The older I get, the more I realize that the most precious commodity in life is time.

When I meet successful people from any field, I invariably marvel at their ability to juggle work, family, charitable, personal and social obligations. The quest is never-ending, frustrating and quite often fruitless, but I do strive to be more efficient in daily tasks.

That got me thinking about shaving in the shower.

I used to do that, on the premise that it saves time and because experts say that the steam from the shower softens the beard and makes for a better shave. I eventually got away from it, primarily because the handful of mirrors designed to help with the process failed on one (or both) of their primary functions: they either didn't stick to the wall or failed to remain fog-free.

It's ridiculous that companies can make shower mirrors with mp3 players and satellite TV hookups, but they can't keep them from getting foggy.

My Uncle Carl has been a "shower shaver" for years. I never talked to him about my dilemma, but somehow the topic came up during a recent family gathering and my father told me Carl's secret to success.

"No matter which one you buy, fog-free mirrors stink," the old man said. "They all fog up. But, Carl told me that if you put a drop of shampoo on your finger and run it across the mirror, it keeps it clear while you shave."

I tried it. It works. Now, I'm back to shaving in the shower and I've saved a few precious minutes from my morning routine. Now, I'll have more time to watch "Seinfeld" reruns, like the episode where Kramer tries to cook in the shower. He may have been on to something.