Your evening routine helps you let go of the day and sets you up for a better tomorrow. These helpful evening routine ideas can help make your life even more wonderful.

Dear Spirited Earthling,

Morning routines receive a lot of attention and evening routines are subsequently often overlooked. And while an evening routine can complement a morning routine (every good day starts the night before), there is immense power in having an evening routine alone. Choosing to end your day with presence and intentionality can help you wind down and better de-stress. Remember, what works for one won’t always work for another. People have different resources, time constraints, lifestyles and goals. Personalising your evening routine can be a fun way to experiment with different activities that bring purpose and positivity to your day.

evening routine - bed, alarm clock showing 10 pm, a book and glasses on the nightstand

Great Benefits of Evening Routines

Evening routines can benefit your physical, mental, and spiritual health in the following ways:

Benefit 1: Evening Routines Help Let Go of the Day

An evening routine that includes mindful practices can help you let go of the day, no matter what that day was like. Journaling, being grateful, and meditating can lift your mood and help you to move on from the day with a clearer heart and head.

Benefit 2: Evening Routines Bring Peace to Your Evening

Often, evenings look like ‘switching off’ while watching a series and scrolling on your phone. Being more intentional with how you start to wind down and ‘switch off’ can bring greater feelings of inner peace and presence to your life. There are subconscious comparison traps and attached feelings of inadequacy. It will simply be you taking time to connect with yourself and calming your energy.

Benefit 3: Evening Routines Support Physical Health

In the evening, you want to be slowing down as you prepare for sleep. Therefore, lighter body movement like stretching, gentle yoga and the like is often recommended. This movement helps energy move around the body, preventing it getting stuck (and in turn, making you feel stuck). It can also help you release some pent-up stresses and anxieties, creating space for lighter, more high vibrational energy. Part of your evening routine can start before the last hour or two before bed - eating nourishing food and hydrating.

Benefit 4: Evening Routines Strengthen Mental Health and Mindfulness

As you regularly let go of your day and bring more peace to the end of your day through mindfulness, you support your mental health and your outlook on life can improve. With healthy mindsets, you can feel more fulfilled, grateful, and happier with life. Taking time to rest and practice self-care is important for overall well-being.

Benefit 4: Evening Routines Support Spiritual Connection

Your religious or spiritual beliefs can be seen as lighthouses and safe harbours to guide you in life. These beliefs can empower you, anchor you with faith, and often encourage traits like generosity and gratitude. Spending time in the evenings in prayer, meditation, chanting, and gratitude can provide a sense of peace, purpose, forgiveness, and happiness.

Benefit 5: Evening Routines Promote Better Sleep

Being intentional with your evenings can settle you and help you sleep better. Additionally, going to bed at the same time can help set your internal body clock, making it easier for you to fall and stay asleep.

“Start now. Start where you are. Start with fear. Start with pain. Start with doubt. Start with hands shaking. Start with voice trembling but start. Start and don’t stop. Start where you are, with what you have. Just... start.” ~ Ijeoma Umebinyuo

evening routine - tea, candle, lavendar, sleep mask

Helpful List of Evening Routines Ideas

There are different types of evening routines because there are different types of people who lead different lives and have different resources and goals. The idea is to create a routine that best aligns with your lifestyle. Use this list of evening routine ideas to help guide you in finding what works best for you:

Relaxing Evening Routine

Setting aside electronic devices as much as possible, a relaxing evening routine will include activities that help you unwind, calm down and find some semblance of peace. This could look like gentle stretching, a shower or bath with Epsom salts, reading a book, doing a crossword puzzle, or other calming hobbies.

Tip: Read to learn in the mornings and read for pleasure in the evenings.

Mindful Evening Routine

Saying goodbye to the day with presence and mindfulness can be very beneficial to your mental and spiritual health. Take a break from screens and technology at least an hour before bed. Journal to let go of the day by getting everything off your chest, answer prompts, and or gratitude journal. Practice breathwork and meditation to promote inner peace and better sleep.

