Want To Increase Your Productivity + Happiness in Just 2 Minutes a Day?
What if I told you that by undertaking one daily task - which takes just a couple of minutes - you could increase your overall happiness, productivity and well-being? Well you can. And it turns out that daily task is a pretty simple one. Make your bed. There have been numerous studies and research linked to the positive benefits of bed making. And it's been listed as one of the 7 habits of successful people. I’ve been intentionally and habitually making my bed every morning for a few years now and reaping the benefits. And despite what other things come my way as a mother of a 13 month old little girl - bed making remains on the list. What can you really achieve by making your bed? 1. Happiness
According to research by Psychology Today, 71% of bed makers consider themselves happy. Plus they say they like their job, own their home, exercise regularly and feel energised. Conversely, most non bed makers report feeling unhappy, hating their job, don’t exercise, don't own their home and feel unenergised.
2. Productivity
Bed making increases productivity by 206.8%, according to Socio-economist Randall Bell, Ph.D. His research into high performers show that bed making gets them into a 'productivity mindset'. If you make your bed in the morning, you've started the day achieving. Which then helps you continue achieving tasks for the rest of the day. It's these micro steps that accumulate into longer term results - and this is where the magic is!
3. Wellbeing Author Charles Duhigg calls bed making a "keystone habit" in his bestselling book, "The Power of Habit". According to Duhigg and his research, making your bed every morning is correlated with a greater sense of well-being and stronger skills at sticking with a things such as budgeting."
There you have it. Pretty simple yet incredibly effective. I know how satisfied and accomplished I feel having a made bed each day. Now I am grateful for my Mother asking me to make my bed when I was younger. And a habit I'll gladly pass down to my children. Thanks, Mum.
So, tomorrow when you wake up in the morning... what will you do? Can you afford the time to make your bed? Or should I ask... can you afford not to?