Description: This week, Dr. Boogren shares a strategy she's been implementing to increase relaxation. What happy little consequences might this result in for you?
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Transcription: Hi, and welcome to episode 23 of season four of Self-Care for Educators. I'm your host, Tina Boogren. This week's invitation is to get ready for bed as soon as possible. I know this sounds like an odd one. However, I have been thinking about this one, because what I know for myself is sometimes my resistance to going to bed is because I don't want to get up and do all of the things that it takes to get to bed. I have a whole face routine and the brushing of the teeth and the flossing of the teeth and putting on the pajamas and all of those things just feel like a lot at the end of the day when I'm exhausted from decision fatigue. And, I know this is not just me. I have a feeling many of you can also relate to this, and what ends up happening is I'll just sit on the couch or in my reading chair, whatever it is, and put off bedtime because the thought of getting up and getting ready for bed just feels like too much.
But then, what happens is I end up staying up way too late, right? So, something I've been doing is getting ready for bed crazy early. Now, I always put pajamas on first thing when I, when I get home or in the evening, and I end the workday. It's jammy time over here. That's how we do it at my house. I just can't stand the thought of having jeans on or regular adult clothes longer than necessary. And so, part of my routine when I get home and call it a day or get to my hotel room wherever I am is immediately changing out of my work clothes and putting on, putting on my comfy jammy clothes. So, I've got that part. Now what I've decided to do is immediately when I'm done eating, I go upstairs, and I wash my face, and I brush my teeth, and I do those things so that when it comes time for me to go to bed. I literally just, just go to bed, and I don't have to deal with all of the stuff that just feels like so much.
And, what I've also discovered is it's helping me to not desire a snack in the evening, because I've already brushed my teeth and flossed my teeth, and I don't feel like doing it again. So, there's something kind of mentally about that piece that has been kind of a nice unexpected treat. So, that's what I've been doing, and it's been working, and I wanted to offer that to you. So, this week, what I want you to try is, number one, figuring out for you, what is it that you need to do in the evening before you go to bed. So, not only like the washing of the face and the brushing of the teeth, but packing the lunch and getting, getting your school bag ready or laying your clothes out, whatever those things are, and do them as early as possible.
I think this also just helps us enjoy our evening time a little bit more when I know that I've got all of those evening to-do list items done. Then, I can really sink into usually for me, it's reading in the evening or watching TV or watching a movie with my husband, but I can sink into that, because my brain isn't nudging me and saying, remember you have to do this and this and this and this. When are you going to do it? When we, when our brain is nudging us like that, remember, all we're doing is adding to our own decision fatigue, because every time our brain is saying, you should do this or have you thought about this? When are you going to do this? We have to make another decision and we are already tired from our workday.
So, let's not add to that. So, that's what I want you to play around this week. So maybe, like me, when you get home, you immediately put your comfy clothes on and that kind of indicates that the workday is done. You are now moving into that evening time, and that just feels different. And then, perhaps a ritual that you set is after dinner, like me, you immediately go to ... For me, it's heading up to my office to organize things, and then go into the bathroom to wash my face, brush my teeth, do all of those things.
So, that then when I rest in the evening, it really feels like rest. So, that's it. That's what I want you to try this week. See if it helps. See if you notice a difference. See if you notice a difference in a few ways. Do you notice a difference? You know, when you come home and kind of change clothes as a signal that the day is done. Do you notice that maybe like me, a happy little consequence is I wasn't drawn towards the snacks in the evening when I brush my teeth a little bit earlier and that I could really, really relax into my evening knowing that my to do list is done. I know many of you are like me, and we kind of, oh, really, really live for our to-do list. And, it does feel so good to like, check the things off, and then have that bit of respite before we move ourselves to bed. And, I know, I know that those of you with children at home, especially young kids at home, this might look different. I know your schedule would definitely look different than what I just described.
Everyone is unique and different here, but figuring out for yourself, what could you do a little bit earlier to just make that transition that when you decide it is time to actually sleep, that you are so ready for that. So, we don't end up procrastinating and falling into that revenge bedtime procrastination trap and not getting the essential sleep that we need. I'm cheering so hard for you.
As always, thank you Brooke for making this happen. Thank you Solution Tree and Marzano Resources for this incredible job I get to do. And, to you, oh, this incredible bad-ass Self-Care Squad. I'm cheering so hard for you this week. Go to bed.
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