There’s tons of examples of morning routines or night routines.
It can be a little more difficult to find evening or after work routine ideas.
You know, that awkward period of time between the afternoon and night.
It took me a long time to build an after work routine and even longer to actually stick to it.
But now it’s one of my most important routines.
It’s incredibly easy to collapse into a heap on the sofa and watch TV after I get off work and drive home.
Full confession, sometimes I still do that and I think that’s ok.
Sometimes our brains need a break.
But sometimes it feels like you’ve blinked and suddenly it’s time to start getting ready for bed!
Whatever you want to do, it’s important to be intentional with my time.
I’ve broken down my basic routine into 7 easy steps.
This is what works best for me, but be sure to experiment and find out which works best for you!
Your perfect routine is the one that you create and then refine for yourself.
Ok without further adieu, here are my after work routine ideas:
Quick Access
Change Clothes
Is it just me or do you also take your work clothes off straight away?
I am a firm believer in being comfy.
Take off your work shoes and change into something more comfortable.
Take off your clothes and take off the stress of the day with it.
Let your hair down out of that bun or pony-tail it’s been in all day.
Get cozy and let your brain know that it’s time to turn off work mode.
Honestly, the thing that I struggle with is putting those clothes away.
Whether that be hanging them up, folding them up, or putting them in the hamper.
It may be less than a 2 minute task, but it’s one that’s so easy to skip.
Please don’t fall into the trap I do where you even up regretting the pile of clothes you never put away.
Soak up some sun
If you are like me, you have a job where you work inside almost all day then have a long commute home.
Or maybe you do work from home.
It can be easy to forget to go outside in this day and age when pretty much any and everything can be delivered to our doorstep.
When I can, I try to make sure that I can get some outdoors time before the sun sets to soak of some vitamin D and breathe some fresh air.
Do yourself a favor and take a walk – even if it’s just to the mailbox to get the mail.
Also, if you haven’t seen the sunset recently… it’s usually pretty amazing.
Take a walk outside and watch it. Some is always better than none.
Decompress
Decompressing could be a lot of different things depending on what best relaxes you.
This might mean lighting some candles and drinking a hot cup of tea.
It could also mean taking your dog for a walk, putting on some music or watching one episode of your favorite show.
It could be taking a warm bath, a hot (or cold) shower then having a small glass of wine.
Maybe it’s having a light conversation, a deep conversation or even just taking a nap.
The point is to let yourself wind-down from the day. Take some time for yourself.
It’s just important that you don’t overindulge with this one.
Everything in moderation. That’s the key to balance.
Do something you enjoy
You should also take some time in the afternoon to do something that sparks joy!
A lot of us give so much of ourselves to others and forget that we need to take time to do the things that we like to do.
Self-care is important care that is not selfish.
You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you can’t give your best self if you aren’t feeling your best self.
As for what you do… that could be anything, you know yourself best!
But here are a few examples: gardening, baking, knitting, painting, listening to music, working out, hiking, reading fiction or even playing video games.
Do something productive
When I say that you should do something productive what I mean is that you should do something to invest in yourself.
That could be reading a non-fiction book, taking an online class, studying, watching a documentary or learning something new.
With all of the resources we have available at our fingertips and even in our pockets, there’s no excuse to stop learning.
It doesn’t only have to be academic either.
Maybe you’re going to learn a new recipe and cook a delicious meal!
Or you could just learn some new facts, some words in a different language or a new way of thinking.
It’s important to always keep learning and growing.
Reflect
Reflection is an important part of life that a lot of us can neglect.
There are many ways which you can reflect upon the day but I think the best way is to journal.
It’s harder to see your growth on a daily basis, because you’re so close to your journey.
But you should remember that we are ever learning new things, growing, adapting, changing and evolving as people.
The best way to look back at our path is with reflection.
You don’t need to do anything fancy to journal.
You can just write down your thoughts as you’re thinking them.
Write down the things that you did that day and how they made you feel.
Write down the things that you need to unburden yourself of.
Prepare for tomorrow
A good, organized morning really does start the evening before.
Pick then set out your clothes and accessories.
It will save you a surprising amount of time in the morning.
Get your lunch together if you’re taking it.
Put the things for your breakfast on the counter or prep your overnight oats.
Set the coffee maker if you use one.
Place your keys where you can find them.
Grab anything else you might need to bring with you for your work day tomorrow.
If you plan on working out in the morning, set out your workout clothes.
Do yourself a favor and eliminate the potential stress of having to worry about what you’re going to wear, what to take for your lunch or to have to search for your keys in the morning.
Do it before you’re even sleepy.
I promise your morning will go more smoothly if you prepare the night before!
Conclusion
Remember that these are just after work routine ideas.
These 7 steps are meant to be more like starting points.
As I said in the intro, the perfect routine is the one that you create for yourself.
Lastly, here’s a handy graphic of all my after work routine ideas:
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