10 Things You Must Do Before 10PM
The Perfect Nighttime Checklist to Win the Next Day, Inspired by Benjamin Franklin and Others.
I think that a great day — with energy, enthusiasm, and purpose begins the night before.
About 3 years ago, before I started to follow practices like these during my days— I had horrible nights, I was often depressed and feeling down, and really felt I wasn’t living to my potential.
I often woke up at 3AM, often sweating and anxious and wondering what I was doing with my life.
I’d remember things I needed to do, and then be frustrated because I couldn’t take care of those items in middle of the night. This led to even more anxiety and sleepless nights.
That all changed with the advent of a Daily Practice for myself, and eventually starting on my own Hero’s Journey.
I started to care enough to take care of myself. I started a Miracle Morning practice. I did a kind act for another human every day. I did Idea Lists.
I also began to optimize my evening wind-down ritual. I took notes in my journal and even started measuring the quality of my sleep to see what worked for me, and what didn’t.
This ritual is constantly being tinkered with, altered and improved — and it got to the point of what you’re about to read on this article.
Life got better.
Whereas previously, I’d hit the “snooze” button multiple times in the morning, and dreading the upcoming day, I started to get out of bed with a sense of ENTHUSIASM.
This helped to change my life, and I’m certain that these actions can help you, as well.
FACT: If you want to increase your chances of having a GREAT day, you need to prepare for it the night before. Your day will start well to the degree you prepare for it.
That’s what this article will help you do: it’s an easy checklist (at the end) to help you prepare in the best way for the next day. If you do what’s on the list, there is no doubt that you are setting yourself up to win the next day.
Benefits of the Ideal Nighttime Routine:
- You will have better nights.
- You’ll feel better.
- You’ll sleep better.
- You’ll wake up with more purpose, energy and enthusiasm.
- Your days will get better, and that will lead to a better life.
I’m excited to bring this to you.
This is a Buffet of Actions to Help You. Use What Works.
These are all excellent things to do before bedtime. However, here is the main idea I want to get across before we start this:
The BEST list is one that is actually DONE. Not the perfect theory, but the imperfect action that actually makes its way into your life.
So, don’t think that you have to do ALL of the items on the list.
Actually, each item in and of itself will result in a better night than when it’s NOT done. But, the more of these items that can be done, the better.
If you’re able to work all of these into your schedule, you’re in for a treat, as you’ll notice that the following days will begin much, much better.
My high school wrestling coach bought into this philosophy:
“The will to win is not as important as the will to PREPARE to win.” — Tom Marsh
When you take the time to do these steps each evening as you’re about to sleep, you’re preparing to win the next day.
When you change your habits for the better, everything in life is improved.
The Basics of the Ideal Nighttime Checklist:
Have a CONSISTENT bedtime every night!
This is so easily overlooked. Everyone tends to be haphazard about this, and the bedtime is variable based on what’s on TV, how late you stayed out, how you feel on a given night.
A haphazard bedtime will lead to haphazard results.
Work backwards from your wake up time to guarantee a minimum of seven hours of sleep. If you wake up at 5am like I do, that means that lights are OUT, and I’m sleeping by 10pm. Not just in bed by then, but ZONKED OUT and sawing logs by that time. That means in bed by 9:30–9:45 pm every night.
- Set an alarm every night to REMIND you to get to bed on time. I set my iPhone alarm to play, “Twilight Time,” by The Platters to go off at 8:45 pm every Sunday through Thursday nights.
- Go over this bedtime with your spouse/significant other if you have them. Explain its importance, and what you’re trying to do.
- Ask yourself if it’s more important to be entertained at night, or to set yourself up for a great day.
- What’s easy to do is easy NOT to do. As you are reading this, pull out your phone and set the recurring alarm. Really…let’s do it. If you need help, here is a video on how to set your alarm to a SONG (which is much more fun) on an iPhone.
The Actual Steps to The Ideal Nighttime Checklist
1. Practice the “Digital Sunset”
Turn off all digital items, to include your TV, your smart phone, and the computer about ONE hour before your bedtime. This is so important in getting your brain ready for sleep. There are two aspects to this:
- The blue light affects your circadian rhythm each night. If you have on your phone, TV, or computer, the bright light literally fools your brain into thinking that it’s still daylight, and your body reacts to that.
