
If you can stay consistent for an entire week add one task at a time per week.
Quick recap…
To add consistency to your days a night routine is imperative. You’ll love that you’re:
- Sleeping better
- More productive
- Not recreating the wheel every day
And if you miss a day or two just start again. This is YOUR routine so you make the rules!
