Evening Habits Worth Starting (Especially for College)
Looking for the first part? Morning Habits Worth Starting
Lay out your clothes for the next day. Honestly, you’re more likely to waste time picking out an outfit when it’s early and your brain is still hazy. Save yourself some time by laying out everything for the next day. Clothes, socks, jewelry. This way, you can just roll out of bed and put your clothes on. Extra helpful in the winter when it’s freezing.
Double check your to-do list. Mentally run through all your classes and activities to see if you have any important events or assignments coming up and write them in your planner. Make sure you didn’t forget to do something you were supposed to do! I’ve been guilty of forgetting to submit assignments, send an email, or call my mom. Running through your to-do list in the evenings is a good way to catch any mistakes.
Clean up! Some things might seem obvious, like taking a shower or brushing your teeth. However, I’m willing to bet some of us (all of us?) have skipped out on taking off our makeup properly, or a skin care routine. Take some time to wash your face and apply some lotion. Your skin will thank you!
Journal. This can appear in many different forms. I used to try to push myself to document every single thing that happened to me in a day and invariably it would get boring and exhausting so I would stop. I find it a lot easier to just write about my emotions, things I’m stressed about, or things that stood out to me. Some days I’ll write 2 pages and some days I’ll write a few sentences. It’s the time spent reflecting on yourself that matters!
Read. Reading is hands down one of the best ways to increase your knowledge and expand your worldview. There’s a good reason Bill Gates reads a book a week! I try to spend 15-30 minutes a night reading before bed, which has the lovely effect of keeping me off my technology before bed.
Speaking of which, get off your technology. Using technology right before bed can cause you to feel more alert. Obviously, there might be some restrictions for people. You might be going to bed straight after finishing a paper or submitting an assignment. But if you’re lounging around right before bed, stay off your phone or tablet. One way is to put your technology away, then go and take a shower and brush your teeth. When you get back, read a book until bed time.
Set a consistent bedtime. It doesn’t have to be super early (hey, this is college), but establishing consistency in your bedtime helps you fall asleep faster and improves your quality of sleep. If you’re already sleep deprived, the quality of your sleep can make a big difference. An easy way to help you get to bed on time is to set an alarm!
