Right, let me be completely honest with you.
I’ve made this mistake more times than I care to admit. And by “more times,” I mean it’s practically become a Thursday tradition. You’d think I’d have learnt by now, but nope—apparently, I have a PhD in self-sabotage.
Last night was a classic.
Everything was in rhythm. The stars had aligned. I’d had one of those days, you know the ones when your to-do list is no match for your focus, you answer emails like a boss, and even drink your full 2 litres of water. I was in the zone. Crushing it.
And then… 11 PM hit.
Instead of shutting things down and honouring the glorious bedtime I promised myself, I said the seven most dangerous words known to womankind:
“Let me just wind down a bit…”
You already know where this is going, don’t you?
It started innocently enough. A quick snack. A cheeky scroll through Instagram. Then I thought, I’ll just watch one episode of Frasier… it’s only 22 minutes.
Cut to: me laughing like a hyena at 1:47 AM with snack crumbs in my bra and my cat glaring at me for disrupting her sleep. I’d spiralled into a full-on binge session, neck-deep in Netflix, Paramount and Prime!
I finally rolled into bed sometime after 2 AM, my brain buzzing from blue light and bad decisions.
And the next morning?
Absolute carnage.
I woke up groggy, irritable, and late. My golden hours, the early, sacred part of the day when I’m actually a functioning human were gone. My ideal routine (lemon & chia seed water, yoga, feed the cat, walk the dog, shower, breakfast, brain on by 8:00 AM) completely derailed.
Deep work? Forgotten. Energy? Dead. Motivation? Somewhere under the duvet with the remote.
The entire day felt like I was running after a bus that left five minutes ago. No matter what I did, I couldn’t catch up.
And all because of a tiny, innocent-looking decision the night before.
This, my friend, is the silent saboteur. The sneaky little voice that says, “One more scroll. One more reel. One more email. One more glass of wine.”
It’s not RELAXING. It’s not HARMLESS. It’s not HELPING. It’s a TRAP.
And I see this same trap claiming women left, right and centre, especially those of us trying to do it all.
You’ve had a long day. You’re wiped. You just want a moment to yourself… So you reach for the remote, the wine, the phone. Maybe all three. And fair enough, you’ve earned a bit of peace. But that ‘peace’ turns into a dopamine-fuelled black hole that leaves you wired and wrecked.
Here’s the bit we don’t talk about enough: blue light from screens messes with our melatonin (that’s your sleepy hormone). Your brain thinks it’s daytime, and instead of winding down, it gears up. So even when you do finally try to sleep, you lie there wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling wondering why you're still awake.
And let’s not even talk about waking up with phone-face and a stiff neck.
The fix?
It’s not complicated. But it is a choice.
Here’s the routine I’ve been working on (and trust me, future me is very grateful for it):
No work past 5:30 PM. Seriously. Close the laptop. Your inbox will survive until tomorrow.
Devices off by 8 PM. Phones, tablets, laptops, iPads ALL OF IT!. Off or on Do Not Disturb. Blue light begone.
Wind-down routine: gentle stretches, face oil, herbal tea, fluffy socks, and a bit of aromatherapy if I’m feeling posh.
Instead of scrolling, I read an actual book (yes, with pages), or I pop on an Audible and listen to something soothing.
In bed, lights off, by 9 PM.
Now, I won’t lie to you.
The first time you try this, you’ll be wide awake at 9:02 PM like a caffeinated squirrel. You’ll be tempted to reach for your phone or switch on the telly. DON'T.
Stick with it.
Because the more you practise going to bed early, the earlier you’ll naturally wake up. You’ll start rising before the household stirs, before the bins are collected, before your neighbours start arguing with Alexa. And let me tell you that quiet, uninterrupted time in the morning? Absolute gold dust.
You’ll think clearer. Work smarter. Be less shouty with the kids. Even your coffee will taste better.
One clear, intentional morning is worth more than a dozen scattered, screen-fried nights. And you’ll feel it.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s not about going full monk-mode and swearing off Netflix forever. It’s about creating space for your real self to breathe. The version of you who isn’t fuelled by anxiety and tiredness. The one who dreams big and has the energy to chase those dreams.
So if you’re caught in the same cycle I was last night, here’s your permission slip to break up with late-night chaos and start flirting with bedtime routines instead.
Not because you’re lazy. Not because you’re giving up. But because you deserve to wake up feeling amazing.
Make the choice tonight that tomorrow (after a few days practice) will thank you for it!
Turn off the lights. Put your phone on airplane mode. Tuck yourself in like the QUEEN you are.
And the next time I’m tempted by “just one more thing” at 11 PM, I’ll think of you reading this and hopefully, I’ll have the good sense to go the hell to bed.
Now off you pop, go prep your tomorrow like a boss.
You’ve got this!
