Self Care Ideas for Dads

By Matt | October 15, 2019

Anyone else notice how much attention self-care has gotten lately? All I see on the front of the magazines at the grocery store is “7 Step to Up your Self-Care Game” or “Why Self-Care is No Longer a Luxury!”.

Do you know who I don’t hear talking about self-care? Other guys.

Not at the gym, not at the park with the kids, not while watching a game, nothing.

So here are some ideas for the dads out there – we may not want to talk about it in public, but self-care is important for us, too. Here are some ideas for what self-care can look like for Dad:

Practical Self Care Ideas for Dads

Silence

Silence is almost unheard of. (Ha.) It’s amazing how important silence is when you can’t have any. Go for a walk, close yourself in a room, zone out. Self-care for Dad doesn’t need to be complicated. (It can even be as easy as doing the laundry.)

Exercise

Nothing clears your mind like getting moving. Run, punch, jump rope, whatever. But do something active more days than not. Even better, meet up with some of your guy friends and get moving together.

Have the guts to ask for what you need

Tell the people around you what you need from them. It sucks to ask for help, but you will feel so much better once you get whatever it is you need.

Find something you love, and plan to do more of it

Some guys like riding motorcycles, some guys like hunting, some guys like playing video games. Whatever it is that helps you unwind, find a way to do it more often. Self-care can be as individualized as the Dads that need it. I try to find time to take a bike ride, go fishing or just a hike in the woods.

Wake up earlier

I’m not suggesting you go full-on Navy SEAL and set your alarm for 4:30 am but start waking up a bit earlier until you don’t feel rushed in the morning. The difference between rushing out the door and walking out with time to spare can be a day-changer.

Make an effort to eat better

Again – don’t go balls to the wall Keto, just maybe throw some carrots in your lunch bag or grab an apple for a snack to tide you over until dinner. Future you will thank you. (These Paleo Meatballs are a great healthy dinner option!)

Cut back on alcohol

This one is a bummer but necessary. Alcohol disrupts sleep, which is how your body repairs itself. If you are a nightly drinker, try to go one or two days without and see if you don’t wake up easier and feeling better. I’d be willing to bet you do.

Take a bath

Seriously. Just soak in a bath for about 20 minutes. You can put some Epsom salt in there so you feel like you’re helping your muscles recover or whatever, but get in the tub. Self-care for Dad wins.

I get that some of these “self-care for Dad” suggestions aren’t fun. And some you’re probably still rolling your eyes at.

Just try a few and see how you feel. At the very least, you won’t feel left out when you see those magazine headlines at the grocery store.