7 Important Things Successful People Do Right Before Going To Bed
Originally published at lmt-lss.com on February 22, 2016.
Night time rituals are as important as the morning ones in helping us stay sane.
While many of us get awfully curious about the morning rituals of successful people, we tend to forget that evening or night time rituals are equally important in helping us stay sane through the hectic work hours. A proper pre-bedtime ritual can set the foundation for a good night’s rest, which eventually helps in kicking off the next day well.
Alright then, let’s take a look at the common night time habits of successful people:
1. Spend time with friends and family.
Successful people take time out to chat with their partner, interact with their kids, and play with pets, if any.
In a 2011 interview with Newsweek, President Barack Obama described his evening routine, which involved eating dinner with the family and hanging out with the kids before putting them to bed and proceeding to read or write, and eventually sleep.
2. Plan and prepare for the next day.
Successful people like to think about the next day and write down the important things they’d like to accomplish the next day.
Kenneth Chenault, CEO of American Express, is a popular example. He’s revealed that he writes the top three things he wants to accomplish the next day, so that his priorities are clear after he wakes up in the morning.
3. Take an evening walk.
Successful people like to take their mind off work as they approach the end of the day. One way they do that is by taking a walk, as it gets them thinking about the bigger things and later helps them wind down at the close of day.
Buffer CEO Joel Gascoigne takes a 20-minute walk in the evenings, initially thinking about the day’s work and the challenges ahead, and later distancing himself from work, as he moves towards a “state of tiredness.”
4. Write a journal.
Journal writing is an important habit for many successful people. It improves focus and creates the groundwork for being highly productive.
Leadership coach and bestselling author, Robin Sharma writes a journal every single day. “During my hardest and most painful times, I’d write my suffering out on a blank piece of paper. And I’d reconnect with all the simple blessings in my life — along with my highest dreams. My journal kept me going…”
5. Keep the gadgets away.
Turning off, or at least staying away from, the gadgets at night is necessary to keep your sanity intact. And that’s all the more true for successful people.
Despite working for a tech company, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg switches her phone off at night so that she gets a night of uninterrupted sleep.
6. Go about their night-time hygiene ritual.
Several successful people prefer to engage in a simple night time ritual before going to bed.
Bestselling author Stephen King brushes his teeth, washes his hands, gets his pillows facing in a certain direction — all for no specific reason known to him, before he goes to bed.
The British Prime Minister Winston Churchill also used to engage in a similar ritual that included a short nap, a bath, and drinks — a different take on a hygiene ritual, might I add.
7. Read a book.
Reading a book before going to bed is perhaps the most common of the night time habits of successful people.
Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington reads a book every night. And she doesn’t entertain iPads, Kindles and other electronic devices in her bedroom at that time.
American business tycoon and philanthropist Bill Gates reads a book every night as well, as part of his process of falling asleep, reading for nearly an hour before dozing off.
