Make Your Bed

You’ve probably heard this piece of advice (or command) a lot in your life. I have definitely heard many Youtubers suggest it, articles stating it, blogs just like this one, and maybe even seen the video of the Navy Seal Admiral. I really don’t have MORE to add to what has been said about it as I listened to the Admiral give his speech as I am writing this… I remember seeing this 1 minute 41 second video a couple years back and thinking wow that’s inspirational but I really didn’t think much else of it. I have swung in and out of making my bed for years, I love having a crisp bed to get into each night but I didn’t really see the point in putting in the effort to affect that. But recently I got some new bedding and started making my bed.

I wondered how long I would keep this up but the other night I came home from a particularly long day of work and it clicked on me. My day was a mess and my room was too, but my bed was made. I snapped this picture in that moment, my socks are all over my floor, the drawer on my night stand is rarely closed (it sticks, okay?), and the foam roller was definitely in a terrible place easy to be tripped on but my bed has never looked more inviting. I had started my day with putting in the smallest effort and ended it with the satisfaction of that effort.

When I sat down to write this I had a long drawn out way of saying this–a wordy over thinker way–but in “researching” this because this is in no way an original idea or article I realized the Admiral said it best and be summed up in 3 reasons.

1. Do it for the satisfaction of it being done- I am not sure if I would take the stance he does of it giving me a little pride in it, but I definitely like to be able to see the bedding that I picked out and spent my money on not on the floor.
2. Do it for the motivation doing something else- and of not messing it up- you’re not usually going to jump back in a bed you just made up
3. Do it for the anticipation of the day you are about to have- each and every day has its trials and tribulations but coming home to something nice is always going to be better.

The thing all of these have in common is, do it.

On my day off I see no need to race out of bed if I have no plans. Regardless of when I get up, I try to remember to make my bed. I slip or run out of time sometimes… I have definitely woken up late and RUN for the door without my coffee or makeup so the bed was pushed out of mind. But the moment I realized I needed to keep this habit is when I came home from work and was sad that I had not made my bed… something that I had not done for most of my life and I was sad to see it not crisp and made. Like, WHAT?

I know this, and any other article, isn’t going to convince you to make your bed. Like working out, no one can force you to go to the gym, you have to have it click in you. You have to want to do something or it won’t stick or even get started. This is just a recommendation, and I really hope you consider it.