I usually finish work around 5:00 PM. If I haven’t hit my step goal for the day, I go for a walk. I aim for 10,000 steps daily, and this is often the best time to catch up. That walk—usually about an hour—is how I transition out of work mode and give my body and mind a clean break between the day and the night.
Evenings used to be the part of my day where everything fell apart.
I’d get home from work, throw on sweats, and plant myself on the couch. I’d eat whatever was convenient, call it rest, and zone out in front of the TV until it was time to drag myself to bed. No intention. No structure. Just checking out.
And sure, that kind of night is fine sometimes.
But for a while, it was every night.
And that’s when I realized: the pattern wasn’t rest. It was avoidance.
I was tired. I was drained. I’d get headaches before I even got home—like my body was pre-excusing me from the night. And while doing nothing felt good in the moment, it built into a habit that was incredibly hard to break.
That’s why I created an evening routine—not to control my nights, but to stop abandoning them.
After Work: Reset the Energy
Some evenings I have commitments—board meetings, volleyball league, community events. That’s why my routine is designed to flex. The structure doesn’t fall apart just because I get home later. It adapts.
Dinner: Simple, But Structured
I prep four dinners every Sunday so I’m not making decisions when I’m already tired. I know what’s available, I know it’s ready, and I’m not negotiating with myself or defaulting to takeout. One night a week, I eat out—something I’ve planned for and actually look forward to.
When I’m home, dinner is intentional but relaxed. If the weather’s nice, I’ll eat outside. Sometimes I’ll put on a show and unwind. The point isn’t to create a moment—it’s to have one less thing to worry about.
Night Routine: Flexible Structure That Holds
I start winding down around 8:00 or 8:30 PM. My routine shifts depending on the night, but the core stays the same. I rotate through one deeper care treatment: a face mask, fascia blasting, dry brushing, or a hair mask—never all of them, just one. Then I move into skincare, magnesium spray on my feet, EFT tapping, and reading in bed. I usually play affirmations or soft audio as I fall asleep.
This is the routine I fall off of the most. And that’s exactly why I made it flexible. If I get home late, I do the essentials and leave the extras. No guilt, no overcompensation. Just a return to what I know holds.
Sometimes I scroll. Some nights I’m too mentally tired to read. I give myself grace without letting myself fully slip. I know the difference now between rest and regression, and this routine is what keeps me from going backward.
Why I Keep Coming Back
This routine helps me sleep. But more importantly, it helps me feel like I took care of myself—like I didn’t abandon the last part of my day. That makes everything about the next morning easier.
Your routine doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t need to be strict.
But it does need to support you. Especially when the day didn’t.
That’s the point of all of this.
Not to do more. Not to do it perfectly.
But to know you have something that holds—no matter when or how you get home.