Five Simple Evening Habits that Change Everything
Transform your mood, behaviour, and productivity.
Do you ever feel you’re just getting swept through life, tossed around on waves of feeling and events from all directions?
There’s a lot you can’t control, that’s for sure, and the goal isn’t to get stuck on those things. Imagining you can change your partner's personality, your cat’s demanding personality or the world at large is a sure-fire path to frustration and angst. But there is also a lot you can do, so it makes sense to focus on those things. I’m all about energy economy - low input/high output interventions, maximum effect for minimum effort. These are some of the evening habits I’ve found to be seriously transformative in terms of starting the next day happy, productive, and on top of my game.
1. I make a clear, specific To-Do list for tomorrow. If I wake up in the morning without a clear plan, I get stuck in indecision. I make coffee, scroll social media, and flit around aimlessly trying to make choices. The best gift I can give Tomorrow Larissa is removing the cognitive load of decision making. Then when I wake up, I just get started on whatever Yesterday Larissa laid out for me, and I hit the ground running. Whether it’s work-related, health-related, or creative, I’m far more likely to get stuck into things that are good, important, and helpful.
2. I prepare what I need. If I’ve promised myself to start the day with exercise, I might lay out my sneakers, socks, and sports bra. If it’s doing some writing or editing, I’ll clean and tidy my workstation so it’s a focused and inviting place to be. I might even pre-prepare a healthy lunch. I make it as easy as possible for myself, and give myself no space to reconsider or make excuses.
3. I reflect on what went well today. As I go to bed, I take time to reflect on things that have gone well. You can write them down if it helps, but I don’t. This helps to retrain my brain to notice positive things and makes me feel more positive about each new day. If I recognise things went well yesterday, I’m more likely to believe things can go well today, and that improves my optimism and self-belief.
4. I leave my phone outside the bedroom. For the sake of honesty, I’ll admit I don’t always do this - but sleep and life are better when I do! The benefits are two-fold: I sleep better when I don’t expose myself to the screen late at night, and it helps me get out of bed in the morning because I want to know what’s going on in the world… and that means getting up!
5. I visualise. Once in bed, I take the time to imagine what I want tomorrow to look like. Not just what I’ll get done, but what it feels like. I see myself moving effortlessly through the day, feeling happy and calm, and achieving my goals. Mental rehearsal of my day sets me up for the best chance of success when I wake up, and apart from that, it’s a soothing and pleasant way to fall asleep.
And that’s it. This entire list might take me 15 minutes, can save me hours of time-wasting, and minimises frustration. I wake up happier, clearer, and more productive, and getting things done means I go to bed happier and the cycle continues. It’s a perfect upward spiral and you’ll thank yourself tomorrow!
