Retired U.S. Navy Admiral William McRaven is famous for advising that you make your bed every morning. He even wrote a book called Make Your Bed.
The thinking is that making your bed first thing makes you feel like you can get things done, that you can handle what the day brings. You’re ahead of the 8-ball.
I don’t know about you, but if I took this advice, I would grow to resent the Admiral more each day for making me to waste my time straightening out a bed that’s only going to get messed up again that night. It would drive me crazy.
The idea behind the advice is sound. Do something first thing that makes you feel like you’re on top of your day—that makes sense.
But for me, that’s not making my bed. For me, that’s spending about 15 minutes first thing in the morning putting things away and straightening things up in my house. This makes me feel organized and productive first thing.
I can even tackle big projects in this 15 minutes, like organizing an entire closet, by stretching it out over several days. This makes me feel incredibly effective, getting something done in a time when I normally can’t (or shouldn’t) do much of anything.
The key phrase is “for me.” Everybody’s different. Figure out what works for you. Try some things to see what makes you the most productive.
Maybe it’s even making your bed.
But if it is, you’re insane!
I agree with the admiral. On days I don’t do it I come home and the energy is off when I walk into the room.
I have to show this to my wife. She hates when I don't make the bed. Or even when I do, because I don't do it the way she does. I tell her it's because there's cats on the bed. Which is true, but it's not the reason I don't do it.