These simple shortcuts will streamline your steps, unclutter your shelves, and make every minute (and product) count.
- Prep the night before to avoid the morning scramble. In the evening, set out your clothes and shoes and pack your bag for the next day. Make or at least plan for breakfast and brown-bag lunches.
- Multitask in the shower. When shampooing, treat yourself to a scalp massage. While your conditioner does its job, lather up your body (and do any shaving) and detangle your hair. End with a blast of cold water to tone your face (hot water can dry out skin) and give shine to hair.
- Buff as you dry. One of the simplest exfoliants is your towel. Use it to remove dead skin cells and allow young ones to reach the surface. Start at your feet and work in an upward direction to keep skin taut.
- Cut drying time and protect your tresses. Blow-drying sopping-wet hair causes more damage than good, and takes much longer. Instead, wrap your hair in a towel and go about your beauty routine. This way you can also blow hair dry in a steam-free bathroom (less frizz), or let air-dry.
- Combine makeup and sunscreen in a single step. For fail-safe coverage, mix a few drops of your regular foundation into a dollop of tinted sunscreen (at least SPF 15).
- Brush lips along with teeth. Use the toothbrush’s bristles to gently scrub your lips, making your lips soft and supple, and your lipstick apply more evenly.
5. practice mindfulness
Being present yields better focus, greater clarity, and improved mental and emotional well-being. When you are struggling to be productive or stuck in a negative-thought loop, look to the following tips for a healthful solution.
Breathe deeply
Even 25 minutes a day of meditation, with breath as a key component, can reduce stress.
- Block out periods of time—5 to 15 minutes, morning and afternoon—on your calendar; or at least build in a few minutes here and there throughout the day.
- You can meditate just as effectively sitting at a desk or lying in the grass. Put your phone on airplane mode (and keep it out of eyesight) until you’re done.
- Allow your breath to naturally get deeper and slower and smoother—don’t try to force it. This alone will help take your mind to a quieter place.
- When your mind begins to wander (it happens), refocus on your breathing. Think of it as developing a discipline of concentration, which will help you be in the moment and experience greater awareness.
- To ease you into the practice, download an app with guided meditations or sign up for a local class.