Self-Care For The Modern Man

Self-care has always been important, the term itself says it all. Some may think self-care is only having your nails done but it goes beyond that. Making sure that your mind and body are in the right place is a step toward your well-being, why not take it?

Including burnout and anxiety into lack of self-care, it’s estimated that 1 in 8 men in England has a common mental health problem (source). Men are more likely to report lower levels of life satisfaction than women in general.

Societal pressures and toxic masculinity all play their part in men feeling under pressure, unable to talk about the way they feel, and without a way to truly take care of their mind, body, and emotions for their own health. This needs to change. It’s time for men to ensure that their holistic needs are met and to be able to put more thought into building healthy routines.

If you’ve never thought about self-care, or have decided that it isn’t something for you, then let’s open up the conversation about how men can (and should) enjoy self-care, and how it should be something that you can incorporate across your life.

The Value Of Self-Care

What comes to mind when you think about self-care? A spa day? Candles and a bubble bath? An early night or healthy eating? While these can all be types of self-care, it actually goes much further than that.

Self-care is health, simple. It means taking care of yourself so that you can stay healthy, happy, and well. It’s about recharging, recentering, and achieving a balance between your physical, mental, and emotional needs. It’s taking the time to do what makes you feel your best and ready to handle life in a calm and resilient way.

When it comes to self-care, there are a few different forms it can take. For some, it centres on wellness and healthy habits. Men's self-care essentials for a healthy routine could be eating healthy, getting regular exercise, spending time outdoors, cutting out alcohol, taking up meditation, speaking to a therapist, or as simple as just getting enough sleep.

All of these activities have a positive impact on your health and life. They also release dopamine — also known as the ‘happy hormone’ — in the body, which helps boost your mood.

Self-care isn’t just about traditionally ‘healthy’ activities either. Self-esteem, confidence and self-worth all go hand-in-hand with self-care too. Sometimes taking extra effort to look and feel your best can make a huge difference to your daily life too.

Whether it’s taking five minutes extra in the morning to style your hair, jumping in a sauna at the gym or taking the time to start a skincare routine, it all contributes to a better version of yourself. Sometimes just taking time for yourself is the biggest act of self-care you can give yourself. We've put together 10 self-care tips to boost your mental health if you need some tips on what to do to get started.

The Indirect Value Of Routine

43% of men in the UK admit to regularly feeling low (source). This is where self-care, healthy habits and routines can really help with your overall well-being. Building up a regular routine including activities you enjoy, can really benefit how you feel.   

Having positive routines in place will not only make you feel good but it will also improve your interaction and relationships with others, will help you reduce and manage stress, and improve your coping mechanisms (source). They can also help you to feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment, along with releasing natural endorphins in the body. 

The best daily routine for the modern man can be anything that you enjoy and makes you feel good. Whether it’s a tried-and-tested ritual you have before a big game or meeting, making more of an effort with your exercise routine or simply having a long bath. It's important to remember that it doesn’t need to be complicated. Forming habits can be quite simple.

If you’re someone who struggles to maintain a routine, or starts out with the best of intentions but soon finds themselves falling back into old habits, then here are some tips on how to stick with a routine:

• Be realistic. Sometimes starting small and building it up is far more sustainable than going all in, and saying you’ll go for a run at 6:00 am might be hard work if you’re more of a night owl.
• Set small goals and targets for yourself. This can make your routine feel less overwhelming than looking at one distant goal. 
• Make a plan for how you’re going to achieve your end goals.
• Be consistent with your time, and if you miss a day, get straight back on it.
• Track your progress and have some rewards in mind.

Once you’ve built up the habit it’ll start to feel like it’s second nature, rather than something you have to stick to. If you want to read more about the psychology and skills behind building habits, James Clear’s bestselling book ‘Atomic Habits’ is a great place to start.

Building Self-Care Habits

We are ready to help you with a men's self-care routine. Part of this is learning to build your own self-care habits around your skin, body and hair. These routines are part of health, hygiene, looking good, and feeling great. It’s about building confidence, self-worth, and self-belief by investing in yourself and building up easy routines that you can stick to.

If you need a helping hand to start building up your self-care routines, then we’ve got it covered. 

Build Your Skincare Routine

Whether you have specific skin concerns, or you just want to take a little better care of yourself then a skincare routine is the perfect place to start. It doesn’t need to take up a huge amount of your time and can really boost how you feel.

A skincare routine can help with acne, signs of ageing, redness, dry skin, oily skin - you name it, there’s a skincare solution for it. It can also help to keep your skin clean, clear and healthy along with boosting your overall appearance. If you want to start with the basics, it can be as simple as two steps.

Cleansing and moisturising twice a day is one of the best ways to get started, and can make a huge difference to your skin. Once you’re comfortable with that, you can start to add in other products to help with specific skin concerns. An exfoliator, toner, eye cream, or a face mask can be an excellent next step to elevate your routine.

Build Your Beard & Shave Routine

Taking care of your facial hair is one of the easiest ways to look more groomed and gain a massive confidence boost. If you usually give your beard a once-over with a disposable razor and leave it at that, you’ll be surprised at how great some extra steps (if you want to add them) like a post-shave balm, shaving cream, or beard oil can feel.

Even if you start out with a shaving gel and a good-quality razor, just taking the time to focus on yourself and your own well-being can feel like an indulgent self-care treat. This can also help to stop shaving rashes, ingrown hairs, and discomfort, which can all have an impact on your confidence and self-image.

Build Your Hair Care Routine

Whatever your hair type and style, there’s a hair routine that will work for you. A great haircut and hair care routine to match can seriously elevate your confidence and well-being. You’ll also be amazed at how just spending a few minutes more on your hair can make you feel. There’s a reason that everyone wants to skip a bad hair day. Hair gels, pomade, styling sprays and volume boosters can all help to lift your hair care game right up there.

If hair loss or thinning hair is making you feel insecure, then taking a little extra time on your hair can make a big difference to your well-being. It’s important not to make it the sole focus of your time, but feeling more confident can make you feel happier and more comfortable in your skin.

Build Your Mind & Body Routine

Whether you want to have a long bath or mediate, both can help you relax and support your self-care routine. Nowadays, keeping your mind healthy can be quite a challenge, this is why it’s important to have a routine to keep everything in its best shape.

There are other mindfulness activities you can take part in to help disconnect from your everyday stress such as yoga or even simple breathing techniques. These are easy and great steps to take for those who are just starting to build their routine as it will only take a few minutes a day.

Overall, self-care has been proven to help reduce anxiety, stress, depression and increase happiness, so why not give a go? (source)

What To Do If Self-Care Isn’t Enough?

If you’ve tried to do it alone, and self-care isn’t going far enough, then it’s time to speak up and get help. The great news is that now men are more likely to seek help from others when they need it than in the past (source). You don’t need to struggle in silence and there’s nothing wrong with reaching out for extra help if you need it. There’s nothing to be ashamed of or worried about.

Speak to a trusted friend, family member or seek out some professional help if you’d prefer some extra help with how you feel. You may find help from attending a support group in your area. There are also anonymous helplines if you just feel like you need someone to talk to:

• Samaritans - call 116 123 (free from any phone)
• SANEline - call 0300 304 7000
• CALM - 0800 58 5858
• SHOUT - text 85258
• Anxiety UK - text 07537 416 905

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