As a woman, it can be hard to remember to prioritize your own needs, and to take that extra little indulgence to boost your mood and stave off burnout. But as literally every man knows, acts of self-care, like putting food in your mouth when you feel hunger, are actually key to our functionality as humans. With a little bit of self-care, the haze of your life will start to lift and you may find yourself becoming more engaged in day-to-day activities and feeling more at ease, just like a man. Implement some of these tiny man-dulgences into your day, and you’ll feel more energized and able to return to your usual nonstop activities, including the prioritization of everyone else’s needs.
Eat When You’re Hungry
When presented with food, a woman will often ask herself, “Do I have time to eat?” or “Do I deserve to eat?” whereas a man will often think, “Yes, I’m hungry” or “Mmm, food!” That’s because men understand that food, rather than being a hindrance to everything that matters in life, can actually fuel you through life. Yes, it may sound counterintuitive and maybe even a little dumb, but science has proven that calories are important to physical and mental function. So take at least one moment out of your day for this tiny act of self-care—chew and swallow food, and feel that feeling of fullness and content in your life. There’s no telling what you’ll be able to accomplish when your cells are given the energy to function fully, like those of a man.
Go to the Bathroom When You Need to Go
As a woman, you’ve probably had more than a dozen moments of “No, I can hold it. Keep telling me about your new car” or “This email is more important than my need to not suffer another bladder infection” or even “My kidneys are shutting down but Mark isn’t done with his speech yet.” But those female instincts are all wrong. People with properly emptied bladders (men) are often more present in the moment, free from the pain and discomfort of an overly full bladder. The next time your bladder screams out to you, let yourself be selfish, and go to the bathroom and empty it.
Rest
Sometimes it’s good to let yourself just sit and be. And just because you’re not a man who would naturally do this while watching a game on TV or gazing at a nice pair of tits in the food court doesn’t mean you can’t find your own version of calm and stillness. Male activities like sitting and leaning have been shown to be far easier and more restorative than many female activities, like standing or doing chores. So plan a “self-date” to get into a seated or prone position and do an activity you enjoy, that requires little effort on your part. If you’ve never done this before, it may take time to get comfortable with the idea, so explore some options, like reading, watching Downton Abbey, or knitting. In time, you might find you actually like taking care of you.
Sleep
A few minutes of rest alone isn’t enough. It’s also important to find moments in your week to lie down in a bed and experience full-on REM sleep. Your initial instinct as a woman is likely to stay up all night, working late or worrying about what you haven’t accomplished on a given day. But you might be surprised to know that men often use that feeling of exhaustion at the end of the day as a signal from their brains to go to sleep. Take a cue from a man and simply crawl into bed, close your eyes, and nod off, without checking emails on your phone or quietly wondering if your son has a learning disability. You’ll be amazed at how restored you feel the next day and how much more clear-headed you’ll be in evaluating Lucas’s verbal skills. Think of sleep as a little luxury you owe yourself.
Remember, self-care isn’t a one-time thing for men. It is a habit, to be repeated regularly by men, and also sometimes by women if they try hard enough. Start by integrating one of these acts of self-care into your week, and see if you can work up to two or more a day. You’ll find yourself happier and more enthusiastic about regularly tending to the needs of others when you’ve given yourself a miniscule, tiny pleasure. Take it from men and don’t put yourself on hold!