Creative Evening Routine

Winding down is easier when you’re engaging in creative hobbies. Creative pursuits are for everyone, no matter the skill or talent you think you hold. Write because you enjoy writing. Paint and draw because it soothes you. Knit and crochet because you can. Being creative can free your mind and boost your mood.

Quality Time Evening Routine

Everyone leads different lives within a family (whether that looks like roommates, a couple, and those with kids) so touching base with each other is important. Spending quality time together in the evenings can be grounding and allows connection. Have dinner at the table with no screens and talk to each other. Play card and board games and do other shared activities like puzzles. Read to your kids and have that magical connection before they fall asleep, and snuggle your partner after.

Preparational Evening Routine

Spending time preparing for the next day can help alleviate stress and anxiety for the next morning. Additionally, planning and organising for tomorrow lessens the number of decisions you need to make in the morning (reducing decision fatigue). Choose your clothes, pack your bag, and make a to-do list for the next day. A preparational evening routine can bring a smoother and easier morning.

Wholesome Evening Routine

You can combine aspects of the routines mentioned above to create a wholesome evening routine. Spend quality time with your family, unwind in your favourite ways, and mindfully release the day.

Whether you're looking to focus on one aspect during your evening routine (relaxation, creativity) or having a more holistic approach (wholesome) you will feel the benefits in time. Remember that it takes around 66 days to get into an evening routine because you are breaking old habits and integrating new habits. Generally, it takes longer to break a habit than start a new one - so be patient with yourself.

"It's not enough to just hope for a happy and healthy life; it's a combination of mindset, routines, and habits working together until you get there." ~ Robyn Conley Downs

Example of a Wholesome Evening Routine

This is an example of an evening routine that incorporates self-development, self-care, and spirituality.

Nourish and Hydrate Yourself: Eat a nutritious dinner. Have a cup of warm and soothing tea, warm water, or honey-lemon-ginger hot water. Chamomile tea is a great option to assist with sleep.
Physical Movement: Stretch. Practice an easy yoga flow and Tai chi.
Prepare for Tomorrow: Choose your clothes, pack your lunch, prepare your breakfast.
Mindfulness Practices: Spend time journaling (releasing what’s on your mind, answering prompts, listing gratitudes), repeating affirmations, meditating, or practising breathwork.
Spiritual Connection: Pray, read sacred texts, sit at your home altar to ground yourself and connect with guides.
Wind Down: Listen to an uplifting podcast, practice creative hobbies, or read to relax.

Evening Routine Suggestions and Considerations

Keep your technological use aligned with the purpose of your evening routine (e-readers, music, meditation, etc). Dedicate this evening time to your well-being without external influences, so avoid checking the news, scrolling social media, or reading emails.

When it is possible and safe to do so, consider taking all or part of your routine outdoors (reading on the balcony, praying in the garden, or walking outdoors).

If you want to focus on different things, attach practices to the days of the week, e.g. Mondays are for self-reflection journaling, Tuesdays are for creative skills and hobbies, Wednesdays are for learning, etc (read more here).

To create consistency, it is helpful to go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends. You can start by adding one or two activities to your evening, and gradually build on until you have an evening routine that works for you. Give yourself time to find your rhythm.

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.” ~ Mark Twain

Spirited Earthling is more than just a blog – it's a gathering place for kindred spirits drawn by an interest in self-discovery, the appeal of self-care, and a desire for a deeper connection to the world. Written and created for curious minds and spiritual hearts seeking meaning in everyday life, this blog aims to help you curate your wholesome personal growth with free weekly ideas and affordable resources for sale.

As you navigate your personal growth journey using the words and ideas shared here, consider sharing this blog with someone looking for inspiration or motivation on their own journey. We are all spirited earthlings, and can lift each other together with mindful, connected living.

Thank you for being part of this community.

Best wishes, warmest regards

Jordan

[Updated in 2024]

Affirmation: I give myself permission to relax and let go of the day. My evening routine sets me up for success.

To do: Choose one of these routines or one activity to start your evening routine tonight.

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helpful evening routine ideas to make life even more wonderful spiritied earthling blog post pin

Helpful Evening Routine Ideas to Make Life More Wonderful