- The stimulation that you get mentally keeps your brain engaged in its daily activities. It’s time to signal to the brain to start shutting down for the evening. Wrap it up. Get done with the items for the day.
When your daily nighttime alarm goes off, use that time to turn off the computer, the phone, and the TV.
It helps to say to yourself, “Shutdown complete,” at this time. It is literally a signal to your brain that it’s time to prepare to sleep. Cal Newport, the author of “Deep Work,” uses this to transition from work time to personal time.
For advanced practitioners of the Nighttime Ritual, wear blue-blocking glasses for the evening, starting with your alarm each evening. Even with the nighttime shift capabilities of your phone and computer, glasses like these prepare your brain for a restful night of sleep. Try them and see the difference to you each evening.
I use the “Truedark” glasses set from Dave Asprey and have been impressed with them.
Be prepared — they take some getting used to, and they will make it MUCH easier to KNOCK OUT for the evening.
You can now freely do the other items on this list, and begin making TOMORROW the best it can be.
2. Engage in the Proper Care of Your Phone for the Evening.
Put away your phone with the digital sunset. Make yourself do this.
If you will NOT give up your phone, no matter what, it is an addiction for you.
Using your phone up until you close your eyes is detrimental to your daily schedule and being your best. The very definition of an addiction is knowing it’s bad for you and not being able to stop it.
If this is the case, at least set up “Night Shift” on your phone. This turns off the blue light, and helps to minimize the effect on circadian rhythm each evening.
You still have mental stimulation, however. Especially if you are on social media prior to falling asleep, leading to the insidious “Compare and Despair,” cycle of thoughts as the last thing you remember at night.
Try NOT to read your phone, or get on social media as the last thing you do each night. This is harmful in that it invites comparison with others as the last thing that you do each night. Instead of working on you, you are often actively working against yourself and your well-being every night.
Keep your phone at least 12 feet away from you when you go to sleep. Also, place your phone on “airplane” mode. The effect of cellular service near your head has not been fully explored, and many feel that having a cellular device so close to your body and brain is harmful for everyone.
Your phone pumps out electromagnetic radiation when it’s on, and if it is close to you all night, night after night, there can be health consequences. Charles Poliquin, the famed strength trainer says that we will find out that cell phones are the new cigarettes because of the harmful effects they have on the body. Here’s much more about that.
If you NEED your phone to wake you up each day (alarms are cheap and easy to get), then set your phone on airplane mode and place it across the room. This also makes you less likely to “snooze” the next morning.
3. Put Things in Their Places.
This is the first thing to do after the bedtime alarm goes off for the evening and you engage in your digital sunset.
This is a principle from Benjamin Franklin. Putting things away will give you some peace of mind when going to sleep. You will help wrap up loose ends for the day. Mental loops will be closed. You’ll wake up feeling more energized in an environment that is set up for WINNING the next morning.
My friend Benjamin P. Hardy in his excellent book, “Willpower Doesn’t Work,” points out that environment is much more important than just willing yourself to do the right thing.
This is the step where you get your environment prepared for an optimal morning.
Here are some steps to that:
- Put away your phone as discussed above. Yes, I’m hammering on this because it’s such a huge deal in setting up your days to win each night.
- Do some light housework. Depending on your daily tidiness, you can get things mostly perfect, or if you live a cluttered lifestyle, at the very least you can put things to where the mess is not too overwhelming the next morning. Do some of the dishes. Straighten up some in the kitchen.
- Set up for tomorrow morning, whether that be preparing the coffee or your breakfast. Prepare your lunch for the next day if you pack a lunch. That’s healthier, and you can control what goes into your lunch each day.
- Set up your clothes for the next day! Lay them out and have them prepared. This will signal to your brain the next day that you have put yourself in the best possible place to win for the day. It also protects your decision making “hit points” for the day to already decide the night before what you will wear. You just put the clothes on and go, versus wasting valuable time and mental energy deciding what to wear the next day.
- Get your work bag complete and packed. Set up your daily planner for the morning. Get everything in place for hitting the ground running tomorrow morning.
- Prepare for your workout! Either a) get your workout bag ready to go with everything in its proper place, or b) (what I Do) wear your workout clothes to bed, or have them nearby and ready for when you wake up. Having these clothes ready makes it even easier to start your workout the next day. It’s telling yourself that it’s important and you’re ready to go for the day!
