Anyone else find self care totally tedious?

[binnibonnieboo]

So much stuff needs doing just to keep ourselves going. Shower, wash hair, brush teeth, dry self, put on clean clothes. Every single day except maybe for hair washing. What a pain. I don't even wear make up or bother moisturising, but still find it so tedious. That's before we even do the feeding our bodies bit!

If you went to your GP and said 'I enjoy all these activities and feel pretty good but find showering tedious' there is no way he/she would be telling you you're depressed.

I think it’s partly because modern life is pretty exhausting and sensory overload. Life admin, 2 x full time workers per household to keep going financially, even more strain of you’re just one….trying to deal with kids’ schooling/get on housing ladder or maintain a place/have some sort of social life. Means being on a fast treadmill just to keep going, and self care on top of that feels like just another chore.

i do it but God I’m tired.

I loved pampering myself when I was younger then went off the boil later on. Kids, business etc left less energy for self care. Few years on, as I'm entering the good old meno, I have found I'm relishing more in pamper time. Bought myself some nice body creams and gorgeous scented hand and feet oils. I find I'm enjoying the 'aroma' side of things. You should treat yourself. It's amazing what a bit of aromatherapy can do for you.

It's very linked to ADHD. When I'm working, I'm on autopilot so hit the shower at 6 but otherwise the faffing about is a real chore. Body lotion is a definite no. Plus you put it on and you're sticky.

Lots of people at the gym spend ages doing their hair and getting ready. I don't feel comfortable drying my hair in front of other people - mainly because I have horrid fine hair and in my head I think people will judge me (another ADHD trait = I know it's in my head).

I used to love it, now I loathe it. Well, no, I've always hated washing my hair, luckily once a week is fine. It looks absolutely fine. I hate shaving my legs and armpits, I hate getting undressed and redressed. It doesn't help that my bathroom is the shittist I've ever had. Admittedly I am pretty depressed. I've put on a lot of weight, I'm exhausted with life. I'm just getting over taking a tumble and hurting almost all of me. I haven't worn make up to work for about 4 weeks . I'm not really me anymore.. Or so it feels.

That's a brilliant idea. I hate washing my hair because it takes so long to dry. Weekly blow dry here I come.

I love a hot shower in the morning and can't go more than about an hour before I have to brush my teeth 🙃 I also wash my hair every day...I had no idea so many people hate it. I feel really gross when I wake up, a shower and brushing my teeth etc makes me feel all nice and clean again

Hate it!

I have thick hair that takes ages to dry. I've been wanting to try the curly girl method for about 10 years but can't be arsed!

I put my face on daily because I look shit without it (minimal but still) but I'm rubbish at washing my face before bed, even though my skin is better when I do

Oh yes I love feeling nice and clean and sometimes clean my teeth before I workout at 5am.

But every second of the two minutes I'm doing it for feels like a faff! And two minutes I could do doing something else.

I think most people on here love feeling clean and tidy. But would rather it was all just done. It's the process that's the faff, not the end result! It's like I want to do a Kevin and petty sigh every time I realise I've got to do it all over again every day!!!

I love a bath and I love being "ready" but I wish other people would do it, wander in, do my make up, style my hair. They could do that whilst I read a book. I would genuinely prefer to read a book than put on mascara.

My life was transformed by a home IPL tool. I have hair-free armpits, forearms and legs. Occasionally, I remember the bad old days of bleaching, waxing and plucking. It has saved me immense amounts of time and angst about ingrown hairs.

An HOUR! Bloody hell @JLou08 , do you know any men who spend an hour on their shower and hair??

You could do a full weights session, read a book, sleep or earn some money in that hour. You are allowing yourself to rob yourself.

I’m with you; I do it several days a week and am perfectly willing and capable of doing it but I find it incredibly tedious. It takes me about 40 minutes to dry my hair properly.

Its mainly for me that I resent the time it takes. Time which would be far better spent working, exercising or with family.

