An Easy but Smart Task to Do in the Morning

Making the bed seems pointless—at least for me as I don’t care how my bed looks—I never see it till night, and neither does anyone else.

But it’s a smart thing to do in the morning, and here’s why: when you complete any task, you get a shot of dopamine, a chemical our bodies produce to make us feel happy, motivated, and energized. Making your bed is easy—take advantage of the free dopamine!

There’s another reason: the domino effect. When you strike off a task, you generate momentum that helps you accomplish the next. As you strike off more tasks, you’ll build up a mountain of momentum to help you get through complex tasks later. Making your bed is the first domino that starts this momentum build-up process.

I recommend you make your bed nicely—like the housekeeping staff in hotels. Two reasons why: when you do something artfully, the creative juices in your brain are mobilized, helping you with more challenging creative tasks later. But also, how you do anything is how you do everything. Use this easy opportunity to get into the right mindset and set the tone for the rest of the day.

Note: if you’re not the last to wake up and can’t make your bed, just find something else to do instead—water the plants, throw out the garbage, or wash the dishes. You just need to find an easy domino to strike first thing in the morning.