Every success story is inspiring, whether it’s about a dramatic body transformation or bringing your business to another level. What we often see from the outside, though, are the start and the endpoint only, not the whole journey. However, the road to every great success is made up of the tiny steps we repeatedly take, despite any pitfalls on the way. 

In fact, let me show the odd power of just one habit, making your bed, for your success. You might ask, “What has a body transformation or building a business to do with bed?”

To Make or Not To Make the Bed: What Is the Difference?

Imagine two scenarios. In the first one, you tap your alarm’s snooze button several times until you are almost late to work. Then you jump out of your bed, run to make yourself ready, and maybe have breakfast. You already feel stressed and like you can’t keep up with anything right from the moment your alarm rings. And when you go back to sleep, you come to a chaotic room, reminding yourself how stressful your day was and that it will repeat tomorrow again.

Now, imagine the second scenario. You know that waking up can take a while for you, so you set your alarm accordingly. Even though you tapped the snooze button a couple of times, you are still not rushing. You get up, maybe go to wash your face to wake up completely, and then, before breakfast, make your bed. You see how tidy your room has become, which means only one thing, a new day has started! You haven’t had breakfast yet, but you have already been productive and accomplished something. You feel proud of yourself. And even after a busy day, you return to a tidy room, ready to sleep, and start another day.

How Does It Make You More Productive?

When the first thing in the morning you experience is something positive and a feeling of accomplishment, it kickstarts a chain of other good decisions throughout the day and gives you a sense of taking charge. While there is no research investigating specifically bed-making effects on your life, there is enough evidence showing that living in an organized and clutter-free environment can improve your focus and productivity and even lower stress. 

Combine a tidy room with mindful decisions and accomplished tasks throughout the day, and to me, it’s the recipe for not only a successful day but for a successful life! 

What if Your Bed Is Tidy Every Day Already?

First of all, good job! Second, it’s not just about the bed, of course. What we talk here about is the little positive habits in your life that can make you the person you want to be. Choose something simple, just like making the bed, and try to focus on that one little thing only. 

Remember that accomplishing that little thing in the morning can influence your whole day for the best. Similarly, if your day wasn’t very productive, but you checked at least one thing from your to-do list, you might feel more relaxed and sleep better at night.

Sources:

Aso Y, Yamaoka K, Nemoto A, Naganuma Y, Saito M. Effectiveness of a ‘Workshop on Decluttering and Organising’ programme for teens and middle-aged adults with difficulty decluttering: a study protocol of an open-label, randomised, parallel-group, superiority trial in Japan. BMJ Open. 2017;7(6):e014687. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014687

Duhigg, Charles, author. (2014). The power of habit : why we do what we do in life and business. New York :Random House Trade Paperbacks

Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: tiny changes, remarkable results : an easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. New York, New York, Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House.