Morning & Night Routines; A Support Beam for Mental Health & Wellness
Although we are all still living within a worldwide pandemic filled with uncertainty, many of us are starting to take those first steps towards regaining a new sense of “normalcy” in our lives again. Developing a predictable rhythm while also living within fluid and ambiguous circumstances can help you find solace, comfort, and structure. A great starting point for you in establishing this predictable rhythm is developing a morning routine.
Creating a consistent morning routine may sound daunting, but it does not need to be over complicated and can be as simple as waking up with your alarm, making some breakfast and coffee, brushing your teeth, and maybe going on a morning walk. If you feel able to include more activities in your morning routine, other pieces to consider can include going to the gym, meditating, making your bed, prayer, journaling, or cleaning around the house. Any task or action that will make you feel in the driver’s seat of the day is a great addition to a morning routine.
One of the best parts about developing a morning routine for yourself is that there are no guidelines to follow or expectations to meet, you can tailor it to fit whatever your needs and lifestyle preferences are. The only essential factors to consider are having a routine which will benefit you for the rest of the day and maintaining consistency in that chosen routine.
If this is an unfamiliar process to you, it is important to be kind to yourself while developing and fine tuning this rhythm. Everyone stumbles when trying to create change in their life, what’s important to remember is that you are doing what you can to create positive change and structure in your life. An easy trick that I like to use is writing down what your morning routine will be so after each action you take you can cross that piece off the list. Even if it is for something as simple as waking up on time, crossing it off a to do list will help reinforce that you're taking positive steps in the right direction.
Once you are able to develop and enact a plan that works for you, you will begin to experience the many benefits that come alongside a morning routine, such as:
Improved physical and mental wellbeing
Enhanced levels of productivity
A more positive mood throughout the day
Elevated sense of self-belief
Reduced mental fatigue and stress
It’s important to consider that the morning isn’t the only time of day where you can establish structure and predictability; an evening schedule is equally beneficial for your wellbeing. If you think of your morning routine as a set of actions to set you up for success throughout the day, an evening routine is a set of actions to help you unwind from the stress or effort the day may have exacted from you; the front and back covers of the book of self-care.
Similarly, to the morning routine, your evening routine can be whatever you make of it. Anything that will help you unwind or feel at ease are great things to include in your nighttime rituals. For me personally, I start my evening routine after I finish dinner at around 8pm or so. After this I start with a pleasure activity such as watching some television, practicing music, playing some video games, or cooking some tasty food if I need to prep some meals for later in the week. Once I’ve set aside some time for a little bit of fun, I may do some light cleaning around the house to make sure that my environment has the right structure to begin the next day while also reflecting on my day as a whole to create a sense of pride in my personal accomplishments. Then to close out the day I’ll go through my skin care routine, brush my teeth, and listen to a podcast or some relaxing music before hitting the lights and going to bed.
Although that routine is more specific to my life and needs, you can take what pieces of that structure resonate with you and apply them to your own life as a starting point. As I said before there aren’t any exact rules you have to follow when making your routine, it's just a collection of actions to help you unwind and ease into the end of the day.
While it may be difficult to explore, one potential part of an evening routine that is worth consideration is making sure you avoid screen time on your phone, laptop, etc. One immediate benefit of this is that it will help your eyes and brain unwind and promote a healthier night’s sleep. Another important aspect of this is that for many of us (myself included) our electronics are tethers to our work and the outside world around us. Allowing yourself time to feel removed from those pressures and expectations can help you recharge and mindfully connect to your work, family or friends the next day.
Beyond helping you relax at the end of the day; an evening routine can help you with:
Creating an improved sense of achievement throughout the day
Setting a goal to look forward to after a hard day’s work
Lowered stress
Improved sleep
Feeling more well-rested
Remember, if you feel that your new routine is starting to become overwhelming or too much to consistently do, you have the power to dial it back and change it up to reflect your needs. The purpose is to consciously invest in yourself first thing and last thing every day. Over time this investment will increase your sense of trust, your confidence and your ability to access joy, even in uncertainty.
- Eli Mick, MSW