- Lastly, set out a tall glass of water for drinking throughout the night if needed, and so it is ready for the morning after you brush your teeth. That glass of water will help kickstart your morning, rev up your metabolism, and prime the pump for drinking more water throughout the day.
4. Get Into Appreciation for the Day/Count Your “Wins”/Save Your Progress.
This is actually part of my Planner pages each day, to remind me to do this each day — but it can also be done effectively through journaling.
- I start by getting into an appreciative mode before bedtime. I write out at least three things that I truly appreciate. They can be related to the day, but don’t have to be. I like to always put in a ‘minor’ item that is a true blessing in life: The heater when it’s cold. On demand warm water, the fact that someone designed and created the pen I’m using to write down my appreciation.
The world is a miracle and it’s EXCELLENT for you to be reminded of that each and every evening.
I also use the word, “appreciation,” rather than gratitude as it seems and feels more proactive than waiting for things to come to me versus going out and actively appreciating things for the evening. - I like to finish up my daily 5 Minute Journal. It literally takes a minute or two. It asks each evening what made today amazing, and what one thing I could have done to make the day even better. I like this, as it kind of ties into the next step, and reminds me what a great day it was. The part about making the day even better puts my ‘antennae up’ for the next day to find more amazing things in my day. Go to IntelligentChange.com to order a 5 Minute Journal.
Review your wins and “save” your daily progress. This is also in my Daily Planner, but can be very effectively done with a journal.
This is another area where we can learn from Ben Franklin. He answered the question, “What good have I done today?”
This is where I write out at least three things that I’ve done for the day to live a better life, or move towards my goals.
It could be that I worked and earned income. It could be that I got a goal accomplished. It could be progress towards something meaningful. It can even be NOT falling off of the deep end and eating something horrible for me. It could be the connection I had with my daughter.
The idea is to count off several “wins,” for the day, so you feel good as you’re about to sleep and to help settle your mind for the rest that is to come. Too many people never take account of their wins for the day. Don’t let that be you.
Do this every single night, and feel the difference in your peace of mind and quality of sleep for the evening.
I also have check boxes for doing an Idea List, something good for me physically, and a Kind Act on my daily planner pages.
This is to help make sure that I’ve done my “Daily Practice,” for the day. If I haven’t done the Idea List, I’ll often do one right then and there to exercise my mind somewhat and keep it sharp.
It can be things like, “The Most Amazing Headlines for The Medium Article I’m Posting Tomorrow,” or perhaps, “Excellent Ways To Show My Wife How Much I Love Her.” Doing that each day maintains my personal status as an Idea Machine.
If I haven’t done my “Kind Act,” for the day, I’ll usually send a quick text to a friend telling them that I am thinking of them, and something I admire about them. This Daily Practice for me has been nothing short of life-changing.
5. Determine what ONE thing you will definitely get done tomorrow.
Write it down on your Planner pages as the goal for the next day. This will allow your subconscious to begin to go to work on it while you are resting, and it will allow you to hit the ground running the next day — without having to stop your momentum in getting things done in the morning.
Some prefer to actually plan their entire next day prior to sleeping, but I prefer to do the majority of the planning in the morning during my Planning and Solitude time. Decide what works for you, and stick to that. This one habit will save you many hours of unfocused work during the next day for you. Don’t neglect this step.
6. Prepare physically for the day and a great night’s sleep!
I take a magnesium supplement called “Yin Reserve,” by the Strength Sensei (Charles Poliquin’s company), each and every night. It is completely natural, and knocks me OUT for the evening. The difference between using it, and not is substantial for me. Barring that, taking magnesium pills prior to sleeping is adequate. Be careful not to take multivitamins at this time, as they can stimulate you and keep you awake at night.
Take proper care of your teeth prior to hitting the sack.
I have a ritual where I brush my teeth along with my son at night. It signals to him that it’s time for ‘night night,’ and it’s a great bonding experience between father and son each night.
I also use this time to floss my teeth thoroughly, and I’ve recently started the practice of ‘oil pulling,’ in the evenings. Flossing doesn’t need a lot of explanation — but it is SO important to do this prior to going to sleep, as it gets out the irritants to your gums. If you have food debris in your mouth all evening, it can do its damage while you sleep. You are also more at risk of gingivitis if you fail to brush at night.
