1-Hour Step-By-Step Self-Care Night Routine

A couple of months ago, I gave you some ideas for non-cliche ways to take care of yourself — out with the face masks, in with more creative ideas. 

Most of you are probably already convinced that a little more self-care would be good for you.  But it’s hard to know where to start.  For some unfortunate reasons, even if we make time for self-care, it’s relegated to the end of our night. 

Still, there are some important things we can do to take care of ourselves at the end of the day.  To take some of the guesswork out of self-care, I’m here today to present a night time self-care routine.  Just follow step by step.  

Night-Time Self-Care Routine

Step 1

Step 1 (60 minutes before bedtime): Stop working.  Turn off your laptop.  Put down your phone.  Stop responding to emails and phone calls.  Stop allowing your work life to bleed into your home life…that’s the opposite of self-care.  Set a boundary and stop working at least 1 hour before bed.  

Step 2

Step 2 (60 minutes before bedtime): Plan for tomorrow.  Review your to-do list, set up the coffee maker for the morning, pick out your outfit, pack your lunch.  An underrated form of self-care is making sure you’re kind to Future You.  Be kind by prepping your morning the night before.  Just a few minutes can make a big difference.  

Step 3

Step 3: (45 minutes before bedtime): Do something you enjoy.  Read a book, complete a Spanish lesson, listen to a podcast, color, call a friend, do a puzzle, get intimate with your partner.  Do something to rejuvenate yourself and feed your soul.  Spend as long as you can on this but at least 15 minutes.  

Step 4

Step 4 (30 minutes before bedtime): Take care of your hygiene.  Take a shower or at least wash your face, change into your PJs, brush your teeth.  Remember this is part of your self-care, so savor the experience.  You can wash your face by just slapping water and soap on it, or you can spend the same amount of time and wash your face by gently massaging your skin.  The way you do it matters.  

Step 5

Step 5 (15 minutes before bedtime): Relax.  Do some deep breathing exercises, complete a guided meditation, or do these anxiety mindfulness exercises.  Do something to deliberately slow down your breathing and calm your nervous system.  

Step 6

Step 6 (5 minutes before bedtime): Engage in personal growth.  

One option is to grow by reflecting on your day.  Spend a few moments journaling by writing down 3 things you’re grateful for, something that went well today, or something you want to try to do differently tomorrow.  Or grab my journal prompts so you don’t have to stare at a blank page. 

If journaling isn’t your thing, try doing this visually by drawing. 

Another option is to contribute to your personal growth by doing your therapy homework, reading a personal growth book, or completing a self-improvement workbook (grab mine on how to silence your inner critic if self-criticism is an issue for you).  

Step 7

Step 7 (0 minutes before bedtime): Go to bed on time.  This is perhaps one of the absolute best things you can do for your self-care, so make it a priority.  

Keep These Self-Care Tips in Mind

This routine is set for an hour.  Hopefully you have an hour to dedicate to yourself and your wellness every day.  If you don’t, adjust the timing of the steps accordingly.  Try not to skip any of the steps, but shorten them if necessary.  

Get creative with the steps and try different types of activities in each area.  Honor the general purpose of each step, and insert different types of activities that might meet the intention of that step.  

Up Next…

In step 6, I mentioned journaling and gratitude.  If you’ve been curious about starting a gratitude journal (here are 9 reasons you should), next week I’m bringing you a full month of no-repeat gratitude journal prompts.  Staring at a blank page can be intimidating, so I’ll give you some specific prompts to start filling out your gratitude journal and working on step 6 of your self-care night routine.  Don’t miss it.

Talk to you soon,

Dr. Finch

P.S.    Remember, this is education, not treatment.  Always consult with a psychologist or therapist about your mental health to determine what information and interventions are best for you.  See the disclaimer for more details.