Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

I remember the first time I floated a 5 pm dinner to friends. I expected my invite text would prompt an urgent “Is everything okay?” phone call. Or a sarcastic, “Are we so old we need the early bird special?”

Instead, my phone buzzed back almost immediately: “We’d LOVE it!” – capital letters and all. We spent our dinner together discussing the merits of eating dinner in the twilight time between late afternoon and early evening.

From Better Tables to Better Sleep, Early Dining Is the Underrated Pleasure More Women Are Embracing

Once relieved of my shame, I’ve adopted early bird dining with gusto. And I’m not alone. OpenTable, in its 2026 Dining Trends survey, reports that 44% of respondents noted a preference for early dinner as opposed to 25% selecting late dinner. And the survey also noted a 13% increase from last year in respondents choosing to dine between 4:00 and 4:59 pm.

My primary reason for choosing to dine out early is to avoid crowded restaurants. Because dining out is increasingly expensive, I like to make it an “event.” I want to enjoy a leisurely meal with my friends and family and not feel rushed.

Or worse. Like getting wedged into a too-small table next to the kitchen during prime time.

If you’re okay with swimming anonymously in a crowded sea of diners, more power to you.

When we arrive for an early seating, we’re greeted and treated as special guests.

And some of my friends are struggling with night vision problems like light glare and the inability to read signs. Because we live in a self-driving area, Uber isn’t really an option. Spending time with my besties is super important to me, so I’m happy to eat early with them so they’re safely home before the sun sets.

Turns Out, Eating Earlier Isn’t a Compromise – It’s an Upgrade

Another perk to dining early is getting access to specials – and not necessarily those targeted at early birds. Happy hour bar promotions often feature excellent drink specials paired with popular appetizers or small plates. I routinely choose this option when dining before a show or concert. On these nights, I’m all about light bites and a cocktail before the evening’s entertainment.

Getting a table at a popular restaurant is much easier when you’re willing to eat at 5. There are definitely restaurant-goers who want the hot-spot vibe of a crowded dining room. I’m not one of them.

I like to take my time reviewing a menu, asking for recommendations from the server and thoughtfully considering wine options. This is especially important to me when visiting a new restaurant that’s at the top of everyone’s must-dine list. A leisurely meal is a memorable one.

My best advice: if there’s a place you’re dying to try and the 6-9 pm window is always full, look for earlier tables. Better yet, call the restaurant and ask for an early table.

Less Noise, More Connection and a Full Night’s Sleep? Yes, Please!

Another excellent reason to dine earlier is that it’s better for you. Recent research on eating healthy emphasizes lengthening the time between your evening meal and your next day’s breakfast. I still occasionally go to bed on a full stomach after a rich restaurant meal. It’s a guaranteed recipe for an awful night’s sleep. I hate waking up and still feeling full.

A licensed dietitian in a 2025 Real Simple article recommends eating dinner between 5 – 7 pm, or at least three hours before bedtime. This allows the body to properly digest the evening meal. However, it’s worth mentioning that heavier meals may require up to six hours to digest.

Personally, I think there might come a time in my not-too-distant future when I stop pretending that I’m eating a meal called dinner. There’s something wonderful about a long, late afternoon meal with dear friends and more than one bottle of wine (when we’ve got a sober chaperone). It’s neither lunch nor dinner. I’m always on the lookout for a fellow “linner” companion, so hit me up if you’re a kindred spirit.

It turns out the best meals don’t have to be late – just well chosen.

Join the Conversation:

What’s your usual dinner time? How do you feel afterward? Do late dinners affect your sleep? What benefits of early dinner have you noticed in your life?

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As I write this, I am looking at nine of my past vision boards displayed on my office wall. As a financial planner, I know that I can’t control all of what comes in life, so I try to plan for the “what ifs” to at least hope to be less stressed when some of them come my way. And I also believe the saying, “Man plans and God laughs.” So there’s that. So because of my planning nature, you may be surprised by the theme for my personal vision board this year: Go with the flow!

Vision Board Process

How do you go about making your vision board? Right or wrong, I don’t start compiling it with anything in mind. I let my subconscious mind get attracted to words, phrases, and pictures in the magazines that I am thumbing through as I visit with other women who are also working on their vision board. Some theme phrases I have on past vision boards include:

“Plan on your best year yet!”

“Enjoy time at home.”

“Celebrate everything.”

“Living the dream, one mistake at a time.”

And this year I found “Go with the flow!”

I remember creating my vision board on Zoom one year during COVID. I found it to be just as much fun. We visited and laughed and shared our boards at the end. To me the process is relaxing and full of anticipation. I let my fingers stop on pages that catch my eye, a picture that speaks to me right now or a word or a phrase. I never really know what I will end up with until I am done. So maybe I have been going with the flow more than I realized in the past.

Vision Board Science

I was curious about the science behind vision boards so I dug into it a little bit with one of my new friends, ChatGPT. The information really reinforces the value of creating vision boards. Did you know that our brains process visual information 60,000 times faster than text? Or that visualization activates the same neural pathways as real experiences, reinforcing motivation and follow-through? Wow, no wonder I have strong feelings around my vision board wall display!

I knew the research part about how goals are more likely to be achieved (33-42% more likely) when they are written and visualized. And I do consider my vision board as a goal activity, just way more fun than making a list. Plus the collage format actually reduces cognitive overload by layering several goals into one visual, according to the research.

My Year of Going with the Flow

This might sound a little unexpected coming from me, since I talk a lot about the importance of focusing on a plan and the tools for getting your financial house organized. But I have learned over time that focus and flow can actually work really well together!

My single wellness focus this year, for example, is making sure I exercise every day. Going with the flow makes it easier to adapt when my schedule shifts. So even when my usual morning walk or going to the YMCA morning ritual doesn’t happen because I have to schedule an early morning appointment, I can go with the flow and choose a different way to move my body later that day.

Sometimes that means going to the Y in the evening or taking a walk at night. Lately, when mornings are too cold, I use an exercise app at home like Down Dog yoga or Body Groove dance right in my living room whenever I can fit it into the day instead. My focus stays the same, I just go with the flow, yay!

Small Pivots

This is the same approach I use with money and organization. When you know your focus, whether that’s preparing for retirement, managing your budget, or keeping systems simple, you can make small pivots without losing momentum. If you’re thinking about choosing your own theme for the year, start with one clear statement. “My year of ___.”

• My year of getting organized.
• My year of paying attention to my money.
• My year of simplifying.
• My year of consistency.

Vision Board Bundle

Do you catch yourself saying “Who am I now? And who do I want to become next?” Perhaps a vision board is just what you need to help your mind find the answers to those questions. To help with that, and throw in a little planning in formats that let you go with the flow, I have bundled a few of my favorite tools. Check out my Women’s Wealth and Wellness Toolkit for a vision board template, money makeover checklist, and some financial planning checklists.

This year, I’m leaning into Mind and Motion by staying focused on what matters while giving myself room to adjust when life changes. That’s what going with the flow looks like in practice! How about you?

Let’s Chat:

What vision board experiences have you had? Planning or going with the flow, which do you prefer? Anything you have learned over the years to share with others? Let’s have a discussion.