Category: Environment
Challenge: Master the 4 minute shower
Sponsor: Chivas Skin Care
Action: There's a new sheriff in town, and his name is Scooter. Stepped in when it was cold as ice, soaped and scrubbed, enjoyed 20 seconds of hot!
Scott's Thoughts
The makings of a 1 minute 19 second shower.
First, I must confess I enjoy a long shower. I find it relaxing to stand beneath a pour
of hot water and let the stresses of the day drip away. Based on this, it’s a good
thing that Bolder challenges me to rethink my everyday actions and inspires me
to make minor changes, that over the long run, could create a significant, positive
impact.
The truth is, whether I take a long shower or a short shower, there is no real impact
on the quality of life I lead. I am likely not any more cleanly, fragrant, or relaxed
in my everyday dealings. I recognize this. No one needs to convince me of it.
However, I’m American, and furthermore, I’m spoiled. I overlook the luxuries I have
on a daily basis. I would normally take a much longer shower simply because it is a
habit I have created. For many areas of the world, the notion of a hot shower for any
period of time is a luxury.
Despite my casual lifestyle and tendencies towards comfort and leisure, I am well
versed in a sub-four-minute shower. I grew up in Hawaii, and as a result, I spent a
lot of time at the beach. In Hawaii, most of the beaches have public showers. After
surfing or swimming in the water, it was always necessary to shower to prevent
a sand dune from building up on the bottom of my car. The public showers didn’t
have heated water, and were often very cold as the sun set. By default, I had no
option but to take a quick shower, as I couldn’t bare the cold water for more than a
couple minutes.
When I saw this challenge on bolder and I didn’t see anyone going under the 2
minute mark, I knew it was time to step up to the plate. I was certain I could fully
shower, soap, and scrub myself in less than 2 minutes. The plan was executed to
perfection:
Step 1: Undress and set timer
Step 2: Turn on shower
Step 3: Jump in
Step 4: Shiver and get wet
Step 5: Soap and shampoo
Step 6: Scrub like a mad man
Step 7: Rinse
Step 8: Turn it off
Boom! 1 minute 19 seconds.
I came out smelling great and feeling great. I should note that my shower typically
takes a minute to warm up. So it was mostly a cold ride to victory. If you want to
master the 2-minute shower, you’re likely going to have to jump in when it’s cold. If
you simply want to go sub 4 minutes, well the second place medal is resting on the
hot water handle.
Tips on how to shorten your shower:
• Get in when it’s still cold. It will wake you up and give you that fresh feeling.
• Get your soap ready before hand. If you use a scrubber, soap it up in
advance.
• You don’t always have to shampoo! For most hair, it’s best to shampoo every
2 or 3 days so that your hair can build up its natural oils.
• Don’t waste time rinsing. You only need to wash off the soap, and that
usually washes off pretty quick.
It is possible to take a shower even faster than the time I posted. For anyone who
has ever lived in an environment where water is a scarcity, you probably already
know how to take a 1-minute shower or less. There is one trick you could use
to save a lot of water and easily shorten your shower time, even if you like a hot
shower. When you are soaping up and scrubbing, turn off the water. Only use water
when you need it, to get wet and to wash off.
Now it’s time for me to go running and get dirty. Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment