As promised in part 1 of my daily routine, here is what my evening routine looks like most days (depending on how I feel).
Some days I go to the gym during my lunch break as I feel a good cardio session and cold shower raises my energy levels for the rest of the day, and I’m also more efficient when I return to work.
But if it was a busy day at work and I didn’t get to the gym, generally my evening looks like this:
5:30pm: Walk to my favourite group fitness class usually at a close by gym (I actually have 2 gym memberships but that’s a discussion for another day….) and break a sweat in either a high impact aerobics class like Step, or Hot Yoga. Usually I’ll remind myself that resistance training is missing from my routine, but never get around to it.
7pm: Shower, and eat a healthy snack on the way home (usually a banana, or almonds, or a trail mix).
8pm: Get home, prep a light but filling meal such as grilled vegetables and fish, or steamed vegetables and whatever is left from the day before (if its pasta/rice or meat heavy, I try to up the vegetables and keep the heavy stuff minimal). This has been my main dinner style the past month, I am actively trying to reduce my dairy intake (especially milk) and white carbs. I am finding the more veggies I eat in my core meal, the more my skin glows and I no longer get the dreaded food coma 🙂
9pm: If I’m feeling magnesium deficient (and I always know if I am based on how sore my body feels after a intense workout the day before), I will have a hot bath with lots of Epsom Salts. Even if you don’t workout, I highly recommend baths especially with Epsom Salts as it’t not just relaxing but also detoxifying for your body. Magnesium draws out toxins from your skin, and it’s a nice way of giving your liver a break from constantly needing to filter what you consume.
9:30pm: If there is time and my house work is done, I may watch a bit of TV (always recorded or streamed, I don’t watch live shows as I can’t stand Ads!)
10pm: Go into my room and mentally prepare myself for bed, I make sure all technology is put away by now as looking at mobile cell screens (or tablets, or computers or TV) reduces your ability to fall asleep when you go to bed. I generally use this time to think about my next day, what I want to achieve and then I will write a few pages in my Appreciation Journal so that my energy is lined up before falling asleep.
10:30pm: Go to bed and find more things to appreciate from my life or close surroundings. Sometimes it’s just nice to lie in your crisp white sheets and use that as your excuse to feel better. It doesn’t matter what you focus on as long as you feel good while falling asleep, you will also wake up feeling good. You are effectively preparing yourself to have a good day.
IÂ can’t stress enough the importance of putting technology away, at least 30min before going to sleep. Your brain can’t shut down if it’s highly excited by the rapidly flashing screens we are surrounded by in this day and age. I am always surprised by the number of people that say they don’t sleep well, and then you hear they watch TV in bed or they take their laptop into bed and work till late at night.
Try it, cut out technology 30min before you go to bed and see how peaceful your sleep is.
What is your daily routine? I’d love to hear what works for others?!
If you haven’t read my morning routine, check it out and tell me what you think! 🙂
2 comments
Hi Farnaz,
I really enjoy your page. And this article has helped me think more about my afternoon routine and what impact it might have on my mental health. I am going to move the TV from my room this afternoon. I will see how I go. I like to work out in the morning and do prep food on the weekends. I find I am to stressed if I try and fit it in after a full day of work. I like to come home and relax, I have recently read an article that says lazier people can be smarter. 😛 i
View CommentHi Rhi, that’s lovely to hear, thank you!
View CommentIt sounds like you are on the right track, I think moving technology out of your bedroom (which should be a relaxing space) is a smart move! Any night I watch tv and then I go to bed, I feel tired the next morning when I wake up. I never feel refreshed.
People don’t realise how much their morning is impacted by the night before! My next goal is to wake up earlier to work out, and as the winter ends and spring gets closer, it should be easier to achieve.
I agree with you, prepping food on the weekend can save you hours during the week!
Let me know how you go 🙂