7 Nighttime Routines To Radically Improve Your Daylight Hours
We’ve heard all the stories before. The mega-successful wake up at dawn every day, conquering the world many times over, while everyone else is still fumbling around in the kitchen for a coffee filter. I’ve developed some great morning routines too, but what about the other times of day? For example, what are successful people doing right before they go to bed? Well, for starters, they’re not binge-watching Shark Tank until 3 a.m. — they’re setting themselves up to have a more productive day.
Sleep experts say the right nighttime routines are vital for adults to unwind, and get essential levels of rest for the next day. Luckily, mega-moguls like Arianna Huffington
Although it’s tough to stop burning the midnight oil, consider using these proven ways to rev up success before catching some Z’s:
1. Unplug. Literally.
“Disconnecting from our technology to reconnect with ourselves is absolutely essential for wisdom” — Arianna Huffington
Despite her status as a new media giant, Huffington is a huge advocate of unplugging. It’s not hard to see why. On one occasion, after passing out from exhaustion, she got five stitches to her head. Like so many of us who have an unexpected visit to the emergency room, she found herself reevaluating her life. She ended up banning electronics from the bedroom, and has managed to steer clear of ambulances ever since.
You can avoid the stress of the email inbox by doing the same. Unplug everything besides your alarm clock, and watch the tension recede. Unplugging is also a key to a good night’s sleep. Harvard researchers have found that the bright light of a smartphone tricks our bodies into thinking its daytime. Eliminating electronics, on the other hand, did exactly the opposite.
2. Strolls by the Moonlight
The ever-busy CEO of Buffer, Joel Gascoigne, has adopted a routine of nighttime walks to decompress. He turns off his thoughts about work, and slowly but surely gets himself into a “state of tiredness.” If you’re a busy person who’s always on the go, you can benefit from a similar nighttime stroll. So leave the iPhone at home, and focus on relaxing thoughts for a more productive tomorrow.
3. Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene is about more than just making your bed. The National Sleep Foundation has laid out an extensive sleep hygiene routine to ensure extreme slumber. Essentials include a comfy bed
4. Read Up
Take a page from Bill Gates. He found great success by reading for one hour every night, no matter what. Besides the obvious benefit of gaining new knowledge, it’s also a great way to wind down. One study found that reading for just six minutes reduced stress by 68 percent.
5. Stop Mid-Sentence
The greatest writers don’t search for the perfect ending to a chapter before saying “goodnight.” They boost their productivity by ending smack dab in the middle of a thought or sentence.
“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next,” Ernest Hemmingway once said. “If you do that every day…you will never be stuck.” If you’re doing something creative, this is a perfect way to set up a pattern of success. End in the middle of a high note, and you’ll never scramble for new ideas. I’m always amazed by the new solutions that pop up as soon as my alarm goes off.
6. School’s In
It might not seem like it, but one of the best times to learn is after a long and exhausting day. Josh Waitzkin, author of The Art of Learning
7. The Vital Question
Benjamin Franklin’s nighttime routine included one very important question: “What good have I done today?” If you haven’t already, you should start doing well by doing good. It’s an excellent practice that I strive for everyday at LexION Capital, to great success. If you do, you should also ask Franklin’s question before bed. It ends the day on a high note with positive thoughts, and sets new goals to reach for in the morning.
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