Men, Women, and the Art of Getting Out the Door

The other morning, I was getting ready for work, my husband standing next to me, calmly brushing his teeth… as if brushing his teeth was the final step before walking out the door. And within minutes — truly, minutes — he was showered, dressed, and ready to take on the day.

Meanwhile, I was still somewhere between “Have I moisturised properly?” and “Why does my hair look like this today?” It got me thinking… how do men make it look so easy? Because a woman’s morning is not just a “get ready” — it is practically a full production. Now, to be fair, I am not always this chaotic - I can be out the door in fifteen minutes if I have to — but given the chance, I will absolutely turn a simple morning into a full production.

It starts simply enough. Teeth brushed, fine. Then the shower - which, for us, is never just a shower. It is shampoo, conditioner, shaving the relevant areas, and maybe a bit of exfoliation.

Next comes that in-between stage - the towel-turban moment - where the real work quietly begins. Skincare layers, each one with hope attached: cleanse, moisturise, something for the neck (because many women forget this part), a little dab of eye cream (I wistfully call it my ‘wrinkle eraser’)…

By the time our faces are ready for makeup - foundation, a touch of colour, something to make us look vaguely awake - we have already put in a solid shift.

Finally… the hair. Some days, the hair wins, and we just put it up in a "strategic" bun..

All of this… while my husband has somehow already reached the “Where are my keys?” stage.

Even getting dressed feels like two completely different experiences. I can stand in front of a wardrobe full of clothes and feel like I have absolutely nothing to wear. There is trying on, taking off, reconsidering, standing in different lights. He? Picks a shirt. Done. Outfit sorted.

Packing for a trip is where our differences really shine. I start the day before, mentally preparing for every possible scenario. What if it rains? What if it is freezing? What if I suddenly need that one sweater I have not worn since 2012? Half the medicine cabinet goes in too – because you never know. By the time I am done, I could probably survive a minor emergency.

My husband? He packs in ten minutes. No stress, no overthinking. Just a blind confidence that whatever he threw in that bag will be perfectly adequate. And the annoying part? It always is.

Shopping is another experience altogether. I walk into a store with a list on my phone and somehow turn it into an exploration that lasts at least an hour and somehow leave with things that were absolutely not on the list but suddenly felt essential. He walks in like he is on a timed mission. Straight to the item. Grab. Pay. Exit. I am still in aisle three, comparing options.

And at the end of the day, when everything finally slows down, we land in two very different places again. He can fall asleep within seconds — book in hand, lights out, done. I, on the other hand, seem to begin a whole new shift just as my head hits the pillow. Adjusting, fluffing, setting alarms, applying hand cream… and then, of course, the thinking begins. All the things I didn’t do. All the things I need to do. Random thoughts from three days ago suddenly feeling urgent. Sleep arrives slowly.

And yet… despite all these differences, or maybe because of them, there is something quite lovely about it. Life would be very dull if we all moved through it in exactly the same way. There is something comforting in the contrast - the calm next to the chaos, the simplicity next to the detail. We balance each other out, even when it looks completely mismatched from the outside. And if nothing else, it gives us plenty to laugh about.

Because really… if we can’t laugh about it, what is the point?

Here is to the wonderfully complicated, slightly chaotic, always entertaining dance between men and women - may we keep each other on our toes (and occasionally waiting by the door).

💌 Before You Go

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So, I have to know - who is the 'calm' and who is the 'chaos' in your house? Are you the one standing by the door with your keys, or the one still in a towel-turban wondering where the morning went? Tell me your funniest 'getting ready' stories in the comments!"

— Frannie ☕