This post is all about self care ideas for men.
Let’s be honest: when we think of self care, we imagine a woman taking a bath or applying a face mask. And it’s unfair because self care is necessary part of being a healthy, fulfilled person.
That’s why we’ve brought together this list of self care ideas for men. You deserve to take care of yourself and take a break from work, school, and life to breathe for a moment.
Whether you want to incorporate a new activity in your routine to refresh your day or you want to take a day off and feel good again, this post is for you. Check out this list for simple, accessible activities that will help you prioritize your well-being.
This post is all about self care ideas for men.
SELF CARE IDEAS FOR MEN:
1. Go for a walk in nature
Reset your day and go for a walk outside. The nice thing about a walk in nature is that it’s easy for most people to do, low-commitment, and rewarding enough to make it worth it.
You might have to drive to find a park to visit or you might walk around your neighborhood. The important part is that you practice being present in the moment. Count the colors as you walk around. Notice what you smell, hear, and feel.
Take the time to get out of your head by acknowledging the nature around you.
2. Try meditation or deep breathing exercises
Cozy up to a guided meditation on the Internet or through an app like Calm or Headspace. Practice some deep breathing exercises in which you focus on controlling how you inhale and exhale, aiming to completely fill your chest in slow inhales that release in slow exhales.
Ultimately, you want to start by becoming aware of your breath and how you can control it to refocus your mind. When you put a hand to your chest or focus on how your body feels when you breathe in and out, you get your mind out of negative thought spirals.
3. Schedule a massage or spa day
Bring a partner or friend with you and relax. Find a local spa or schedule a massage with a local masseuse. Either way, the goal is to do something for you and try something different.
Spa days can cleanse your bodies with hot and warm saunas, plus you can get great treatments on your skin to rejuvenate you. This form of self care for men is all about doing what feels good because you deserve it.
4. Take a hot bath with Epsom salt and essential oils
No hot tub, no problem. Make your own hot tub by cranking up the temperature of your bath tub water and filling it up. Add some Epsom salt and essential oils to kick the relaxation up a notch.
Get in and enjoy as your muscles loosen up and your breathing slows. The temperature will naturally slow you down so it’ll be hard not to relax. The key is to find a time when you get take a bath uninterrupted. Enjoy!
5. Try yoga or stretching to release tension
Grab a mat or find a spot on the carpet to stretch out your body. If the thought of yoga stresses you out, that’s understandable. But, at the same time, yoga is really only about listening to the body as you move the body.
Stretching is another, possibly less intimidating way, to release the tension in your body. Focus on the parts of your body that hold tension. Think: shoulders, neck, back, or any locations of pain within your body.
6. Listen to relaxing music or a guided meditation
You can find multiple guided meditations for free on the internet. You can also opt for some relaxing music, preferably music with a soft beat that you don’t know by heart.
This way, you can focus on the sounds you’re hearing and take your focus from the world around you to the world in you. AKA: you can focus on your breathing and the thoughts in your head.
7. Treat yourself to your favorite food or drink
The phrase “treat yourself” couldn’t be more accurate than when it comes to self care. You always want to check in with your financial health and double check that this activity aligns with your financial goals.
However, you also want to check in with the accuracy of how you view your finances. For some of us, treating ourselves is something we should probably cut back on because we do it too frequently and impulsively.
For others, we think we do it too often when really we grew up in financially unstable families and believe we’re financially unstable when that’s not true.
8. Write in a journal or practice gratitude
Get yourself a cool-looking journal or use your phone and journal. It can be as open-ended or specific as you want. You can respond to a question like “What does wealth look like to me?” or “What does it mean to feel my feelings?”
Or you can write whatever you want to write about your day, week, or year. Start small, with something about the day, to get yourself started. From there, write as much as you want. I recommend setting a timer for five minutes because you should give it a fair shot.
You can also incorporate gratitude into your journaling practice by going through your day and finding three things you are grateful for. The more specific the better. Think “I’m grateful my partner made me tea today” instead of “I’m grateful for my partner.”
9. Take a nap or get a good night’s sleep
Give your body what it needs. The caveat to this is remembering that you might not understand it. You may have no clue why your body needs a three hour nap, but it definitely does based on you keep knocking out.
So, listen to your body. That starts with carving out the time you need to sleep. If you’re getting the sleep you need and you still don’t feel rested, maybe that’s a sign to give yourself more time to sleep.
10. Spend time with a close friend or family member
Go out with a loved one. Enjoy a night in with Netflix and a family member. Make a date out of it no matter who it is. Get snacks, food, drinks and enjoy yourself.
Whether you’re trying to reconnect with someone you’ve lost contact with or you’re trying to put effort into a strong relationship, be intentional about setting time aside for this. Prepare for it, go out of your way, and make it clear you value this time.
Not only does this help you keep your relationships strong, but it gives you time to just enjoy that person’s presence and whatever activity you’re doing with them.
11. Go for a run or workout
Run if you feel like it (you can go as slow or as fast you want). But, if you don’t work out regularly or struggle to get the motivation, focus on play first.
Think of ways that you already enjoy movement in your day and do those. For instance, you could dance to music or you could jump rope or you could play a video game that requires you to be active.
However you choose it, get your body moving because it will help reset your mind and get your mind and body on the same page.
12. Read a book or watch a movie
Pick up a book from Libby, a free app you can get with lots of library eBooks and audiobooks, or grab one from your bookshelf. If you’re not a reader, opt for a movie from a streaming service and put it on.
Either way, curl up with it, get a comforting beverage, and enjoy the process. Whether you’re reading or watching a movie, give yourself the chance to get lost in the plot.
13. Attend a therapy session or talk to a counselor
Unfortunately, self care also includes the stuff that hurts. Stuff that isn’t as fun or picturesque as curling up with a good book. That’s where therapy comes in. Here, at Knockoff Therapy, we 100% believe in therapy and wouldn’t be here without it.
Of course, it’s not accessible to everyone for lots of reasons that vary from cost to stigma. But, it’s still one of the most valuable ways to improve your mental health and feel less alone. When you’re using these great online resources, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
Therapy helps with that, so, if you’re able, schedule a session and see where it takes you. Keep in mind that it may take a few different therapists to find the one that works for you.
14. Practice self-compassion and forgive yourself for mistakes
Self-compassion is an ongoing practice you can do all the time, anytime, and, ideally, you do every time. There’s a lot we beat ourselves up over. And, we’re going to say it, we never deserve it. We screw up and there’s no getting around that.
But, we don’t get anywhere by beating ourselves up for our mistakes. Yes, we need to take responsibility, learn, and grow, but none of that has anything to do with beating ourselves up for them. So, be compassion towards yourself.
As hard as it is, learn what it feels like to forgive yourself for mistakes and work towards that everyday. The key: forgiving yourself for mistakes does not mean you’re not learning from them and making amends.
