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So how can one actually take only a three minute shower? Well, for starters, it does take a little work and practice. I timed myself taking a normal shower at the beginning of the week to give myself a rough idea of how much I needed to condense my time, and I ended up taking about a 13 minute shower. And it may not seem like that much, but ten minutes is a lot of time to cut out of a shower. It took me the whole week, but by Friday I was at least able to cut my shower to only five minutes long (which obviously isn’t three minutes, but pretty darn close, right?)
While some water conservation methods—like not letting the water run while you brush your teeth or simply shortening your shower time—may be no-brainers, taking exactly three minute showers takes quite a bit of creativity. I used to spend the first three minutes of my shower every morning just standing underneath the water trying to wake up. Now, I need to be clear-headed and completely aware of every move I make in order to make sure that I’m finished washing off within 180 seconds. I used to daydream and plan out my day while I took my morning showers, but now, I only have time to think about shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, and body wash.
Although there is no set time frame for and action to become a habit (typing it into Google I found it to be anywhere from 21 days to three months), I figure, after I’ve concentrated enough times on making myself only take three minute showers, it’s only a matter of time before it will become second-nature. And let’s say that it does take three whole months—or even longer—for me to automatically rush through my shower in three minutes. That’s three months out of 80 years of my entire life. That’s saving over 30,000 gallons of water per year over 79 years. That three months looks like a really good investment to save our environment.
Think you’re creative enough to take a three minute shower? Have you tried the Three Minute Shower Challenge? Leave a comment below, email me (at melanieshimano@jhu.edu), or give me a shout-out on twitter telling me your thoughts on the possibility of a three minute shower!
And don’t forget to send in your submissions to the Earth Lovers Three-Minute Shower Challenge Youtube Contest! Need some inspiration? Check out my video here.