Background photo by Pinterest; Edit by me.
After a very hectic day in which you have tried to juggle all of your work, personal, and home commitments, it can be very easy to feel tired and overwhelmed. Most of us just fall into bed at the end of the day without decompressing, only to start another hectic day in the morning. These feelings inevitably get much stronger with the passing of each day if we do not take the necessary time to take care of ourselves. I have learned for the past few years that the best person who can take care of yourself is you. Just listen to your body and do whatever is needed to feel better at all times.
What if I told you that there were a few simple steps you could take each night to transform your overwhelming evening into a sacred bed-time ritual? Let’s rethink our evening rhythm and make some time to nourish ourselves to get ready for the day tomorrow. Here are my top six tips to try out tonight.
“The key to forming good habits is to make them part of your ‘rituals.’ I have a morning ritual, afternoon ritual, and Sunday ritual. It’s one way to bundle good habits into regular time that you set aside to prepare yourself for the life you want. Rituals help you form habits.” – Lewish Homes
The key to a nice and cozy evening at home is the complete awareness that you are at home. Forget all about your worries at the office and do not drag them with you to your home. Unplug and disconnect so that you can get the best relaxation possible. Stop checking your email constantly – I have been guilty of this plenty a time but my life completely changed when I realized it is really pointless to do so. Work needs to stay at the office (this is valid for you, freelancers, as well) and we all need to strive for and work towards a better work-life balance.
Once you are all set in your favourite and coziest home clothes, light a candle you love. It will set you in the mood and will make your evening much more relaxed. Currently, I am loving a gorgeous big berry candle that I picked from Pepco before the holidays. I have already used it quite a lot as I love the smell of berries at this time of the year so I am quite gutted that it is already sold out at the stores near me.
Now it is time to cook some light meal for dinner. With all the festivities behind us and all the delicious (and not so healthy) food we consumed, I usually opt for lighter choices these days. Be it a fresh salad with cherry tomatoes and some chicken, or a bowl of warm soup, or humus baguettes, I often find myself ditching the meat and reaching out for vegetarian options instead. One of my key goals this year is to try to eat more vegetables (I am notoriously bad at incorporating vegetables in my diet) so any ideas for quick dinner recipes are more than welcome.
Weekly evenings are also my favorite time to indulge in my hobbies, one of which is definitely reading. To be perfectly honest, I have not read any new books since early December last year (if we do not count the two audio books I listened on Storytel just before the holidays) and I plan on getting back to the habit of reading at least 10 pages each night before going to sleep. I have reduced massively my stress levels at my new job so hopefully I will have more energy to read at the evenings than before. Let me know what books you are currently reading as I am on the look for a new one.
Just before going to bed, I also love to do a hair and/or face mask. Hydrating masks are definitely one of my top ways of getting rid of any dirt and dryness that I have accumulated throughout the day. Winter can be harsh on your skin and hair so regular care is a must at this time of the year.
Last but not least, don’t forget to get to bed early. Work towards developing a sleep routine by getting to bed and waking up at the same times each day depending on how many hours of sleep your body needs. This has a great effect on your general well-being and once you get into a steady routine, your body will thank you massively.
What are your evening rituals at home? Let me know in the comments’ section down below.
Love,
Chrisy
