How to Get a Shower Done in 5 Minutes or Less (Girls)

It’s difficult to be efficient and disciplined enough to take a shower in 5 minutes or less. Especially if you’re a girl and have long hair, going through your whole hair routine that quickly can be a challenge, particularly if you also do things like shave your legs during your shower. Even though it may seem impossible to do everything in under 5 minutes, there are several ways to pace yourself as your showering, as well as things that you can do before or after the shower to save time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting the Shower Ready

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1
Turn on the shower in advance. If you’re trying to cut your shower time, you can start before you even get in the water. If it takes a long time to get the warm water running, turn the water on a minute or so in advance.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Instead of standing around and waiting for the shower to warm up, you can brush your teeth, plan your outfit, or do other things to pass the time so that your waiting time doesn’t feel like part of your shower.
A good way to ensure that you don’t waste time in your shower is to get organized. If you have a lot of products crowding your shower rack, pick out the toiletries that you use on a regular basis and place them in an easily accessible part of your shower.^{[2]XResearch source}
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3
Set up a reward for yourself. One thing that can motivate you to speed up your shower is to set up a post-shower reward. This can be effective tool because getting out of a warm shower is easier if there is something there to motivate you.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Sometimes the dread of feeling the cold air can make you dilly dally in the shower. If your house is cold, make sure you have a warm clothes waiting for you when you get out.
- You can also set up coffee to brew or hot chocolate to heat up while you are taking your shower as motivation to get out.
4
Turn on a short playlist. A shower playlist is a great way to time your shower in a low-pressure and fun way. Put together a playlist that is five minutes long or a few seconds within 5 minutes. This playlist will help you pace your shower so you know roughly how much time you have left.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Try to pick upbeat music as opposed to sad, slow songs. Listening to slow songs while showering can make you move in a slower pace while you shower.
5
Turn on a five minute timer. If you want to take timing your shower one step further, turn on a stopwatch or a cooking timer right as you start the shower and keep it in an easily accessible place next to the shower.^{[5]XResearch source}
- You can also use a waterproof clock or wristwatch so that you can prop it up in the shower and keep your eye on it.
- If you don’t have a waterproof clock, place it on the sink or somewhere that you can see it if you pull back the shower curtain. This way you can check on the time if you want to during the shower.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Speeding up Your Shower Routines

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Having a regular shower routine can keep you at a steady pace and on schedule. Try to do your shower activities in the same order so that you don’t even have to hesitate or think about what you are doing.^{[6]XResearch source}
Try to maximize the time that you have in the shower by consolidating some of your shower activities! For instance, you apply and rub shampoo into your hair, then wash your body while you let the shampoo cleanse your hair. Once you finish washing, you can rinse the shampoo out of your hair and then apply your conditioner, then multitask in a similar way while the conditioner soaks into your hair.^{[7]XResearch source}
Shampooing and conditioning your hair is often what takes the largest chunk of time in the shower, especially if you have particularly long hair. To cut the time it takes to wash your hair, use a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. These products can be equally as effective as using two separate products, and they can shave off a significant amount of time from your shower.^{[8]XResearch source}
Another great way to keep on schedule is to decide roughly how long you want to spend on each shower activity. For instance, you may decide to spend two minutes applying shampoo and washing your body, one minute rinsing out your shampoo and applying conditioner, and two minutes finishing washing your body and rinsing out your conditioner.
5
Turn down the water temperature. If you’re really serious about shortening the time of your shower, consider turning down the temperature of the water midway through the shower. A hot, luxurious shower can be difficult to get out of, but if you turn down the water temperature to a temperature that is not as comfortable, it can be a powerful motivation to get out quicker.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Never turn the water to a temperature that is too uncomfortable. Instead, turn the water from hot to lukewarm, rather than freezing.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Changing Your Showering Habits

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1
Don’t wash your hair every shower. If you shower every day, remember that it’s not necessary to wash your hair during every shower. In fact, most experts agree that most people do not need to wash their hair every day, and that daily washings can strip essential oils from your hair that keep your hair and scalp healthy.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Unless you have a very oily scalp or exercise and sweat a significant amount, you probably don’t need to wash your hair every day. Try to wash every other day instead.
- Not washing your hair can cut your showering time significantly, even by half.
- To keep your hair fresh in between washes, you can use a dry shampoo to minimize oil. Though dry shampoo can be helpful occasionally between washes, you shouldn't depend on it to take the place of actually washing your hair.^{[11]XResearch source}
Some people wash their face or even brush their teeth in the shower. These are both things that you can do outside the shower so that you don’t waste your precious shower time. Brush your teeth either before or after taking the shower, and wash your face directly after the shower as opposed to before since the heat of the water helps to open up your pores.^{[12]XResearch source}
3
Shave the night before or after your shower. Shaving your legs and underarms can take a long time, especially if you do a careful and thorough job. Instead of shaving while you are in the shower, consider shaving the night before.^{[13]XResearch source}
- To shave the night before, sit at the edge of your shower and wet your legs, underarms, or wherever else you may regularly shave with warm water. Apply shaving cream and shave carefully, adding water or shaving cream to any dry areas as needed.
- Shaving while sitting down can allow you to do a better and more thorough job than you might do while in the shower while you are standing.

Expert Q&A

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Question
What should I use if I have dry skin, sensitive skin, or a skin condition, like eczema?
Naomi Elza
Esthetician
Naomi Elza is an Esthetician based in Beverly Hills, California. Naomi operates Beauty Factory Beverly Hills, a spa that offers a variety of facials and other skin treatments. She has been an esthetician for over 10 years and helps clients with issues including acne, hyperpigmentation, and dehydrated skin. She enjoys helping individuals find skincare solutions tailored to their needs. She attended Lu Roth Academy to become an Esthetician.
Naomi Elza
Esthetician
Expert Answer
If your skin is dry, or sensitive, or if you have eczema, I recommend shower cream.
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How do I resist wading in the warm water?
Community Answer
Try timing yourself to be faster each time, which will limit the time you have to "wade in the water." Also, remind yourself that your feet are wallowing in the dirt you've just washed off and the longer the feet wade in that water, the wrinklier they'll get.
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Is there a fast way to dry hair?
LPS NatureBlue
Community Answer
Yes. A hair drier is a very fast way, but is not the best for your hair if you are doing it every day. It is perfectly fine and healthy for your hair to leave it damp after towel-drying.
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Tips

If it helps, ask someone like a parent or roommate to hold you accountable. Ask them to knock on the door when the five minutes are up.
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Stay focused in the shower. It’s easy to daydream or not think at all when you are showering, but remember to focus your energy on cutting the length of your shower.
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