How To Cruise Into The Land Of ZZZ’s Like A Boss
Last week on the blog I gave you my top tips to ‘seize the day’ in order to prepare for sleep. Today, I’m sharing how to transition into sleep like a boss. And it’s as simple as 1, 2, 3!
Watch my video below or read on to learn how to cruise into the land of zzz's like a boss.
1. Quit
Draw a line in the sand at the end of your day to say ‘enough is enough, it’s quitting time’.
I have two ‘quitting routines’: one for the end of my ‘work’ day and one for the end of my ‘home/life-admin’ day.
My work day quitting routine looks like this:
In the morning, I allocate a ‘quit-time’ (based on what I have going on that evening and what I want to get done in my work day).
Come ‘quit-time’, I spend a few minutes considering what I’ve achieved over the course of that day. Focusing on all the things I HAVE done (my natural tendency is to focus on all the things I’ve not yet achieved and the mountain of tasks on the list for tomorrow).
Then I consider what I haven’t done and compile a list/schedule of my outstanding priorities so I know what to start on the next day.
My ‘home/life-admin’ quitting routine looks like this:
In the back of my mind I know: (a) how long it takes me to get ready for bed (more on this below), (b) when my head needs to be hitting the pillow (more on this below) and (c) how long my wind-down routine takes (more on this in future blogs).
With these times in mind, allocate a ‘quit-time’.
I make sure, as best I can, to do everything that’s absolutely necessary that night to prepare for the next day before quit time.
Come ‘quit-time’, I draw a line in the sand and accept that any non-essentials will have to wait for another day.
These quitting practices allow my brain and my A-type personality to switch off from what can otherwise seem like an endlessly revolving to-do list.
But these practices are just that... a PRACTICE!
As a recovering perfectionist, it’s really, really hard for me to call ‘enough is enough’. It’s really, really hard to log off at quit-time without hitting inbox zero. And it’s really, really hard for me to go to bed with a pile of clean laundry at the foot of the bed waiting to be put away (which has been my reality for the last 3 nights!).
But it’s so much easier when I come at it with the intention of ‘quitting’.
It helps me rein in my ‘I’ve never done enough’ mentality, and my tendency to ruminate endlessly over everything on my To-Do-List. Which, if not reined in, can be the worst enemy to getting a good night's sleep!
2. Get ready early
This is a simple one. Get ready before you’re ready. Clean your teeth, take off your makeup, pack your bag for the next day etc. before you get to the point of being so exhausted that the idea of going through your nightly routine puts you off going to bed, because you just don’t have the energy!
Or, if this doesn’t work for you, make sure you factor your ‘getting ready’ time into your bedtime alarm time.
3. Set a bedtime alarm
Another simple one. Most of us have morning alarms, but few people have considered a bedtime alarm. And this simple little trick can be game changing!
Figure out how much sleep you need (most adults need between 7-9 hours).
Figure out what time you need to be up in the morning.
Count backwards from there.
And set an alarm!
Make sure you set the alarm to give you enough time to finish up whatever you’re doing, get ready for bed (if you haven’t already gotten ready) and factor in some time to wind-down (more in this in future blog posts).
And that’s all folks!
I hope you find that these tips help you to nod off into the land of zzz like a dream! Stay tuned for next week, where I’ll chat all things toddlers. Specifically, how to treat yourself like a toddler to ensure you sleep like a baby!
If you’d like to chat more about what in your day might be affecting your sleep, or you’d like some help with cultivating that elusive sense of space in your day, then please book in a discovery session today (it's free!). I’d love to chat with you!
Emily x