Day 26 of 31-Day Series “Your Last Health Resolution”

Unmade BedMake Your Bed

This particularly topic might seem humorous if the research wasn’t so compelling.  Have you ever really considered how making your bed could impact your life?
 
A survey of 68,000 people revealed some interesting correlations.  59% of people don’t make their beds.  Not a big deal right?  Well, 71% of bed-makers reported being happy compared to only 38% of those who didn’t.  People who didn’t make the bed also reported not liking their job, exercising less frequently, and not sleeping well. 
 
Will not making your bed destroy your life?  Perhaps not.  But it does seem to suggest a pattern of unhappiness and poor health.  This simple act of rising and creating order can boost feelings of accomplishment and set the tone for the day.

Ditch Your Email

Are you able to check your email while working on a project and talking on the phone?  That might seem productive but recent research shows just the opposite.
 
A 2009 study by a Stanford researcher studied multitasking college students.  Heavy multitaskers not only performed worse on a multitasking experiment, they also underperformed when trying to complete a single task.  More recent studies point to a 40% drop in productivity when trying to perform several tasks.
 
So what should you do?  Concentrate on completing one task within a moderate window of time.  Then move on to the next.  Set aside a few times during the day to check your email.  Don’t look at it every time you receive a notification.
 
By creating order in your life and setting good boundaries you empower your mind and your body to function better.