There are some mornings when we have a few minutes to spare and decide to use it wisely by quickly making our bed and straightening our pillows.

And then there are most other mornings when we leave our duvet trailing halfway across the floor and our pillows scattered haphazardly around the room.

Returning to the latter after a long day is never particularly appealing, but it turns out there's more to making your bed in the morning than how your bedroom looks after a day in the office.

According to William McRaven, a former United States Navy admiral, the small task does wonders for your sense of wellbeing as well as your productivity levels.

In his book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe the World, he explains that the small endeavour has a far-reaching effect.

"It was my first task of the day, and doing it right was important. It demonstrated my discipline," he wrote. ‘Making my bed was the one constant that I could count on every day."

"It showed my attention to detail and at the end of the day it would be a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of, no matter how small the task," he continued.

William, who now works as a chancellor at the University of Texas System, is keen to stress the positive impact of the task when chatting with students.

"And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made – that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better."

He has a point…