The Magic of the Mid-Day Shower

A simple way to reset your day and increase productivity

Photo by Chandler Cruttenden on Unsplash

Let’s get personal today. Let’s talk about our hygiene habits!

I specifically want to talk about showering. It may be a non-negotiable part of your morning or evening routine. But I want to examine the benefits of the mid-day shower.

The Standard Shower Schedule

Obviously, everyone will have a different schedule. Maybe you like to take a shower before work and you need to be at work at 9am. So that becomes your default time to take a shower. Or some people think it’s a great way to unwind before bed. I think for a lot of parents, you just take a shower whenever you get a bit of free time away from the kids!

Like most of the things I write about, let’s examine this through the eyes of a modern knowledge worker. Let’s assume that you’re working remotely and don’t need to be at a given office at a specific time. Then what time do you shower? Do you still do it first thing in the morning? Do you feel unable to work until you’ve cleaned up and gotten dressed after a rinse? Or are you the type that can just jump right into work without a shower?

Let’s not forget about the other factor here. Working out! Some folks won’t shower until after they’ve done a workout. Gotta earn that shower after breaking a sweat. But then when are you able to fit in that workout? In the morning? After dinner? Whenever you can?

I’m asking a lot of hypothetical questions on this subject just to setup how I feel about it. I love the mid-day shower.

Rethink Your Shower Schedule

For the past few years, I have worked remotely with no physical office space to visit. Maybe this affords me a bit more flexibility with my schedule. It’s a flexibility that I appreciate and I don’t take for granted. It allows me to structure my day (and my showers) in a way that suits me best.

When I did go to an office, I would usually start my day with some sort of exercise. Typically it would be a run, maybe some weight training or yoga. Then the shower would naturally fit in after the workout and before heading to the office. I think that’s probably how most people operate right?

But then I became a Dad and started working remotely. My shower schedule was turned on its head! I would frantically try to find free time whenever I could. This really helped me rethink the standard shower schedule.

I’ll pick another time to examine my full morning routine, but it no longer includes a shower. I’ve found that mornings are typically my most productive time. And nothing against showering, but it’s not the type of task that requires a whole lot of brain power. So it felt natural for me to shift it to a later time in the day that better fit my circadian rhythm.

What Works for Me

I’ve done the night time shower and it’s just not for me. There will be times when I go on an evening run that requires a rinse before bed. Even if I’m using warm water and dimming the lights, the shower still wakes me up and makes it harder to get to sleep at night. Well, then why don’t I just start taking showers during the mid-day/afternoon lull when I could use a pick-me-up? What a great idea!

Yes, these days a majority of my showers take place between 12-4pm. I know this sounds preposterous to some people. Blasphemy! But it allows me to maximize my morning work hours without too many distractions and gives me the chance to fit in a lunch time run or workout. After a refreshing/recharging rinse (preferably with some cool/cold water at times) I’m ready to tackle any remaining projects in the late afternoon with a new-found energy. Some days that will be meetings, writing, or just having more energy when picking up my daughter from school or cooking dinner.

Many workers complain about a post-lunch drop in energy or productivity. The mid-day shower has been the perfect antidote to that for me! I’ve written about taking notes in the shower and I find them to be the place where plenty of good ideas come to light. Yes, it’s a physical hygiene thing, but you’re also cleansing your brain in a way. You’re leaving behind whatever work you were doing before the shower and coming out of it with a fresh perspective. It’s a break, a meditation, a way to revive all of your senses!

What Works for You?

And I know there may be times when your schedule can’t accommodate this, and that’s ok. But I’d suggest taking a look at your calendar for next week to see if there are some windows of time to test out the mid-day shower.

And if you do need to be in a physical office, is there a shower on the premises? I’ve worked in a few offices that had showers and I always applauded those who would do a mid-day workout and make use of them. If there isn’t an on-site shower, could you use one at a nearby gym?

When are you all taking your showers? Are we close enough yet to share this information? Feel free to leave a comment or respond to the email with your thoughts!

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Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!