Self-Care Strategies for Men to Reduce Stress

Self-care is a real buzz word.

A quick google just now returned over 32 million results for a term that wasn’t even on the radar 10 years ago.

Self-care is now recognized as a major tool to deal with daily stress and create a better life for ourselves and those around us. Self-care can prevent bigger problems and help maintain your physical and mental health.

But most of self-care sites and self-care advice is aimed at women.

Don’t men deserve self-care too?

Self-care strategies for men

Men’s lives are very stressful.

Most men have to work all their lives and many also provide for others.

Like women, men also have to deal with difficult dynamics at work and at home, and with the constant stresses of survival.

And on top of it all, men are expected to be strong and if not exactly silent, then at least able to contain their emotions and not to need (too much) help.

But men are human, too.

Their stress response and immune systems react in the same way.

Statistically, men also often tend to ‘run on empty’ until they develop a serious health issue that is much more difficult to treat. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, at least six million men in the US suffer from Depression and other mental health issues but many more are reluctant to disclose problems and seek help.

Self-care strategies for men can help to balance your life before it crashes down on you.

Here are some self-care strategies for men that you can use every single day

1. Understand your needs

Before you can care for yourself, you have understand your needs. Today, and every day. Write it down. Make a list. Put it in your calendar.

2. Create positive me-time

Everyone needs time to themselves. If that is selfish, it is selfish in a good and healthy way. Create pockets of time in your day and your week that are just about you.

If you don’t know how to fill those pocket of positive me time, refer to strategy number 1!

3. Stay connected to people

When you work a lot, your world can shrink. You see the same people all the time. Very gradually, you lose contact with your wider network. Don’t! Take care to maintain contact or re-establish contact with people outside your immediate circle

4. Smell the wind (and the sea)

One of the best self-care strategies for men is to spend time in nature.

This can be in the form of outdoor sports such as running or surfing, and it can also be in the form of stillness and contemplation.

Listening to the sounds of nature around you reduces stress, lowers your blood pressure, and helps you to put things into perspective

5. Mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness is also not just for women!

Mindfulness starts with observing your breath and that makes a lot of sense. Your breath powers your body. Your body powers up your mind.

Take a few minutes to observe that breath, and then try to slow it down a little bit. This sends a message to your stress response system that it is ok to relax.

Follow the 6/6/8 method by breathing in for a count of 6, holding your breath for another count of 6 and then exhaling for a count of 8. Repeat as many times as you like. The focus on your breath has the extra benefit of also clearing your mind.

You can do this for as long or short a time as you like, whenever and wherever you like.

6. Stay connected to your passion

If you are very busy and/or encounter problems at work, remind yourself of the reason why you are doing this. Connect to your original passion!

7. Ask for help

This is one of the most important and most neglected self-care strategies for men, at least for some men. If you don’t want to end up as a statistic, practice asking for help when the issue is really small. That way, you get outside input and connect with people around you. You also break down the barrier for asking for help when you really need it.

8. Play! (and not just on your station)

Self-care is all about enjoying life in the moment. In spite of your many obligations, you can create moments of pure play. Remember how easily you did this as a boy? Do something silly and fun. Right now. Even if you only have a minute.

9. Nutrition and exercise

Look after your body. It will look after you!

10. Create something to look forward to every day

Life is not just about the big rewards ‘at the end’. It is about creating a little patch of joy every day.

11. Seek professional help

And if you have trouble implementing any of these self-care strategies, it may be time to seek professional help. Not because there is anything wrong with you or your mental health, but because, like everyone, you deserve a good life.