Practicing Self-care for Men

One of the trendiest terms that has popped up over the past year or so is “self-care”. With all the chaos brought about by the global pandemic, including lockdowns and disruptions, it’s easy to see why. 

While it’s not discussed often among men, self-care is equally important for us. The concept may conjure images of pampering and bubble baths, but self-care isn’t limited to that. We need to widen our horizons and open our minds about this so we can make the most out of each day.

Different strokes for different folks 

Self-care for men can encompass any activity. Simply put, these are habits that allow you to recharge, get healthier, and face different challenges better. 

Here are some examples of self-care activities that men can do:

• Meditation
• Taking care of plants
• Working out
• Binge-watching your favorite show
• Getting a massage
• Reading books
• Doodling and other forms of artistic expression

 See? It doesn’t have to be too complicated. From playing video games to giving a room in your home a much-needed remodel, different activities can be treated as self-care. That’s as long as they meet the main criteria: allowing you to focus on yourself and be at your best.

Taking time for yourself 

Working from home has given many of us the luxury of time. Yet, a lot of the time we’ve gained back has been consumed by other things. Taking on bigger workloads to ensure sufficient productivity. Taking care of family members in the same household. Being paralyzed by day-to-day anxiety. A plethora of ‘adulting’ responsibilities. 

Make sure you cut through the tedium by taking some time out of each day for your own self-care. Regardless of your preferred activity, allotting time for yourself will surely make you feel better. This goes for the day-to-day and also when it comes to your long-term outlook and well-being.

Slow but sure 

Building a self-care habit does not happen overnight, especially if you’ve been neglecting to do so for far too long. Don’t try to overhaul your daily regimen right away. Slowly introduce some ways through which you can take a step back and breathe. 

Even 15 minutes to get away from the things that stress you out daily can do wonders for your sanity. Once you get a better feel for balancing activities, you can build on your self-care routine.

Compromises 

It won’t always be possible to indulge in self-care time. Some days are just too hectic, and some conditions just aren’t right. From time to time, we will need to make some compromises in order to fulfill our duties. Accomplishing our tasks and taking care of responsibilities do come with their own feelings of satisfaction. So, don’t worry about that occasional missed self-care session, that will only make the next one worth the wait. 

There are often misconceptions that pop up in our heads when we hear the term “self-care.” The important thing is to move past that and recognize that self-care is an important aspect of living your best life. Taking time out of your schedule for self-care benefits you daily as well as in the long run. Getting in tune with yourself and taking care of your health and well-being is the key to a life well-lived.