Quantcast

Whoever told you self-care can't be masculine was a damn lie and Idris Elba is here to prove it. Celebrities aren't immune to burnout and in Fast Company'sSecrets of the Most Productive People segment, Idris spilled the details on how he keeps "the grind" from grinding him to death. The actor, who says that he plans his schedule out yearly, explained that even as a child, he's always been preoccupied with keeping himself busy.

"I'm an only child, and growing up it was a constant challenge to entertain myself. I've been keeping busy my whole life: I'm primarily an actor, but I've been DJing since I was a teenager. I'm a producer and a director. I've done fashion collaborations, and I have a music label."

Idris also noted that he has just as hard of a time putting down his phone as we do. When it comes to social media, the 47-year-old actor explained that he's intentional about logging off to preserve his peace of mind:

"I've been trying to wean myself off. I used to post a lot more, but it's been putting me off lately. And Twitter's just not how I want to receive my news. I read the news aggregated on my iPad, but I can't check it constantly—I'm not proud of it, but it's true—because it makes me feel depressed."

While checking your phone first thing in the morning may feel instinctual, Idris says he's made a habit out of replacing his morning scroll with daily meditations:

"I'll just sit in the dark, stare, and try not to do anything. Just clear my mind and decompress."

Along with making sure to be in bed by 9 or 10 at night, Idris also says DJing and creating music are two of his ways of working self-care into his regular routine, but this salt-and-pepper chocolate drop isn't the only male celebrity who's up on his self-care game. Here's how 3 other celebrity men practice self-care to prevent burnout:

Common On Meditation & Self-Recovery: 

Since the release of his book, Let Love Have the Last Word, Common has been on a very public journey to self-recovery and we are here for all of it. Along with scheduling meditation sessions and visiting wellness sanctuaries, Common also makes great use of his alone time:

"I form my own way of meditating. People think I'm using the bathroom all the time. But sometimes I go in there to get my space, to just center myself."

Big Sean On Mental Health & Self-Care: 

Last year, Big Sean announced that he was taking some time away from music to focus on his mental health and self-care never looked sexier:

"I started realizing that you can't give or depend on somebody for a good time if you can't give it to yourself. So, I started doing things by myself, doing things I never thought I'd do, like going skydiving or whatever I thought was fun, just doing it. In the midst, I definitely rediscovered myself and found a whole new energy, and me being the source of it and not somebody else."

Keith Powers On Anxiety & Mental Health: 

Keith Powers recently opened up about his battle with anxiety and shared this simple lifehack that will level up your mental health game for the better:

"I think writing in your journal is very important. It's very underrated, but it feels good to just get all of that down on paper, you know, to be able to write that on paper and write why you may be having anxiety, you know what I'm saying?"

Featured image by Denis Makarenko / Shutterstock.com

 

RELATED

 
ALSO ON XONECOLE
Aries-April-2025-monthly-horoscopes

April is a month to slow down and to fully grasp what has been. The month starts in fiery Aries Season, but we are also in the thick of Retrograde Season as we begin the month as well. Thankfully, Mercury finally goes direct on April 7, after being retrograde mid-March, and communication matters are clearing up. This is a month of mental clarity, a fresh start, and not being afraid to dream a little bigger.

On April 12, there is a Full Moon in Libra, and this Full Moon brings relationship and financial matters full circle. This is the time to let go of what doesn’t make you feel balanced or in harmony and to create space for more peace to enter your life. Venus goes direct in Pisces on the same day, after being retrograde since March 1, and love is healing. With Venus now direct, there are more opportunities for commitment and longevity in love, and there is overall a greater feeling of romance, receptivity, and compassion in the air now.

KEEP READINGShow less
Accountability Time: Let's Stop Calling It A 'Mistake' When It Was A 'Choice'

Several months ago, I literally stumbled across a video where someone who I’ve known for years (and have had to distance myself from due to the topic for today) was conducting a seminar on relational healing. I honestly could only stomach about five minutes of what they were saying because one of the things that they continued to mention was the harm that they had done to others was a “mistake” — although many of their same “mistakes” took place over years…decades even.

Y’all, I’ve gotta admit that I found their words to be a bit triggering — not so much because I was surprised that they were still like a broken record when it comes to refusing to take real accountability for their actions; it was more that I hear people say often, especially when they are called out on some of their continual poor habits and patterns, that what they did was a mistake when actually it was a choice — a conscious choice.

KEEP READINGShow less
LATEST POSTS