Simple Ways to End Your Day Strong
Whether it’s taking time to check in with yourself, expressing gratitude, prioritizing self-care, clearing your mind, or connecting with loved ones, proactively incorporating these rituals into your evening routine will help you end your day strong.
Do you ever get to the end of a long day only to feel like you barely accomplished anything on your to-do list? Or that you didn’t have any time for self-care or connecting with loved ones? Ending your day on a positive and productive note can make a big difference. Here are some powerful tips for how to end your day strong.
Check In With Yourself to End Your Day Strong
Take 5-10 minutes at the end of the day to check in with yourself and assess how your day went. Here are some key things to evaluate:
- What did I accomplish today that I feel good about? Reflecting on your wins, no matter how small, can boost positivity.
- What goals or tasks did I not finish? Decide whether they need to be added to tomorrow’s schedule or delegated/eliminated.
- How am I feeling emotionally and physically? Address any stress, anxiety, exhaustion or other issues.
- What could I do differently tomorrow to improve things? Implement lessons learned.
Regularly checking in and adjusting as needed helps you gain control, balance and self-awareness. This sets you up to end your day strong.
Practice Gratitude
Cultivating an attitude of gratitude at the end of the day focusing on what went right versus what went wrong or could be better reframes your mindset in a positive way. Here’s how:
- List 3-5 things you’re grateful for today. Maybe you had a great client meeting or your child mastered a skill.
- Thank any people who helped you today like your spouse, friend or coworker. Actually tell them or make a note to do so.
- Write down your grateful thoughts in a journal. Reread entries to reflect on blessings and boost your mood.
Regular gratitude habits can lower stress, aid sleep and improve relationships – helping you end your day strong.
Prioritize Self Care
Ensuring your self-care needs are met before ending your day enables you to be at your best. Do not minimize taking good care of yourself. Important elements include:
- Healthy eating: Have a balanced dinner and snack smartly instead of indulging cravings from stress or exhaustion at the end of your day.
- Hydration: Drink enough water and herbal tea. Dehydration worsens fatigue and brain fog.
- Sleep routine: Unwind early, limit electronics and caffeine and develop effective bedtime rituals for enough quality sleep.
- Relaxation: Take an epsom salt bath, try relaxing yoga poses, get a massage from your partner or simply sit quietly.
Meeting your basic self-care needs boosts physical health, mental clarity and emotional stability. This strengthens your ability to end your day strong now and long-term.
Do A Brain Dump
End a busy day feeling organized for tomorrow by doing a quick brain dump to empty out mental clutter before bed. Here’s how:
- Gather supplies like a notebook, planner and pens
- Review your calendar and any project lists to spur remembering everything you need to handle
- Free write everything – random to-dos, ideas about work or family, things to lookup – clearing your mind
- Funnel action items into your planner and project lists
- Store creative ideas and misc items in a notebook to revisit later
Completing this quick ritual clears your mind, captures important tasks, and sets you up for a productive tomorrow – enabling you to positively end your day strong.
Make Time For Relationship Connection
Despite exhaustion or having limited time left in your day, prioritizing meaningful connection with loved ones feeds your soul. Especially for busy mothers and entrepreneurs, do not underestimate the value. Ideas include:
- Have a family dinner around the table without phones or TV on – talk and listen to each other intently.
- Take a quick walk together – spouse, child, friend or neighbor. Enjoy fresh air and natural connection.
- Write a heartfelt card to a family member telling them why they are special to you. Mail it to brighten their day.
- Call a long distance friend you have not talked to in awhile. Catch up while you fold laundry or clean up the kitchen.
Little moments of quality bonding build emotional reservoirs to dip into during tougher times. Investing in relationships helps end your day strong regularly.
Related Articles:
3 Simple Morning Self Care Routines
How to Start a Gratitude Journal
Michelle D. Garrett is the founder of Divas With A Purpose.
She focuses on sharing resources for being purposely productive; setting personal and professional goals and achieving them through daily action; and successfully running a business while focusing on your mental health. Michelle is a full-time entrepreneur who specializes in teaching female entrepreneurs how to show up consistently in their business – online and off.