How to Use Your Evenings More Effectively and Change Your Life in the Process

Change happens gradually and often requires a series of small steps in the right direction. If you want to change your life for the better, you don’t have to wait for a sign or look for your destiny; you can start right away and work your way through.

Most of us have a few hours of free time before bed, so why not start molding the future “you” using the resources at your disposal? Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Unplug For the Day

People who constantly check their phones for emails or for social media notifications have a tough time disconnecting from the craziness that is the internet. This keeps the brain engaged while scattering your focus and disrupting sleep patterns.

Plus, if you’re always on the phone, you can’t focus your full attention on spending time with your loved ones. You allow your brain to rest and refocus when you put the phone and other devices away a few hours before bed. You’ll also reclaim the evening hours, and you’ll have more time and motivation to enjoy life after work.

The more you unplug from the online world (within the limits of possibilities), the better your personal life will become.

2. Plan for the Following Day

Now that you have all that free time in the evening, you can practice planning the following day. This is, more often than not, seen as a productivity hack, but it works because it’s based on a few tried and tested facts.

First, it’s easier to organize your day in the morning when you already have a rough sketch to work on. For instance, when you know you have an important call at 9 am, you know there’s no time to dilly-dally when you wake up. You’ll be more efficient with your morning routine to make sure you make it on time.

Second, it helps beat decision fatigue and optimizes your willpower throughout the day. Unlike what self-help gurus have been preaching for years, we can’t run our lives on willpower alone.

Willpower is a rather limited resource, and when you spend it all in the morning (deciding what to do with your day), you won’t have any left for your most meaningful work.

If you devise your plan the evening before, you’ll see a quick increase in productivity, and you’ll be able to maintain that sweet state of flow for a lot longer.

Read: 10 Tips How to Plan Your Day and Live a More Successful Life

3. Take an Online Class and Learn Something New

Online learning has its pros and cons, but it does provide anyone interested with a wealth of educational resources that people before us didn’t have. So, whether you’re looking to improve your public speaking skills or you want to try your chances at becoming a web designer, you now have the tools to do so.

Plus, learning is an essential skill for a successful life as it helps keep the brain sharp and introduces you to new opportunities and people. It’s also a great way to study at your own pace without having to disrupt your entire life. One hour of studying in the evening and you’ll see results in no time.

4. Take on a Side Gig

Maybe you’re looking for a way to add to your monthly income or trying life as an entrepreneur – a side gig is often a great way to try new things in your career without losing the safety net of a stable income.

The great thing is that, nowadays, there are lots of apps to find gigs you can do online while working remotely. This way, you don’t waste time commuting and can easily optimize your evening. Also, here are a few tips to help maintain motivation for your side hustle (it’s not always easy).

5. Exercise or Meditate

Mornings are often hectic, especially if you’re not an early riser, so adding to your daily routine can be challenging. But evenings are an excellent opportunity for developing your exercise routine, even if it’s just a walk around the park.

Exercise is highly beneficial to the body and the brain (especially if you have a desk job), and it can help maintain a general state of well-being. Of course, it’s even better if you can turn it into a social activity (playing team sports, for instance).

Meditation is also great for the brain and the body and can be your final ritual of the workday. When all the planning is done and you’re ready to unwind and relax, a couple of minutes of meditation can help sort out your thoughts and feelings.

6. Find Opportunities to Socialize

We spend our days plugged into the events of the world, but we seem to forget about plain old socializing with friends, family, acquaintances, and even strangers. This is, in part, due to the lack of locations where people can gather for a chat besides pubs and diners, but the pandemic and social distancing rules also had a lot to contribute.

However, as human beings, we need a strong social network to feel accepted and valued. Plus, socialization is also a great tool to sharpen the brain and develop communication skills. 

So, the best way to invest your free time is to find ways to socialize. Look for a club (reading, knitting, DIY), try volunteering, schedule meetings with your friends, and always make sure to spend time with your family. These are precious moments that help us recharge and take on a new day of work.

Takeaway

As long as you manage to unplug from office work and social media and streaming platforms, you can use your evenings to turn your life around. The secret is to make small changes and observe the benefits as time progresses. 

It will take a bit of time in the beginning, but once you realize just how much you can accomplish with a few extra hours, you won’t want to return to your old self. So don’t give up on making changes and improving your life – you have the time you need; you just have to set it free!