I’M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO’S ALWAYS RUNNING LATE.
Oh, I’m rarely ACTUALLY late, I hasten to add. No, my particular brand of lateness is the kind that makes me just late enough to be always rushing out of the house while still buttoning up my shirt, but not late enough to miss my appointment. So, it’s the really annoying kind, in other words.
Try as I might, I just can’t seem to get it together enough to start getting ready a little bit earlier, so I’ve been forced to learn how to get ready in a hurry instead. Here are a few of my tips for those of you who, like me, are always going to have to hit the “snooze” button one last time…
// GO MINIMAL
The minimal lifestyle might be super-trendy right now, but it’s also a huge help to the perpetually late. Clear your closet of everything you don’t wear, and empty out your makeup bag, until all that’s left are the products you use every day. Not only will you feel a whole lot lighter, you’ll also find it much easier to get ready in the morning when you don’t have to rummage through tons of clothes and beauty products to find what you’re looking for. It’s good to have a lot of choices in life, but when it comes to your wardrobe, it can be very freeing to go minimal, and reduce the number of decisions you have to make every day.
// KEEP EVERYTHING YOU NEED CLOSE AT HAND
This point goes hand-in-hand with the point above it: so, once you’ve had your big clear-out, your next step is to organise everything so it’s easy to find and access. If that lipstick you need is always buried at the back of the bathroom cabinet, for instance, it’s time to have a re-think about how that cabinet is arranged, and make sure the things you need are always close at hand, so you don’t have to search for them. If space is an issue, and you can’t come up with a way to organise everything effectively, try making some time each night to lay out the clothes and products you’ll need in the morning: yes, it takes a bit of planning, but better to invest the time NOW, rather than having to do it when you’re already running late!
// HAVE A GO-TO OUTFIT YOU CAN ALWAYS RELY ON
I talk a lot here about fashion uniforms and style “formulas”, but I make no apology for that, because developing a “uniform” of sorts will really help save your sanity on those busy weekday mornings. Your “Go-To” outfit is the one you find yourself reaching for on days when you just don’t know what else to wear: the one you always feel good in, and which works for almost everything. Once you’ve found it, make sure you keep it clean and ready to wear at a moment’s notice – you might even want to consider investing in multiples, if it’s something you REALLY love.
// GET A GREAT HAIRCUT
Sick of having to spend time styling your hair every day? Yeah, me too. Minimise this particular time-suck by investing in the kind of cut that looks good without much maintenance. Failing that, learn how to do a simple updo – a sleek ponytail or messy bun, say – which you can throw together fast, but still look like you’ve made an effort.
// DRY SHAMPOO IS A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND
STILL no time for your hair? Buy a bottle of dry shampoo and keep it on your handbag, your car, your desk drawer – or maybe even keep one in each: you will not regret it.
// PAY REGULAR VISITS TO THE BEAUTY SALON
If you’re always in a rush, you probably think you don’t have time for trips to the salon, but a visit every six weeks to have your eyelashes dyed and your brows shaped will save you tons of time in the longrun – and you’ll be glad you did it next time you’re running late, and can skip a whole part of your usual beauty routine!
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