Time saving hair tips

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good hair hack or styling shortcut.

I’ve been reading a lot on productivity lately, and the way to create more time for the things that matter is to get clear on your priorities.

So how does your hair fit into that?

People often assume that because I write a beauty site that I’m obsessed with all things beauty. I guess I’m a little more beauty obsessed than the average, but my real motivation is saving time.

I braid my hair because it’s quicker than washing my hair.

Every day when I can braid my hair instead of washing it, I save at least 20 minutes. Sometimes it’s even over an hour of my time!

If I washed my hair every day, then I would forever be running late.

On the days when I’m not washing my hair, my updos save me precious minutes of time I could better spend doing… well, anything else.

My fast and easy go-to hairstyle tutorials

With practice, you can be super fast in styling your own hair too.

It all starts with choosing a simple style to practise. Here are 8 of my easiest hairstyle tutorials:

• A new twist on the Topsy Tail
• Easy plaited updo
• The half-up twist
• 1 minute flipped ponytail
• 1 minute braided bun in curly hair
• 3 easy hairstyles in under 3 minutes

If you’re a complete beginner, I recommend choosing one or two styles and learning how to do them quickly in your hair.

Once you’ve mastered these styles, you can start learning a new hairstyle. Before you know it, you’ll have a range of styles in your hair-drobe you can wear every day of the week.

Speed up your morning routine

Plan ahead

To help me get going in the morning, I often plan what style I want to wear the night before or as I get up. I can tell if I need to wash my hair or if it’ll still look good for one more day.

Apply dry shampoo before bed

Spritz your hair with dry shampoo at night to wake up with “fresh” bed head hair that looks good.

Clip up your hair at night

When my hair is curly, I sleep with it clipped up. That way I know I’ll wake up with great curly hair and only need to the minimum to restyle them.

Set up a mini hair station

Your mini hair-station could be in your bathroom or bedroom. Wherever you get ready in the morning, create a central hub for all your hair needs.

In my bathroom, I have a container with my hair elastics and bobby pins so that everything I need is on hand.

You can keep it together in a pretty tray like on Pinterest, or just in your drawer. I keep all my go-to styling products there as well.

How to never lose your hair pins

I’m sure that fairies come and steal all of my hair pins if I leave them around, so I make sure to put all my pins back in the one place in a bathroom drawer so it’s easier to find them.

Tip: Glue a magnet in the base of your pot for hairpins! They will stick inside and not stray all through your drawer.

How to practise new hairstyles

Always practise when there is no pressure.

If you’re on a time limit or you’re in a rush, this is not the time to start with a new hair tutorial.

I never usually follow my own advice on this point. I am guilty of trying a new style when I’m getting ready for a night out. It creates no end of stress, and I get frustrated and end up running late and leaving with my hair in a bun.

Take it from me; the best time to practise is in the afternoon or evening when you have free time. Try while you’re watching TV or a movie. You can keep practising until you feel confident to try the style under pressure.

Tell me, do you have any time-saving hair tips? Share them in the comments below!