Practicing self-care can be significantly dividing in modern society, and it’s challenging to break away from the stigmas associated with such, especially if the individual practicing self-care is a male and a father. Automatically, when we think of self-care, our minds conjure up the image of a woman lounging in a bubble bath with a facemask on and a glass of wine in hand. Our minds never spare a thought for members of the male population that prioritize their physical appearance.
In worst-case scenarios, men are often discouraged from doing so to avoid being labeled as feminine.As a result, some men fail to see their health and wellbeing as a priority and are reluctant to open up about it, which is why in the US men currently live around five years less than women. However, it’s just as crucial for men to feel good about themselves as it is for women, so we’ve created this article to outline several ways that dads can practice self-care to keep themselves healthy and happy.
Make Time For Yourself
The first step towards practicing self-care is making time for yourself and the activities you like to do. We’re sure that many men can attest that it’s easy to get stuck in your daily routine, especially when you’re a parent, and that it can be hard to make allowances for yourself while juggling children and the responsibilities that come with them. However, setting time aside is essential for both yourself and your family. Without quality time to yourself, you’ll become miserable, and your relationship with family and friends will suffer as a result.
We’re not saying that you must sit in a bubble bath with candles and a facemask; self-care can be practiced in many ways that all individuals can enjoy. Suppose that one of your favorite ways to relax is in a bar with your friends, and doing so makes you feel better physically and mentally. In this case, endeavor to delegate one day a week in which you can spend a couple of hours with your friends at your local bar, or one day once a fortnight if every week is too much. Making allowances for relaxation time will encourage positive emotions, improve other aspects of your life, and keep your mental health under control.
Prioritize Your Physical And Mental Health
Being aware of your physical and mental health is one of the core values of self-care. Often as parents, we tend to put our own physical and mental health on the backburner for the sake of prioritizing our children’s wellbeing over ours. However, ensuring that we are performing well mentally and physically goes hand in hand with caring for our children. From routine aspects of our health, like making yearly doctor appointments and attending check-ups, to self-examining yourself mentally – it’s essential that you prioritize your health so that you perform to the best of your abilities as a parent.
Psychologically, it would be best to check in with yourself regularly and keep tabs on how you feel in case anything could be improved. Physically, this could be making a conscious effort to keep yourself healthy through a varied, balanced diet and regular exercise, plus contacting your GP if you notice any worrying bodily changes.
Bringing any concerns to your doctor is crucial for your overall health so that preventative measures like a whole-body MRI scan can take place if necessary or so you can be referred to a specialist. If you currently have any health-related concerns, consider enlisting the help of screening providers such as Ezra. They can provide you with a whole-body MRI scan amongst other services to ensure that you’re in your children’s lives for as long as possible.
Spend Time With Friends And Family Members
Another way to practice self-care is by surrounding yourself with the people that you love, as having a solid social circle is widely known to be strongly associated with better mental and physical health.The benefits of having a solid social support group enable you to share stories and concerns about your own life with others and provide an escape from the monotony of your daily routine. This is so that you can participate in different experiences and take part in the activities you enjoy.
Consider setting aside more time for friends and family by planning out your week in advance and delegating one day a week in which you can visit people, whether with or without the presence of your children. The plans you make don’t even have to be extravagant; you could spend time with friends and family by going out for a coffee together, taking the children to the park, having each other around for dinner, amongst other ways. You’ll find that your mental and physical health will significantly improve if you make a conscious effort to see friends and family members more, as this will promote a sense of belonging, and you’ll feel much more relaxed.
