Since having Augustine almost two years ago (how did that happen?!) my days have become increasingly hectic, especially now that he’s on the move! Keeping up with him, work, and household responsibilities keeps me super busy every single day. By the time we put him to bed, I’m tempted to hit the hay myself. But since I can’t actually go to bed at 7 pm, I’ve found a really calming evening routine that helps me relax, get ready for the next day, and feel refreshed. Keep reading to check out my evening routine!

My Calming Evening Routine

Step 1: Wash My Face

I don’t like waiting until right before bed to wash my face. Not only do I not do the most thorough job of cleansing if I’m tired and rushing through my skincare routine, but it perks me up a little. Sometimes I’ll be barely able to keep my eyes open, but once I wash my face I’m suddenly very awake! So now as soon as we put Augustine to sleep, I go and cleanse my face. I’ve been loving this Olay Cleansing Infusion Facial Cleanser with Deep Sea Kelp. This facial cleanser removes my makeup quickly, but gently, and ensures I have hydrated skin. So quick and easy! The cleanser smells nice and refreshing, and I love how well it lathers. Also, a big thing for me with cleansers is that it doesn’t dry my skin out. I love that this one doesn’t! I also love that you can find it at most drugstores; you can just look for the gold cleanser when shopping to make it simple!

Step 2: Change Into Comfy Clothes

Some days I work in my pajamas or sweats, but I generally make it a rule to get dressed in the morning. Even though I work from home now, I feel more productive when I get dressed for the day. But once evening rolls around, I am all too ready to slip into some pjs. I’ve been loving this pair that I shared in my morning routine post. I like that even though they’re super comfortable, I still feel a bit pulled together.

Step 3: Light a Candle

I oftentimes light candles or use my essential oil diffuser during the day—a serious work from home perk—but at night I go for more soothing scents. I usually try to find a candle or essential oil that contains lavender, chamomile, eucalyptus, or mint. I’ll take a few deep breaths at the end of the day which really helps me relax and clear my mind, but also enjoy these scents more!

Step 3: Make a Cup of Peppermint Tea

While I move through the rest of my routine, I really like to make a cup of peppermint tea. It’s one of my favorite ways to unwind and curb my sweet tooth at the same time. There’s just something so comforting about a warm beverage before bed. I love the peppermint tea from Trader Joe’s, but I’ve never really tried a peppermint tea I didn’t like!

Step 5: Journal About My Day

While I’m sipping on my tea, I like to take a few minutes to reflect on my day. I’ll do some quick journaling and jot down a few things in my Mother’s One Line a Day book which documents Augustine’s first five years. If anything’s really bothering me or stressing me out, I’ve found that writing it down really helps me put it aside and not dwell on it.

Step 6: Write a To-Do List

Next, I write my to-do list for the next day. Just like journaling, this helps me not dwell on everything I have going on the next day. Plus it means I rarely forget any of my to-dos! This step of my routine is so important, or I would be up all night worrying if I’m forgetting an important deadline.

Step 7: Catch Up with Matthew

Matthew and I communicate a lot throughout the day about Augustine, our schedules, work, and chores, but we like to spend some distraction-free time catching up at the end of the day. It not only helps us get on the same page about what we have going on that week, but also any of the good, bad, or funny things that happened during the day. No matter what, I always feel so much better after our little daily download. Now that summer is finally here, we’re working on making over our backyard so we can sit outside at night while we chat.

Step 8: Do a Quick Stretch

I’ll be honest, I’m not able to squeeze in a workout every day. But, I can always make time for these bedtime yoga stretches. They’re so helpful if you spend a lot of time in front of a computer like I do! It’s another great opportunity for me to take some deep breaths as well.

And then it’s off to bed! Our little one likes to get up pretty early, so even though I’m a total night owl I try to go to bed at a decent hour so his 5 am wake up calls don’t feel so early! Do you have any must-have steps in your nighttime routine that I should try? I really love my calming evening routine, but I’d be willing to try something new!

xox

DISCLOSURE:

This post was sponsored by Olay but all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. Thanks so much for supporting my sponsors!