Last spring I wrote a post on how I set myself up for morning success.(here) But I realized that often the tone of a "good day" is set the night before.
What should you do before you go to bed?
(Since this is the Monday before Thanksgiving, if you are cooking dinner, one of the things you should do before you go to bed tonight would be take out your turkey to defrost. Put it in the fridge. By the time Thursday rolls around it should be safely defrosted. But, this is bonus before bed tip...)
Here is a list of 5 nightly habits that best prime yourself for success tomorrow...
1) Brush your teeth and wash your face. It is soothing. It removes the grime from the day. Plus, tooth bacteria has free reign to grow plaque overnight if you haven't brushed. Which is gross. So brush. It is healthy.
2) Pick up your house including dirty dishes. There is something very calming about neatening your environment before bed. A place for everything and everything in its place. If you pick up before bed, you aren't waking up to a mess that immediately needs attention. FlyLady makes shine your sink the very first of her baby steps. An empty, shining sink before you go to bed brings a smile first thing in the morning.
3) Make a list. What do you need to accomplish the next day? Where do you need to be? Put it on your list. It is a brain dump that allows you to sleep in peace without worrying that you will forget something important.
4) Set out clothes for the next day. This is a huge thing. By figuring out what you are going to wear the night before, you aren't spending valuable morning time trying tot figure out what works or not. I set out my clothes for running or swimming. It makes the morning quieter, and I am less likely to duck out of exercise because everything is all ready for me.
5) Read. Reading for a few minutes before you sleep is a great way to have regular reading time, and have small chunks of time to improve your mind. I find there is a delicate balance on the best reading material. If my book is too engrossing, I don't want to put it down when I should. The perfect night time book allows me to read a few pages before putting me to sleep.
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| #6, if there were a #6, would be snuggle...look at how small my babies were. This is 3 years ago. Crazy! |
