How to Repurpose Time in Your Evening
We’ve come a long way my friends, we’re now to my final portion of the day, and are ready to learn how to repurpose time in the evening. I hope you’ve been following this month’s blog posts, where we’ve dug into the concept of repurposing time. I’ve taught the difference between repurposing time and multitasking, which is a game changer in our busy lives. In my opinion, any time we can find ways to add more joy and fulfillment to our day, it’s a win, so I whole-heartedly believe in repurposing time as much as possible.
Earlier this month I covered a deep dive into what repurposing time really means, and explained how you can do this in your daily routine. I then broke down my personal recommendations for repurposing time in your morning and afternoon. That brings us today, where I’ll dig into the evening. As always, I want to remind you that these recommendations are tried and true to what works in my own life. Experiment with them, have fun, and make them your own.
I’m sure you’ve noticed a theme in the ways that I repurpose time in my own life. I absolutely use repurposing to add in as much time for mindfulness practices as possible. Some days are better than others, in all honesty, but it’s always a goal for me. Ending the day with mindfulness is always a win in my book, so read on to discover my top 3 ways to repurpose time, and infuse more joy into your evening routine with these simple and effective recommendations.
Bedtime & Mindfulness
In our family bedtime routines have always been just that, lots of routines and rituals that my girls love to end the day upon. Part of that includes snuggling in their beds for 5-10 minutes each before saying goodnight. One of my favorite additions, and now my girls’ favorites too, is including mindfulness practices during this quiet space. It started with EFT tapping with my oldest daughter. I will either gently massage the tapping points around her eyes, or tap on her finger beds, and this is an incredible way to relax her. If you want to learn more, these are two great resources, EFT Tapping and Mindfulness with Kids.
We’ve also started to incorporate breathwork. Some nights this looks like guiding her thru deep breaths, other times I guide her thru the box breathing technique. At the end of the day adding in mindfulness techniques has been helpful for all of us to slow down, soak in the time and be present with one another. In all honesty it’s some of my favorite moments of the day.
When it comes to littles and mindfulness I want to remind you of the importance of patience and being open-minded. My youngest daughter was completely opposed to tapping a year ago. But with time and curiosity she actually asks for it each night now. Lesson learned - don’t give up hope when the first few tries aren’t met with open arms, kids can change their mind often.
Dinner & Gratitude
We do our best to eat dinner together as a family. That’s how both my husband and I grew up, and we’re doing our darnedest to instill that in our family as well. That being said, dinner can be a bit chaotic. My little one inevitably has 10 different things she needs to leave the table to retrieve. The older one has endless stories of her day, which monopolize the conversation at times. And then there’s the constant reminders to actually finish the food on our plates. So I love the idea of having gratitude be a standing topic of conversation to unite everyone, and to learn more about what fills our cups, and brings joy in our daily lives. It’s such a simple practice, each person can say 1-2 things they’re grateful for that day. It can literally be anything, and I almost guarantee the younger the kiddo, the more entertaining the answer. It’s a lovely conversation starter, and an effective way to teach your kids the meaning of gratitude and how to appreciate the amazing gifts each day brings.
Date Night In
Finding time for date nights with your spouse can be tough. There’s schedules to workaround, the endless babysitter search, and the debate whether you really want to have a late night out - am I the only one who’s totally happy to tuck into the sheets at 9pm? So I’ll ask the question, who says you have to take your date night outside the home? What if you stayed in and made a date night that’s just as much fun, and so much easier to plan? Going to the movies can be swapped for Netflix cuddled up on the couch - so much comfier! Or you can simply wait to tuck the kids into bed, before you enjoy a civilized adult dinner together.
I’ll give you my favorite. When my kids were little we’d actually invite friends to come over after the girls were tucked into bed. We’re lucky that they went to bed around 7, so by 7:30 our friends could come over, and we could enjoy a couple’s night - all in the comforts of our own home. The moral of the story is, get creative and have fun with it. There are no rules saying your date nights have to be fancy nights out, I for one am all for a great date night in!
You’ve now heard it all, my behind the scenes tips for repurposing time throughout the entire day. I’d love to hear the suggestion you found most interesting, and what you plan to try in your daily life.