A few years ago, I worked as a Sales Assistant. I worked 6 days a week and every now and again, I would need to work 3-4 weeks straight due to Trade Expos. I would get home after a long and stressful day and I would go on auto-pilot. Dinner, shower, bed, scroll on social media for hours.
I would be EXHAUSTED, but I just couldn’t sleep, so instead, I just laid in bed and scrolled aimlessly for hours. Back then, I used my social media quite "negatively" too, so the content I was consuming put me into a horrible mindset (made me feel like I needed to lose weight or get certain procedures done).
After living like that for years, I changed things up. I put myself first. The first step was by creating a healthy and enjoyable night self-care routine – which I still follow now (literally 10 years later).
I now work from home, I still work a lot and I often have long days, but I don’t struggle with sleeping anymore.
♡ Switch off
I’ve put this one on the list first, but it could come at any stage of my day, as I’m sure it could for you too! So pop this in at any stage of your night routine.
I own two businesses that I work from home with, I also have an 18-month-old son, so the time I switch off each day is different but when I’m finished work for the day, I clock off. That’s it. I am done. I don’t sit up replying to emails at 10pm at night or answer any work-related calls.
It took me a long time to get to this point but it’s super important for you to stop working and switch off. You aren’t alive just to work.
♡ Shower/ bathe
Yay! Alone time. I’m usually quite quick in the shower, but I do also love a bubble bath with some candles.
I also opt to use all-natural products (a blog post will be coming explaining all about this!).
♡ Eat a nourishing dinner
When I use to work as a Sales Assistant, I often would stop on the way home and get some kind of junk food. I actually remember often eating Twisties and donuts for dinner because that was easier (and to be fair, it was delicious, but definitely not nourishing).
When I traded in the junk for a nourishing meal, my mind, body and soul completely transformed. Of course, this is more time-consuming, but the benefits definitely outweigh any time you need to use.
♡ Clean up
My son makes a lot of mess. I truly wish I could say that my house is always immaculate, but if I’m being honest, by the time we eat dinner, my house is a bombshell. There are toys and food EVERYWHERE.
While my fiancé is doing the dishes and tidying the kitchen, I am cleaning up the house. In the time he takes to wash all of the dishes, I am able to clean the lounge room, my son’s bedroom, the bathroom and our bedroom. We also have the luxury of owning a robot vacuum (highly recommended), so I turn that on and I’m done!
I sleep SO much better knowing my house is neat and tidy, even if I know it will 100% be trashed again tomorrow. There is just something about waking up to a clean house.
♡ Stretch and do yoga (which is also my meditation)
This is one of the very few times I am truly alone during the day. While my fiancé is bathing my son, I turn on my oil burner and spend half an hour moving my body.
I started this after I hurt my back in a car accident and needed to use it for pain relief. While this is a big reason I continue to stretch, it also now helps me relax and recharge.
I do the same stretching/ yoga routine each night with my eyes shut while breathing deeply. This is my own form of meditation.
♡ Visualise
This one may sound a little hippy-dippy but I truly believe it works. After I am finished with my yoga, I sit for a few minutes with my eyes shut and lift my arms high above my head and take a big, deep breathe, while making a big circle with my arms and bringing my hands to my chest. I then visualise all of the bad energy of the day sitting inside of my hands and then push it away. I do this a few times.
♡ Skincare
I am a sucker for a good skincare routine. I’ll keep mine super simple and quick because I could talk for hours.
1. Cleanse face (in the shower earlier)
2. Hydrating gel
3. Moisturiser
4. Face oil
5. Magnesium oil (sprayed onto chest)
6. Face roller
7. Cooling eye mask if I feel my eyes are puffy
♡ TV
My fiancé and I don’t get too much time together without my son, so we like to spend an hour or so watching TV together in bed.
♡ Journal and read
At around 9.30-10pm, we switch the TV off and my fiancé usually goes to sleep. I spend about half an hour journaling or reading.
If I journal, I am writing about my day, my goals, my intentions for the week or I am answering a journal prompt which is designed to help growth (there are so many great ones on Pinterest).
I personally don’t enjoy many fiction stories, so when I read, it is usually a self-development book.
Everybody will have their own night self-care routine. What works for me may not work for you, which is okay. But, it’s really important to allow yourself time to wind down, relax and recharge.
Also, remember to be realistic, some days you just may not be able to follow your routine, but if you try to keep up with it each day, your life will never be the same.
With love
Shorina xo
Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach
Hi, I'm Shorina and I'm an Australian Counsellor + Wellness & Mental Health Coach. I'm here to support you to redefine your relationship to self and life! I incorporate a mind, body and soul wellness approach to my work with a focus on healing and mindfulness ♡
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