5 Small Things to Do Every Day This Year – TPW275

Big changes are impressive, but great progress can be achieved by taking small actions consistently.



What we do every day matters

Happy New Year!

This time of year we often make resolutions, set goals, and develop grand plans. These are all good things, and I’d love to hear what resolutions you’ve made or what goals you’ve set for the year. Sometimes, though, the greatest progress is made, not through big leaps, but through small steps taken consistently. Today, I thought I’d focus on a few small things we can do each day this year to make the year more productive. For each, we’ll look at why it helps, and how we can make it easier.

◊ Make your bed ◊

Why does it matter?


* It’s a small task that has big impact. Your bed is probably the biggest thing in and focal point of your bedroom, so its appearance affects the whole room. By making your bed, you immediately make the whole room look better.
* It goes a long way to turning your bedroom into a relaxing retreat you can look forward to enjoying at the end of the day. Some studies show that bed makers sleep better at night.
* Orderly spaces are less stressful.


“Making your bed is a way to help you think more clearly, feel more calm, and get organized. Our living space is a reflection of our mental states. A bed that is made signifies mental clarity and leadership. The mind likes routines. Making your bed is a morning ritual that cleanses your mind of your night. It provides closure from the prior evening (dream, sex, conversations, thoughts) and allows for a new beginning and your positive day ahead."
Katie Ziskind, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Connecticut, quoted in...
The Benefits of Making Your Bed Every Day Are Actually Worth the Effort, Survey Shows



* Making your bed can make you happier.



“When I was researching my book on happiness, this was the number one most impactful change that people brought up over and over.”
Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, quoted in...
9 Ways to Be Happier
“Turns out, people are happier when everyday tasks in their lives are completed.”
9 Ways to Be Happier



* It's a great mindfulness exercise if you practice being very present in the experience during the few minutes you’re doing it.
* Starts the day with a small sense of accomplishment, and will likely trigger you to adopt other productive habits. Charles Duhigg, in The Power of Habit (episode 147 Productive Reading recurring series) calls bed-making a “keystone” habit that can set up a chain reaction of developing other good habits.


"Making your bed every morning is correlated with better productivity, a greater sense of well-being, and stronger skills at sticking with a budget."
Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, quoted in...