A Mindless Minute for a Fulfilling Day
January 13, 2023
Author: Carly Schneider
Editor: Chava Makman
It’s 9:05 am when the familiar musical beat jolts me awake. I begrudgingly turn off my alarm, roll out of bed, and automatically begin folding my comforter back to its original state. I assemble my sleeping pillows behind one another and toss my throw pillows into their correct order. It’s now 9:06 am, my day has occurred for just over a minute, and my first achievement has already been completed.
Think I’m exaggerating? There is actual scientific evidence supporting this activity. Making your bed has been coined a “keystone habit” — a daily practice that can trigger a chain reaction of bright moments and positivity, ultimately enhancing your effectiveness during the day (Bashforth, 2022).
No, making your bed every day won’t magically fix all of your issues, nor will it prevent you from experiencing the potential daily troubles that life naturally brings. However, spending this extra minute to complete a goal right off the bat proves that you simply can, grounding yourself in innumerable ways. Your mood will be boosted; your other tasks will appear easier; you can approach the rest of your day with a smile on your face; you get to give yourself a little pat on the back for doing something right.
Even if it means simply stacking your pillows in an orderly way, making your bed in the morning is no small feat. Making your bed starts off your day on the right foot, setting yourself up to embrace the potential success you can experience during those next chunks of hours. No matter if I failed a test or skipped my class or argued with a friend, I always return to my room in the late afternoon and see a blatant reminder of at least one task I accomplished for myself, making my day just a little bit brighter. No matter what the twenty-four hours entail, I know I started them off right — something that deserves a celebration in and of itself.
Works Cited
Bashforth, E. (2022, January 17). What are the mental health benefits of making your bed in the morning? Patient.info. Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://patient.info/news-and-features/what-are-the-mental-health-benefits-of-making-your-bed-each-morning#:~:text=A%20National%20Sleep%20Foundation%20poll,improved%20their%20quality%20of%20sleep
Image: Ava Edwards
