Self-Care Routine After a Long Day

Is it just me or are October and November always super busy months!? It feels like everything is happening at the same time, in the span of two short months: fall, midterm exams, pumpkin season, Halloween, the run-up to Christmas… It’s like all of a sudden, we realize that the year is ending in a few shorts weeks and we grasp the fact that we still have so much to do until then. At least, that’s how it is for me.

Regardless of that, I love fall and everything it entails – even when things get a bit crazy. What mostly keeps me going and keeps my energy level up is a good self-care routine. I do my self-care routine at night, because my mornings are usually dedicated to working out (which can also be considered a form of self-care). After a long day, I come back home and go through a few practices that keep me grounded and help me unwind. Not only is a good night routine important for your psychological health, it can also help you get better sleep and feel rejuvenated in the morning. For me, my night self-care routine is a reminder that the day is over, I survived, and I now get to rest and recharge my batteries. Although self-care is really personal to each, here are the things that I do after a long day spent working, running around or focusing on various projects.

1. Refueling
When I get home, I’m usually ravenous – no matter what time it is. I like to eat as soon as I arrive, because I find that if I don’t, I quickly feel nauseous (I never could figure out why, it’s not like I spend the day starving myself). Since I work afternoons/nights, I’ve already eaten dinner once I get back. For that reason, I like to save dessert for when I’m home, so that I can enjoy it with my boyfriend while we talk about our day. It is truly a moment I look forward to; when I get to sit back, talk and eat chocolate. It’s just good for my soul.

2. Decompressing
This practice usually starts as I’m eating. Before I do anything else, I sit down to just… be for a second. At this point, it doesn’t really matter what you do; talk with your partner, play with your pet, even check Instagram… For me, what matters is to sit and decompress before I go on with the rest of my night. This quick moment of relaxation keeps me from feeling rushed through the rest of my routine. What’s the point of a self-care routine if you feel like you have to rush through it?!

3. Shower + Breathe
I’m one of those people who tend to get bored in the shower. I used to put on music or actively think about a project or even plan something while I was showering. When I think about it, that was terribly counterproductive. It’s okay to play some relaxing music or even light a candle, but I think showering should be a moment to relax, not work. Now, I try to focus on the products that I’m using, the feeling of the water on my skin, the scent of the soap… I also do breathing exercises while I shower. Not only is the steam super good to cleanse the respiratory system, but it also helps me stay in the moment and slow down my overactive brain.

4. Skincare Routine
When it’s late at night, it can be extremely tempting to skip the elaborate skincare routine. While it do use the occasional face wipe for a quick clean up, I try to stick to my regular arsenal of products, no matter how tired I am. Washing my makeup off and spending a couple extra minutes to moisturize and take care of my skin makes me feel good and it allows me to go to bed feeling refreshed. At the end of a day where you ran around and focused on various things, it’s nice to end it with a moment dedicated to pampering yourself.

5. Reflect
I fall asleep easily at night, and what helps me is to reflect on my day prior to going to bed. It doesn’t need to take ages, sometimes it’s just a few minutes, but it truly forces you to put the day behind. To do this, I usually journal or pray because these are things that make me feel at peace, but it can also be meditating, stretching, coloring, etc. I go through the day in my mind and stop to feel grateful for the good and let go of the bad. The goal here is to focus fully on the present. Do not think about the next day or the next week. Focus on tonight. When I’m short on time (like if it’s past midnight and I have to get up early the next day), I do this part while I’m in the shower. Win-win.

6. Sit back + Relax
Right before finally laying down, I like to sit comfortably in bed and either watch something on Netflix or read a book. If it’s already pretty late, it’s a really short moment, but it’s still something that I look forward to during the day; that moment when I get to sit back, relax and drink a cup of tea. I love watching series and movies and it’s something that my boyfriend and I do pretty much every night when we’re not working, so it’s nice to get a mini version of that even on the days we are working or coming home late.

These are the steps I go through to unwind and take care of myself after a long day. Self-care is incredibly important and it’s something that often gets pushed aside in the bustle of our everyday lives, so it is crucial to set aside a moment – every single day – where you can consciously practice self-care. What you do during that time is completely up to you, but here are some important points to consider when building your self-care routine:

• Is this something that I can carry with me and still do when I’m not at home?
• Is this something that makes me feel genuinely happy and at peace?
• Is this something that I can do by myself and that allows me to focus on me?
• Do I have the space to be creative/express myself?
  

I hope that this post inspires you to build your very own self-care routine that makes you feel at home, inspired and relaxed. You deserve this time for yourself.

Much love,