My ideal night routine is all about giving myself time to relax while also making sure I am prepared for the next day. I have realized that the way I spend my night can really affect how I feel when I wake up the next morning. If I go to bed stressed, stay up too late or leave everything for the morning, I usually wake up feeling rushed and unorganized. My ideal routine helps me avoid that and end my day feeling calm and ready for whatever I have going on the next day.
The first thing I like to do at night is make sure I am finished with everything I need to do for school. I would rather finish my assignments earlier in the night instead of having them hanging over my head while I am trying to relax. I usually check Canvas, look at what I have due and make sure there is nothing important that I forgot about. Even if I do not have a lot of homework, I like knowing what I have coming up over the next few days. It makes me feel much more organized and allows me to enjoy the rest of my night without thinking about school.
Once I am done with schoolwork, I like to clean up my room a little bit. I definitely do not do a full cleaning every night, but I feel so much better when my space is somewhat organized. I might put clothes away, throw away any trash, organize my desk and make sure there is nothing on the floor. Waking up to a messy room immediately makes me feel more overwhelmed, while waking up to a clean space makes the morning feel more peaceful.
I also like to prepare a few things for the next day. One of the easiest things I can do is pick out what I am going to wear. I can be indecisive about outfits, so choosing one the night before save me a lot of time in the morning. I also like to make sure my tote has everything I need if I have classes the next day. For example, I always check that my laptop is charged and put anything important in my bag.
After I have everything organized, I can finally start to wind down. I shower, brush my teeth, floss and do my skincare routine, which helps me feel clean and ready for bed. Taking a shower at night is one of my favorite ways to relax because it feels like I am washing off the entire day and starting fresh. Afterward, I put on comfortable, loose clothes, get into bed and finally have time where I do not have to worry about getting anything done.
Recently, one of my favorite things to do before bed has been watching “Breaking Bad.” I like having a show to watch at the end of the day because it gives me something to look forward to after I finish everything else. I also love going on TikTok, listening to music or talking with my roommate before going to sleep. I am constantly listening to music throughout the day, so I usually have something playing while I am getting ready for bed too. Depending on my mood, it could be EDM, country or something completely different.
One thing I would like to get better about in my night routine is getting off my phone earlier. It is really easy to tell myself I am only going to scroll for a few minutes and then suddenly realize much more time has passed. Ideally, I would put my phone down earlier, set my alarms and give myself enough time to actually fall asleep without being on my phone until the last second.
Finally, the most important part of my ideal night routine is getting enough sleep. I feel so much better when I wake up after a full night of sleep instead of having to drag myself out of bed. Getting enough sleep makes me feel more energetic and puts me in a better mood.
Overall, my ideal night routine is not anything complicated. It is just about finishing what I need to do, getting organized, taking care of myself and giving myself time to relax. When I do these things, I can go to bed without stressing about the next morning. Starting the next day on the right foot really begins the night before.
words&photo_Alexis Fitzgerald
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