Do you ever wake up in the morning thinking or hoping for a bad day? Seeking failure? Lack of productivity? Or just an overall lousy day? I didn’t think so. It’s a new day with new possibilities and a fresh start. One of the simplest things to do to start off a great day on a positive vibe is to make the bed. Here are 6 reasons how making the bed sets the tone. Just like your mother told you so. 😉
1 – Start How You Want To Finish
Whether you’re a morning person or not, have you ever reflected on the days that have gone really awesome, and then the days that you wish you could start over again? That’s right. Start over again. There’s something to be said about that expression because how your day finishes has a lot to do with how your day starts.
If you hit snooze a dozen times and wait to the last minute to get up it’s a domino effect for the rest of your day. I’m not a morning person and hate the fact that I’m not, but I know the pitfalls of ignoring my alarm clock. If I ignore it, I pay for it again and again throughout the day and so doesn’t my family.
So, I get up knowing that those first few minutes of my day make or break the kind of day that I’ll have. And that’s why I make the bed. If I snooze for too long, there isn’t enough time to make the bed. And making the bed sets the tone.
2 – Creates a Sense of Accomplishment
It seems so simple because it IS simple. Making the bed takes only a couple of minutes, or if you’re my son than maybe 30 seconds. However long it might take (because your mom might have taught you the military style with sailboat corners and all that geometry that my husband claims he can’t figure out) make it a point to do it because there is an immediate sense of accomplishment. It’s your first reward for getting out of bed.
Making the bed sends signals that you’ve got this. It’s visual feedback that you’re capable, ready and prepared to tackle the next thing. It encourages you to positively tackle the rest of your day. Besides, you already get to cross off one thing on your to-do list!
3 – Makes You Feel Better
Achieving a sense of accomplishment even with just making the bed will make you feel better. And if you feel good at the start of the day, it’ll set the tone for the rest of the day. How you greet your family, manage the commute, tackle your to-do list or that project you’ve had on your mind will not only feel good but seem achievable.
Because when you’re not feeling your best, you just try to get through the day vs. crush the day. You know what I mean? When I miss the opportunity to make the bed in the morning (I still struggle with not hitting snooze more than twice) I feel rushed and behind and then can’t catch up. To be honest, I get in the mindset that the rest of the day will be rubbish.
But when I complete the simplest of tasks first thing, making my bed, I feel totally ready and in a great mood for whatever comes next.
4 – Builds Good Habits
Highly successful people are known to establish morning habits. Take Michael Phelps for example. His structured morning routine lead to 28 Olympic medals. Though Phelps’ morning routine might be extreme, I’d like to say the habit of making the bed is one habit that set me up for adult success. And that’s why I make my kids make their beds.
Every day before school, both kids, 6 and 9-years-old, have to make their own bed. I don’t harass them how they do it, but I want to be sure they do it. They don’t quite understand yet why they have to do it, but one day they’ll thank me. 🤞
5 – It Just Looks Nicer
Let’s be honest. A made bed just looks a whole lot nicer. It’s mess-free which helps you think more clearly and inviting when it’s time to call it a day. Whether you had an amazing day or a less-than-stellar one, climbing into a made bed is the perfect retreat to the end of any day.
Even if I’m traveling and staying in a hotel, I still make the bed. Whether on vacation or not, make every morning count. Start each day with how you want to finish, and find how making the bed sets the tone. It might just improve your life!
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