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Self-care is often misconstrued as simply feeling good, having that extra slice of cake, and giving in to hedonism. While it may feel nice, the long-term effects of this approach can be short-lived and easily spin out of control. Men looking to take their wellness into their own hands should focus on their personal needs and what makes them feel better.
At Maison Ito, we understand that balancing life, family, and self-care can have you feeling stretched a little thin, so a personalised self-care routine is necessary. Here we’ll look at six common mistakes to avoid and grooming hacks for men looking to design their own self-care checklist.
#1 Avoid Becoming A Weekend Warrior
Regular exercise is vital to a healthy lifestyle, but be wary of becoming a ‘weekend warrior’ or someone who combines all their intense weekly exercise into one or two days. While all exercise is beneficial, it’s better to spread it out throughout the week. Medical studies have shown that regular exercise can increase productivity as it improves concentration, memory, learning, creativity, and decreases stress. Add a morning run or gym session to your daily self-care checklist and make sure you’ve got the right activewear for your workout.
Facialist and personal trainer, Emilie Celine agrees that finding the right moment in your weekly schedule and sticking to it for regular exercise is key to getting results. “It can put you in the right mindset when you feel good in your activewear and you can even track your progress with this new Polar fitness watch,” she says. “Whatever you choose, the fancy or the basic, you need to feel that you’re comfortable and that you’re wearing what feels right for you to reach your objectives,” Emilie adds.
#2 Quit Forgetting to Make Time for Relaxation
Photo credit: The Beard Man, Maison Ito
Dedicating time to yourself isn’t selfish. Spending time alone relaxing, doing yoga, going for a drive, or grooming yourself will boost your mood and calm your mind. You can also visit with your barber for a trim or treat yourself to a brain-melting beard massage to soothe your mind. Taking a break in a way that makes you happy is a simple strategy that you can customise to complement your lifestyle. Remember that self-care shouldn’t only be reactive, it should create a foundation and teach you how to check in with and care for yourself.
#3 Stop Feeling Bad About Asking for Help
It’s okay not to feel like Superman all the time, but that doesn’t make you any less great. No one is capable of doing everything and when you accept that, it’ll be easier for you to ask for help. Finding experts to help you take better care of yourself will allow you to focus on the right things, as well as save time. Those experts can be a personal trainer, barber, or a cosmetician. A trained facialist can provide a lifting facial massage which helps boost circulation, tone face muscles, and brightens your complexion. Facial massages are the ultimate grooming hack for men as they combat the signs of ageing and offer the greatest relaxation at the same time.
#4 Don’t Forget to Focus
We all like to think that we’re attentive, although the truth of the matter is that we’re distracted by plenty of things in modern life. Using meditation or any activity that helps keep our focus can improve our ability to pay attention to the important things. This newly gained focus may bring anything from a new business opportunity or improved work performance into our lives. Mindful living for men has many benefits for work and home life. Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, described in his book Principles how meditation “freed [him] from so much pain” and changed his point of view on life.
#5 Never Skip Your Sleep
Getting a goodnight’s rest is the kind of self-care that all men can get behind. Nothing helps you feel and look your best as being well-rested and greeting the sunrise with a smile. Going to bed earlier and avoiding certain foods before bed are simple ways to successfully add good sleep into your self-care routine. Granted that current events and screen time can keep us from getting some shut-eye, there are some helpful tools for sleeping better at night. You will find all things sleep-related on Uncrate, from Egyptian cotton sheets to high-performance memory foam pillows and mattresses to scented alarm clocks which will help you wake up on the right side of the bed.
#6 Discover the Power of Saying ‘No’
At times, men can feel guilty or like they are disappointing others when they refuse to attend events or do any activity they have no desire to. However, making it a habit to say ‘no’ to things you really don’t want to do is important for your self-care. Not only will you save yourself from frustration, draining situations, and negative feelings that may arise, but you will have more energy for things you care about. Want to give it a try? Make a list of events or functions you no longer wish to attend on your computer to ensure that you keep your promise to yourself. With your calendar cleared, you can devote your time to things you value like family, hobbies, and relaxation.
Which of these grooming hacks will you add to your self-care checklist?
BY ASHUNI P. & EMILIE CELINE
#selfcare #men #wellbeing #grooming #menstyle #relax #mindfulness #massage #beardmassage #meditation #wellness #barcelona #barcelonainfluencer #barcelonablog #boostyourfaceesteem #maison_ito
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