Some people are jealous of my work schedule because I get to come into the office a bit later than everyone else, however that means that I stay at work a bit longer than everyone else. I usually get home from work around 8, and on my way home I have all of these things that I want to do. Most nights though, I walk in the apartment and immediately put on cozy pajamas before laying on the couch for the rest of the night. I go to bed around midnight feeling defeated that I did nothing productive while being home. Most nights, I do end up going to the gym or actually making a real dinner. There are a few changes I have made in my routine lately that keep me off the couch and more productive when I get home.

Avoid Pajamas Until Bedtime

If I put on my cozy pajamas, I am done being productive for the night. I will say that I will make dinner or clean up the apartment, but every time I put on pajamas I make my way to the couch and I’ll watch Netflix until I go to bed. For now, I will throw on work out clothes or actual shorts and a t-shirt after work to avoid getting too comfortable. I also avoid my couch altogether because I know if I sit, I will not get back up! Finally, after I shower I put on pajamas it has turned into a little reminder for my brain that yes, now is the time to get sleepy before bed.

Work Out Immediately

With my work schedule, I don’t have many hours left in my day after work so I try to get a work out in as soon as I get home. As soon as I get in the door, I will put on work out clothes and sneakers before heading down to the gym. Even if it is just 5 miles on the bike while I scroll on Twitter, the workout gives me that extra kick of energy to be productive in the evening. My goal is to work out for 1-2 hours each night, but those nights I am not feeling it, I will hop on the bike for 40 minutes. With my walking commute to work, I walk about four miles a day so I never feel guilty for skipping a day. I just notice that I get a lot more done in my evenings if I work out.

Cook Dinner + Pack Tomorrows Lunch

Whenever I get a workout in, I head back up to my apartment and immediately hop in the shower. I am very against that whole sitting still or sitting down after work because then I lose my motivation. After I get out of the shower, I will actually cook dinner and then pack leftovers for lunch the next day. This finally starts my unwinding down process part of the evening when I can sit on my couch in my pajamas. If I have an extra kick of energy, I will let my hair air dry while I eat and then quickly blow dry it before I get into bed.

Make Plans

A few times a week, I will make plans after work with friends. For some reason, I always get another boost of energy when I am out with friends and can be out until midnight. Some weeks, I feel like all I did was work and then come home. By making plans with friends I can have something to look forward to and it helps my week go by faster. When I stay in my apartment every evening, my week feels so blah by the end because not much exciting happened. When I force myself to be social, it gives me an extra boost in the middle of the week or something to look forward to when I make Friday plans. Also spending time with your friends, even if it’s just watching Netflix on the couch helps you relieve some stress. I cannot tell how many times my friend will invite herself over after a bad day to vent, eat a cookie or all of them and go back to her apartment in such a better mood. Sometimes we just need our friends to vent!

Have  A Nighttime Routine

I love my nighttime routine and if I didn’t make it a routine I forced myself to do every night, I would often neglect it. I don’t take any shortcuts and I wash my face every single night. I have a couple of products I use before bed each night and because I am consistent each night, I always go to bed with a clean face, zit cream and moisturizer on. The mornings I wake up after neglecting this nighttime routine, I wake up so grumpy! This is something I am most strict about because I know how going to bed without washing my face or with plans to wake up early to shower never make for a good next day!