For the hardworking professional, it can be hard to “turn off” at night and get the rest we truly need. Try out these tips for ways to wind down before your head hits the pillow:
1. Jump Around
As simple as running around your house or dropping some crazy dance moves to your favorite song, exercise at bedtime doesn’t have to be onerous or intensive. Not only has regular exercise been proven to improve sleep quality, but jumping around is a great way to burn up any pent-up energy at the end of your work day.
2. Refresh your To-Do List
Don’t spend all night worrying about remembering tasks you need to take care of the following day. Review your to-do list and delegate to your tomorrow-you. When you wake up the next morning, you won’t have to waste time getting organized; you can jump right in.
3. Pick a Power Outfit
Lay out your clothes for the following day. If you’ve been feeling low on energy, choose vibrant colors or funky patterns. If you’ve been feeling like its difficult to stay tethered or keep your head from overflowing, go for darker, warmer colors. And don’t forget comfort! If you are going to be running around all day, don’t wear 3″ heels or those painfully pinching dress shoes.
4. Do a Brain Dump
Give yourself permission to write drivel and nonsense. Some people call this journaling, others of more artistic inclination will create poetry. Whatever you call it, allow yourself to leek from the corners and put any thoughts, ideas, words from that annoying song, anything – down on the page.
5. Create a shutdown routine
We know a bedtime routine works for our toddlers, so why not try it ourselves? Select a time to turn off the TV and stop looking at your phone. Plan for meditation, a bath, or nightly stretches. Some folks find that reading before bed helps them wind down; others listen to music. Find what works best for you and try making it into a routine for a week.
What ideas do you have for winding down and conversing the creative juices for the next day?
Hillary Dodge 
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