5 Self-Care Tips for the Modern Man
When most people think of self-care, it may involve picturing a woman in a bathrobe relaxing by candlelight and a face mask. We need to change this perception of “self-care” in modern times and realize that men need to do some self-care too. Most men need to work especially hard to take charge of caring for themselves. Instead of defining ourselves only in terms of work and productivity, we must embrace other parts of ourselves that make us who we are and most importantly, makes us happy.
Here are 5 ways that the modern man can practice self-care:
Make time for yourself. The first step to self-care is making time for it. It's easy to get caught off guard in your daily routine but making self-care a priority is essential. Self-care can be practiced anywhere. If you enjoy music, you can listen to your favorite album on your daily commute. Alternatively, if you know that you feel better physically and mentally when you take a few hours a week to get to the gym, then do it! Making time for yourself isn’t selfish, it is necessary in order for you to be your best.
Engage with others. Taking the time to engage with people in your life that you care about and respect is an important aspect of self-care. Maintaining meaningful relationships has been shown to positively influence mental health. This allows you to escape the daily routine that might cause you to burn out. This will increase your wellbeing, mood, and productivity.
Embrace both physical and mental health. Your health needs to be a priority in your life. This might mean taking a few minutes before you go to sleep or when you wake up in the morning to be aware of how you’re feeling and making plans to remedy any issues you may come upon. For example, are you stressed out about work? Are you having a hard time getting a good night’s sleep? Are you engaging in unproductive worry? There are tangible steps to help you from mindfulness practices to engaging with a mental health professional.
Find passion and connection. Making time to engage in activities that you are passionate about, such as reading your favorite magazines, watching your favorite sports teams play, or even playing a favorite sport or past-time, is important to build into your schedule even if in small increments. Knowing what brings you joy can help increase your overall wellbeing.
Know your burnout signs. Take note of when you are not feeling like yourself in order to avoid “burnout,” or reaching a physical or mental state that would take you some time to recover from. If you feel constantly on edge or under pressure, your lifestyle habits may suffer — and so might your immune system. Take steps to reduce stress — or learn to deal with stress in healthy ways. Learn to identify when it may be time for you to take a mental health day or to schedule a half hour to yourself that can help you “reset”.
Here are some more things that you can do to take care of your health:
Eat healthy and get active.
If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation.
Quit smoking.
Know your family's health history.
See a doctor for regular checkups even if you feel healthy.
Get screening tests to check for health problems early on.
Make sure you're up to date on your shots.
