Taking Care of Yourself – 5 Self-care Tips for Men

Proper self-care and maintaining your physical and mental well-being through self-care practices have mostly been a domain of women for the major part of human history. It was considered to be “unmanly” and “feminine” for guys to indulge in relaxing baths or taking ‘mental health days’ off work.

Even basic hygiene practices, such as being adamant about picking out the best razor for men or using high-quality, top-shelf skincare products have usually been under heavy scrutiny. Men weren’t supposed to be considerate of their own comfort and well-being. Hard work, rough mannerisms, and overcoming discomfort with ease have been the staples of what it means to be a man for hundreds of years.

Thankfully, with the advent of the 21st century, we’ve entered a much more progressive and understanding era of human civilization. With all of the advances we’ve made towards being a more considerate society, men’s self-care has ceased to be a taboo and is finally a legitimate topic that deserves to be addressed without ridicule.

Obviously, self-care means different things to men than it does to women. However nice and relaxing, SPA days and skincare routines might not be what guys seek out when trying to restore their physical and mental acumen after a long day at work or a particularly tough week. If you’re struggling with coming up with self-care routines on your own, keep reading to see how you can take better care of yourself, both physically and mentally.

Come Up with a Workout Routine and Stick to It

It might seem obvious to some of you, but the importance of exercise is not to be overlooked. Especially when it comes to the best self-care practices, it doesn’t get much more beneficial than pushing yourself to the limits of your physical ability. Not only will a solid workout regiment improve your physique, but it will also release endorphins, which are part of a group of the so-called ‘happy hormones.’ Runner’s high, as well as the general post-workout feeling of content, are both attributed to endorphins.

Exerting the muscles and tiring yourself out may not sound too pleasant at first, but heavy workouts or long runs are some of the best ways to make yourself feel better and restore balance to your life.

Watch What You Eat, but Don’t Miss Out on Cheat Days

Keeping a balance between eating well and enjoying your food is a fundamental component of a healthy lifestyle. You don’t want to overindulge and stuff your face with sweet and savory snacks on a daily basis, but you shouldn’t torture yourself and never get to enjoy a cheeseburger or a chocolate bar ever again.

On the one hand, maintaining a healthy diet is essential to keeping your body well-nourished and safe from the health hazards posed by surviving off of fast food and carbohydrate-heavy dishes. On the other hand, keeping strict diet restrictions even during your days off and holidays may have a detrimental effect on your mental health. The cravings for something sugary or that mouth-watering burger you’ve seen in an ad may prove to be too strong and turn you into an irritable, hangry excuse for a human being. Enjoying yourself is a key aspect of self-care and shouldn’t be forgotten in the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.

Decrease Your Workload

If you feel like the stress and pressure of all your professional responsibilities are getting to you, it may be time to reconsider your career choices. Crippling anxiety and the fear of underperforming are common conditions in modern society. You should talk to your boss about lightening your workload, and if you’re self-employed, consider hiring an extra person to make your workdays a little easier.

Make Time for Your Friends and Family

Human beings are social creatures. It has already become a cliche at this point, but there is no going around it. We need other people’s company to function properly, and long periods of touch without interacting with your friends or family can mess up your mood and put you in a really dark place.

Entertainment Is Not a Waste of Time

In pursuit of a hot-shot career or a better salary, you may be tempted to disregard any and all forms of entertainment as a mindless time-wasting activity. It’s a dangerous assumption – you need a break from work and self-improvement from time to time. Constantly working may lead to yourself burning out and not performing as well as you would. Video games, TV shows, or sporting events are all viable ways of spending your free time, provided that they don’t clash with other responsibilities.

Final Thoughts

Although self-care is a necessary part of every person’s life, you need to be careful not to overindulge in pleasure and relaxation and use self-care as an excuse not to pursue your career and self-improvement. As with everything in life, balance is key.  It’s really easy to steer off the right path, but insanely difficult to get back on it. Without proper discipline, self-care can quickly become self-destruction.

Maciej Grzymkowski