Oil pulling is taking a small spoonful of oil (I use coconut oil) and ‘swishing it’ around in your teeth, and ‘pulling’ it between your teeth. The conventional wisdom is that this heals the teeth and gets even more foreign debris from your teeth each evening. It is highly recommended.
Teeth care is very strongly associated with longevity in life. Please don’t skip this step. (From the Mayo Clinic).
7. CONNECT with your loved ones.
If you’re like me, your family is about the most important thing in your life. Use this time to hug them goodnight, to give goodnight kisses, and to let them know that they are appreciated. Savor the hugs, sink into them and FEEL your family members’ hearts.
Here are some excellent reasons to hug, and why they’re so good for us.
A ritual that has been important to our family is to ask them what they are grateful for/what they appreciate that night (and it needs to be something different each night). This helps cultivate appreciation in them, and is just a great tradition that they will always associate with their dad.
8. Prepare your sleep to be ideal.
I like to lower the temperature in my room to be 69 degrees or even less. The body gets sounder sleep when it’s cooler outside your blankets. For me, it results in better sleep.
I also like to make sure that all ambient lights are out, or extremely well covered when I sleep. I put electrical tape over the little lights on my TV, cable box, and other places where they might sneak in to rob me of the absolute ideal night of sleep. We have a home phone that is particularly insidious with a flashing light on it that I may not notice…and I’m certain that when it’s visible in the room, my sleep suffers.
Kill, kill, kill the lights!
9. Set up for the Nightly “Download!”
I’ve started this in recent months, and the effect on my personal life has been revolutionary.
Thomas Edison famously said, “Never go to sleep without a request to your subconscious.”
The way that I do this is to bring my trusty journal with me to bed. I write out what the request to the subconscious is in it, being as specific as I’d like, and then place it on my nightstand for the evening.
And just like magic, I wake up with a new idea, an insight, or the clarity of thinking I needed. It truly is a great way to do things, and I’m a little sad that I didn’t start this much earlier in my life!
An example of this may be, “What are the next specific steps to take in my life to earn more income?”
Write that out, and then forget about it…don’t stress over the answers arriving. They just seem to show up, fresh on my mind when I wake up. Give this a try tonight!
10. Read Before Going to Sleep.
First, read your “Daily Pages.”
These pages consist of both your goals and your affirmations. It’s helpful to have them next to your bed at night, and I like to have them laminated. It’s best to do it out loud, but if your wife is like mine, she will roll her eyes and may give you a hard time! This is one of the very last things you do each day to cement these into your subconscious mind.
Your goals are what you want, what it is you’re striving for — what you want to be, do, and have. I prefer to have them as if I’m achieving them, but not that I’ve accomplished them. “I am preparing my website to sell 1,000 copies of my book this month.”
Your affirmations are HOW YOU ARE, and how you’re showing up each day. A example could be, “I care enough about myself to take care of my body each and every day.”
Have a restful Book ready for you as you go to sleep.
I use a very low light setting on my Kindle (usually also with my Truedark glasses), and I try to read fiction as I’m drifting off to sleep.
Many business or self-development books stimulate ideas and get my brain going — so fiction, some biography, and otherwise calming books put me at ease and allow me to go to sleep literally within minutes of starting them. I like to have at least one fiction book going at any time with this.
Here is the checklist in shorter, more easily used form:
1. Practice the “digital sunset.” Everything electronic goes off at a set hour.
2. Put away your phone for the evening. Set an alarm to remind you of this.
3. “Put things in their places,” as Ben Franklin would say. Tidy up a bit, and set out everything for the following day.
4. Get into appreciation and count your wins. Write them down in your journal or planner.
5. Write down the ONE thing you’ll definitely accomplish tomorrow.
6. Prepare physically. Blueblocker glasses. Supplements. Teeth Care.
7. Connect with loved ones. Hug them. Ask about gratitude.
8. Prepare for Ideal Sleep. Set the thermostat. Kill the lights in your room.
9. Set up for the nightly download. Write a command to your subconscious.
10. Read to go to sleep. First your goals, then something soothing.
Well, if you’ve done the things on this checklist, you are setting yourself up to win for the next day. You will be absolutely prepared to win the next day. Your days will begin the right way, and your life will improve tremendously.
Thank you for your time and attention with this list. I sincerely hope it blesses your life like it has mine.
To the exceptional life,
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