Make Your Bed!!... Building Habits that last.

Paul Bevan
Aug 27
2 min read

We’re told to make our beds, brush our teeth, and eat our greens - because these habits are good for us. Exercise deserves the same place in our daily lives. Start small, build momentum, and before long, it will feel as natural as making your bed.

When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do? For many people, it’s making the bed. A small act, but a powerful one - it sets the tone for the day.

Habits like this become part of who we are. Just like brushing your teeth twice a day. You don’t question it, you don’t debate it, you just do it - because you know it’s good for your health.

So why isn’t exercise viewed the same way?

Habits Define Our Health

We often underestimate how small routines shape our lives. Having a biscuit every time you make a cup of tea doesn’t sound like much - but repeated daily, it becomes routine. The same applies to positive habits. If moving your body every day became as automatic as brushing your teeth, imagine the impact on your long-term health.

Exercise Should Be Non-Negotiable

We only get one body. Yet for some reason, exercise is still seen as optional, as something to “fit in” if you’ve got time. But movement is essential... not just for fitness goals, but for living longer, stronger, and healthier lives.

Exercise improves heart health, boosts mood, strengthens muscles and bones, and helps prevent disease. It’s not just about looking good... it’s about being well.

Teaching the Next Generation

We teach children to brush their teeth because we know the benefits. We tell them to make their beds to start the day right.

Why aren’t we teaching exercise the same way - as a daily ritual, something built into life from the very beginning?

Imagine if the next generation grew up seeing exercise not as a chore, but as normal.

Just part of life, like eating breakfast.

How to Build the Habit

The good news? Anyone can start to build these positive routines - it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are a few simple tools to make exercise part of your daily life:

Start Small: Don’t try to overhaul everything at once. Begin with 5 - 10 minutes of movement. Success builds momentum.
Habit Stacking: Attach exercise to something you already do. For example, stretch while the kettle boils, or do squats after brushing your teeth.
Make It Easy: Lay out your workout clothes the night before. The less effort it takes to start, the more likely you’ll do it.
Reward Yourself: Pair your workout with something positive - maybe a favourite podcast, or that first cup of coffee. Your brain will start to link exercise with pleasure.
Be Consistent, Not Perfect: Missing a day doesn’t mean you’ve failed. What matters is getting back on track.