Self-Care for Men
For so long, there has been a stigma against men having emotions and how they process them. Just as women take time (at least they should) for self-care, men should too! It can help improve your mental health and relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Self-care is simply allocating time daily and weekly to pause everything else in your life and focus solely on yourself.
There are a few different areas of self-care. Below are my favorite things to do to help manage my emotions and allocate time to myself. They can help you mentally and physically!
Relaxation
Light candles
Do your skincare routine or facemasks
Practice self reflection
Process your emotions
Listen to music
Living space
Keep your place clean and organized
Add comfortable things to your space such as blankets and candles
Physical
Lifting
Running
Meditation
Yoga
Drink water
Add fruits and vegetables to your everyday diet
Maintaining a healthy work/life balance
Take mental health days when needed
Set clear boundaries- when you are off the clock, focus on your personal life
Take your work breaks- don't work through them
Use your work breaks- get up and move around, meditate, reflect on how your day is going and what you could change or improve
Men are oftentimes put down for not being "masculine" enough which causes them to put off self care. Try doing the things listed above as opposed to playing video games, turning on your tv, or using drugs/alcohol to (not really) deal with your emotions. Men and women deserve to take time for self-care.