I became conversant with the term ‘skincare routine’ recently from thumbing through social media. Skincare and the academy of products that accompany this business has traditionally been more of a thing for women. But I also recently saw a man on YouTube describing his skincare routine.
As you might imagine, I was more than marginally surprised he shared that his routine involved more than an evening shower, and maybe exfoliation. I watched him present a lineup of different products to the camera which he applied one after the other to the skin on his face. At the end of that video, I unlearned something about skincare for men that I had carried for at least two decades.
You see, morning and evening skincare routines have become regular. We no longer consider them as being ‘too much’ or ridiculous. We have normalized other things too. Like a special shampoo made specifically for beards, a conditioner to go with it, and beard oil. These are all beautiful products that help us care for our skin or hair or face or feet or wherever else. It is commonplace to care for bodies so devoutly. Why is it not as common to care for our minds?
Almost no one is willing to talk about the fact that the mind is fragile too and can be broken by tragedy, a terminal sickness, or a realized passion. So many different anxieties come together in the mind, yet we have to manage all these stresses while still functioning in the moment. This is a subjective thing, but in some cases, people are not able to grapple with all the many different pressures pulling them in different directions constantly, every day. This is why it is crucial to find an outlet for all the pressure that your mind carries. Think about it as a kind of mental exfoliation. It could be seeing a great movie with friends, sitting alone by the beach, or frantically working out every night. Each person has to find that outlet that helps them decompress and recharge again, or they could run the risk of pushing their mental health deeper into ruin.
Just like skincare is a thing, in an ideal world, each person would be able to optimize their function by realizing when there’s an overload on the mind and taking the necessary steps to decompress. If you are still not sure what helps you manage mental stress, here are a few things to try. It is important to know that these are generic suggestions and it is still imperative that you go a step ahead and discover for yourself what your go-to activity is, if none of these work for you.
1. Step away.
In a moment of mental flooding, you’re usually able to isolate the source of stress contributing the most to the impending breakdown. Physically stepping away from the situation or activity, even though you may still have it on your mind, has often been able to allow people to focus on something else, hopefully, something pleasant, to reduce the pressure on the mind. You could take a walk for some air or just walk out and have a short chat with a neighbour. You’ll feel a bit better, and that’s enough to be in a better mental space to function better.
2. Eat something.
Many lunch breaks have also doubled as a refresh for the mind. This also ties with getting away from the source of stress. The ritual of getting (or making) a meal and eating it is also a great way to cool things down. And conversely, not eating either because you’ve lost track of time, or you don’t want to waste a second can lead to heightened levels of irritability, further worsening the problem.
3. Allow yourself the full flow of feeling.
We can worsen things for ourselves by restricting the expression of our feelings. Sometimes, you need to allow yourself to feel whatever you feel fully and completely. Now if you need to burst into tears in the middle of a busy, packed open-plan workspace, you may need to find a way to make it to the bathroom or somewhere more private, but the point is, find a way to allow the feelings flow out of you. The alternative to this is frankly dangerous. You could implode, and likely without warning.
Finally, remember that your mental health is as important as flawless skin (I would argue that it is even more important). As individuals, we need to find healthy ways of dealing with the stresses, stressors and pressures that are so abundant in nature that they cannot be escaped.
So, build a mind care routine today, and build the necessary self-importance to deploy it where and when necessary.
