The Best Evening Routine for Working a 9-5 While Building a Side Business

Establishing a great evening routine as a startup entrepreneur that still works a 9-5 is crucial. Why? Because having a 9-5 while building a business is NO easy task! Therefore, how you end your night is imperative to how you’ll start your morning. So we’re going to discuss the best evening routine for startup entrepreneurs that are building their businesses while working a 9-5.

Stop Working

Since I am an entrepreneur that works 8 hours a day at my 9-5, I can relate and won’t say that this is the time where you go home and do no work. 6 PM – whenever (let’s be honest here) are crucial office hours for us side hustlers. However, it’s really important that we take care of our bodies and get at least 7 hours of sleep. Going to work exhausted and not being able to think critically the next day will only hinder us. So I make it my mission to try and have a hard stop at 10 PM. Try this and you’re guaranteed to feel better in the AM with lots more energy to tackle the day.

Eat Dinner

It’s so easy to get caught up in work that you forget to eat dinner. I set aside 30 minutes to stop working and eat something healthy. To ensure that you’re not grabbing fast food, eating junk from your kitchen or having to take an hour to prepare something, set aside time on the weekends to precook for the week. This way, when you get home you can quickly grab your prepared meal and pop it into the oven or microwave for a few minutes. Additionally, while I’m eating I do not work or check any emails. I take that time to watch one of my favorite shows or read. This time should be utilized for YOU!

Unwind with Self-Care

After finishing my work (which is typically around 10 PM), I unwind and begin self-care. This is when I prepare for bed by brushing my teeth, washing my face, doing my skincare routine etc. It really helps to mentally tell my mind that we’re shutting off for the night and bedtime is approaching!

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Get Rid of All Distractions

I’ve set my phone to send me an alert 30 minutes prior to my bedtime. Once my bedtime hits, my phone automatically goes into “Do Not Disturb” mode. So I will not hear any notifications, calls, messages etc. unless it’s from someone on my “important list” that calls over 2 times. Additionally, I keep my phone on my nightstand to prevent any scrolling on social media or last minute email inbox checks. Lastly, I turn off my TV and anything else that can distract me from falling asleep. At this point, it’s time for bed any nothing else!

Be Realistic

Being realistic is the best tip of them all because sometimes we cannot get everything done that we wanted to that day. The thing to remember is… progress was made and there’s tomorrow! I’m not too hard on myself and set realistic expectations for the tasks that I can effectively complete, within the allotted time I have available. Being too hard on ourselves will do nothing but dampen our confidence and self-esteem while on a tough journey!

Plan for the Following Day

Planning for the following day makes things so much more easier. The great thing is, you only need about 5 – 10 minutes to complete it. Taking that little time to plan will make all the difference for the following day!

Working a 9-5 while building a side business is one of the hardest things to do. You’re managing both simultaneously while still trying to have a social life and tend to the needs of you! Although it isn’t easy, it’s not impossible and this nighttime routine will definitely help you to make your evenings more organized, productive and balanced. So stick with it and keep going, you’re doing awesome!! I’d love to hear your evening routine tips! Let me know them below in the comments!

Until next time ASSASSINS. . . Stay Disciplined!

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