When I have the time, I love it.

Drying my hair takes ages as my hair is so thick, it’s worth it though to make my hair look nice

I wouldn’t go to work without make up (only minimal )

This makes a lot of sense. Peeps spend a lot more time on their phones, than 15 minutes a day.

I have wavy curly hair mid back length and I've not blown dried it for the last 30 odd years Wrapped in a towel for about 5 mins then air dries all year round - I'm clearly a slattern by MN standards😁

Whereas I find exercise a chore, it doesn't give me the slightest pleasure. I've trained for and done half marathons, every 5k race for charity, done a physical job with an annual fitness test requirement, played team sports, done swimming.... And never once have I felt like I enjoyed the exercise. I've never experienced the "runners high".

I find it dull, difficult and often pointless. But I've always forced myself to do it for another reason ie my job. Then I stopped it all, got really fat, and now I'm having to consider how to try again with exercise to maintain my current weightloss. And I hate it all.

I find a nice hot shower relaxing, not a chore! We're all different.

I'm with you OP. Can't imagine spending hours moisturising etc (unless a medical need obviously).
Yesterday I had a shower, washed and dried my very thick hair. Then plans changed later in the week so to fit my run in I had to go last night then shower and wash hair again! I couldn't be bothered to dry it and today it looks crap.
I barely shave unless absolutely necessary.
I don't mind a relaxing bath if I'm reading or listening to music.
The absolute worst related 'self care' job for me is putting my own clothes away. I do the children's daily but I let my own pile up and up. What a dull use of time!

Did anyone used to watch "The Girl from Tomorrow" as a kid? (Australian kids show involving time travel - I think it was on in the early 1990s). In the future time people could just get in a booth thing fully clothed and say "clean" and the machine would instantly clean them, including hair, clothes etc. I've been fantasising ever since about technology getting to this point! I mean it would still be nice to have a normal shower sometimes too...but to have the option to be instantly ready would be amazing.

I hate showering. I’m currently off work and haven’t showered since Saturday. I’m trying to find the enthusiasm to get in the shower. (I haven’t had to go anywhere except dog walks so no one other than my husband knows how disgusting I am.)

I haven’t brushed my teeth yet today. I try to do this daily but often skip it. During lockdown I really let this slip.

I hate exercise and have never understood people who enjoy it.

This threads making me think I am probably depressed.

Ironing.... is mine. Clothes are washed and dried to eradicate the need for an iron as much as possible. I know that with most of my clothes my body heat will remove the worst of the wrinkles from my clothes. If its a special occasion or an item is really badly wrinkled I will iron it undrr duress but uktimately i dream of being wealthy enough to send off a load of clothes to the laundry and have them returned ironed but just cant bring myself to spend hour upon tedious hour ironing.

I get it.
It's all the boring, boring stuff. I like a shower enemy I've been gardening and covered in mud, or running, but daily....urgh.
Cleaning my teeth: 2 minutes x 2 of boredom.
Legand arm shave day: urgh.
Eating healthy breakfast and lunch:urgh

I like putting makeup on and doing my hair though.

I agree I find it effortless ! And I like how I feel with self care as well !

I find showering and washing my hair really lovely because I like feeling clean afterwards. If I don't shower in the morning I feel sweaty and dirty until I do, which isn't nice. So I don't find it a chore at all. Same with brushing my teeth.

However, stuff that I do that doesn't come under that category, I am totally with you OP. Shaving is a particular bugbear. Whenever I buy deodorant I begrudge the cost of it, and even though it's five seconds a day I often think of the ritual I am going through on the off chance that I might stink despite showering every day. Make up is obviously the other thing. And having to wear certain clothes and underwear for society's sake not comfort or even style. Annoying.

I consider having laser hair removal one of the best decisions I made. Had it done about 12 years ago and I can tell you , that I use an epilator on a few stray strands once maybe twice a YEAR.
I did it all over and I still am impressed with myself for doing that