For many, getting up early is an effort that seems almost impossible in the early hours of the morning. The same goes for making the bed. The decision to tidy up the sheets and arrange the pillows in the morning is something that not everyone does. For some, it can be a morning pleasure, a routine to follow or a pointless effort.
Psychologist Leticia Martín Enjuto confesses that ‘behind the simple act of leaving the bed unmade at the start of the day lie stories and nuances’. A decision as simple as whether or not to make the bed in the morning can reveal a lot about someone’s personality and way of thinking.
‘Each person is a world unto themselves,’ explains Enjuto, ‘and their daily habits can reveal much more than meets the eye.’ According to the psychologist, ‘it’s not about judging, but about understanding what drives us and how we relate to our environment and ourselves.’ There are seven common factors that people share depending on why they decide to make their bed or not.
If you decide not to make your bed, you may have…
- A tendency to procrastinate
Promising yourself every week that on Monday you will start making your bed every morning and then not following through is more common than it seems. This is a psychological factor derived from procrastination. ‘One of the most common traits I find in my practice is the tendency to procrastinate,’ explains Enjuto.
Often, not making the bed is just a small reflection of a broader pattern of putting off tasks, whether they belong to the home, work or studies. There are times when tasks with large functional dimensions prevent them from being completed quickly and are put off until later.
Dividing tasks into smaller sections helps to reduce the size of the job and establish an order. For example, when it comes to cleaning tasks around the home, these can be divided by room and done one by one with breaks to rest and then continue with the next part of the house. The same goes for work or study tasks.
- An adaptable routine
People who make their beds every day tend to have this as part of their morning routine. However, those who decide not to make their beds tend to have much more flexible and adaptable routines.
They adapt to whatever may happen and don’t mind not doing something they are used to doing in order to adapt to a new situation. ‘People who don’t make their beds tend to have a less rigid attitude towards order and daily rituals, showing an adaptable personality that is open to improvisation and change,’ explains the psychologist.
- Desire to go against society
The imposed rule that you have to make your bed every morning is reason enough for some people to decide not to do it. The desire to rebel against these social norms may be ‘an expectation imposed since childhood,’ confesses Enjuto. They create their own rules, ones that give them a sense of belonging.
- Control over their own life
The bedroom is usually a place where a person has control. Sometimes, depending on the environment, that control can be affected by other people who have a certain amount of power.
This desire to be in control of their life can lead a person not to make their bed; it is a kind of rebellion against something they have not decided to do. It is a sign of self-control in a person who ‘prioritises their own judgement over external expectations,’ says Enjuto.
- Creativity
Messiness can be seen as a negative trait in some people, but it often demonstrates a trait of creativity and self-expression. Not making the bed can be part of that ‘messy order,’ a way of expressing one’s imagination.
According to the psychologist, these types of people find in messiness ‘a fertile space for inspiration, prioritising originality and flexibility over structure and conventional order.’
- Demotivation
If not making the bed is part of a general lack of care in a person’s life, it could be a sign of ‘demotivation, fatigue or even symptoms of stress or emotional distress,’ explains Enjuto.
These cases only apply if the carelessness is general and constant in other areas of the person’s life. If this is the case, it is advisable to pay attention to psychological well-being and seek support.
- Interest in personal freedom
Finally, not making the bed can be a sign that a person is seeking personal freedom. It is ‘a subconscious statement of independence, a way of living by one’s own rules and not those imposed by society,’ says Enjuto. It is not simply untidiness, but another way of being in control.
