If you’re an actor, you definitely experience stress on the daily: whether it’s about your next audition, meeting with prospective agents, or trying to impress everyone on set during your next gig. Since there’s nothing better than getting tips from people you look up to, we’ve compiled a list of self-care routines that famous actors love.
Famous actors pay attention to their morning routine to set the tone for the day. To incorporate self-care into their day, they squeeze in a meditation session, a yoga flow, or a nap. Celebrity actors like to talk and journal to process emotions, work through issues, and foster gratitude.
Not sure which self-care routine is best suited for you? We’ve outlined each of their benefits below, as well as which actors and actresses practice them.
1. Meditation
Many actors enjoy meditation practice for the clear-headed feeling they get after a session on the cushion. As actors often have to be “on” during workdays or while auditioning, allowing the brain to quiet down can be very beneficial for actors. Meditation can also reduce stress, whether right before an audition or in the long term. Other benefits include improved memory function and better focus. What actor doesn’t need that? If that’s not enough to convince you, here are actors and actresses on why they meditate:
Emma Stone: “Another thing I’m doing is meditating. I’ve found meditation is very helpful for my anxiety disorder. So just sitting 10, 20 minutes a day and repeating a mantra really works for me, but you can just count your breaths.” (source)
Jane Fonda: “I also meditate and work out, both of which raises one’s level of endorphins and, thus, can decrease depression.” (source)
Lea Michele, on taking baby steps towards meditation: “The first place I actually started was giving myself 10 minutes at home of just peace. No music, no… Try to clear my mind as much as possible. I find that if I tell myself that this is my 10 minutes of just me, quiet mind time, it helps me so much. I like the Calm app, that one’s really good. Something to kind of remind myself that this is your time to let your mind and your body wind down. Because if you don’t take that time, you never will.” (source)
Jennifer Aniston gives similar advice regarding setting small goals to get your self-care routine started before progressively adding more:
“Start with 10 minutes—10 minutes walking, 10 minutes meditating. Two pages of journaling—give yourself three minutes to journal, set a timer. Give yourself little goals. And then once you start to love it, you’ll realize oh, I just went for four minutes.” (source)
On a lighter note, Jeremy Brett said: “I meditate and do yoga. I sit cross-legged and try not to levitate too much.” (source)
2. Yoga
Yoga, like meditation, boasts many health benefits. From a physiological perspective, yogis experience Improved strength, balance, and flexibility. It is also a deeply relaxing practice and can help you manage stress better. (source) Yoga develops a solid mind-body connection by constantly reminding you to be aware of your movement and posture between and in the poses, allowing your brain to let go of other thoughts.
Colin Farrell says, “You spend so much time in your head in life. And what yoga does is, it asks you to allow your head to be quiet, to allow it to be still, just for an hour and a half. Just deal with your body and your breath. And it’s a great workout. I love it.” (source)
Kim Raver believes yoga is as important for her body as her mind: “For me, because I’ve been working out since I graduated college, I have to mix it up. But it’s not just working out for health’s sake; it’s also a whole mindset for me. Yoga is really important for that.” (source)
Taylor Schilling is another self-proclaimed yoga fan: “I started doing yoga in college, so that has just become a staple of a self-care routine for my mind and my body. My body craves it at this point, so I do it two to three times a week, sometimes more. I practice Vinyasa-style yoga and sometimes mix it up.” (source)
Ultimately, no one says it better than Jennifer Aniston: “Yoga calms me down. It’s a therapy session, a workout and meditation all at the same time!” (source)
3. Morning Routines
In our busy lives, it’s easy to want to get up late and then rush through our morning routine to get to work, an audition, a class, or wherever you need to be – as fast as possible. But having a healthy, well-defined morning routine can set a positive tone for the rest of the day.
For Jennifer Aniston, her morning routine is her self-care: “I don’t pick up my phone till I’m finished walking my dogs, feeding the dogs, meditating, journaling, making my coffee. You know, just having a nice clear head, and then I’ll go into the world, so to speak.” (source)
Laverne Cox also puts a lot of thought into her morning routine: “As soon as I wake up, I try to write down five things I’m grateful for. Then I’ll do some transcendental meditation, at least 20 minutes. If I jump into the day without meditating or doing the gratitude list, then I have to do a catch-up at some point, to center myself in my body.” (source)
Just like Laverne Cox, actor Shameik Moore uses morning gratitude to start the day: “Every morning, I wake up and think about 10 different things I’m thankful for, and I continue to spread that love throughout the day, always visualizing, meditating, and growing.” (source)
4. Talking
Who hasn’t felt better after talking through their struggles with a friend, a family member, or a loved one? Talking with someone is highly beneficial since they can provide comfort and can help you work through difficult emotions and situations with a different perspective than yours. As actors, we have a specific lifestyle and set of challenges that “regular” folks often don’t. So when you’re feeling down, call up an actor friend to grab a coffee and talk with someone who really understands your reality.
Oliver Hudson is a big fan of talking things through: “Writing, having some sort of a creative outlet and honestly, just talking about it. It’s amazing what kind of medicine that provides, the relief sometimes that you feel when you’re tight-chested, tight-throated and then you actually have a conversation with someone. You’re open. You’re not holding it in. You tell them how you feel, you tell them what you’re going through. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. And just that expression alone alleviates a lot of symptoms.” (source)
5. Naps
If you’re not so much of a morning person, you’ll be happy to know that naps can also count as self-care! Mayim Bialik has shared her journey from never napping to napping every day she spends on set:
“I started practicing. And it started with not always sleeping, but just trying to stop my body, even for 20 minutes.” (source)
If you are also new to the whole napping thing, you can start with guided meditations for sleep:
“I put on a short body scan, and I’m usually asleep right when we get to the shoulders, and you start at the top of your head typically.” (source)
A Harvard study found that napping is the most effective way of getting over the afternoon hump, compared to taking caffeine and getting more nighttime sleep. The study recommends limiting your nap to 20-30 minutes to avoid waking up groggy. So find a dark, quiet room and lay down for a while during the afternoon to feel more refreshed, alert, and maybe more productive.
6. Journaling
While you may think that journaling is an activity reserved for teenage girls to discuss their crushes with the most attentive, least judgmental listener – their diary – it turns out that journaling is a great self-care practice. Sitting down and jotting your thoughts onto a piece of paper will reduce stress, improve your mood, and help you find inspiration. It can also help you recognize and work through your problems and negative thought patterns.
Camila Mendes found gratitude journaling to be the most beneficial for her: “@madelame gave me this gem last week when i was feeling stressed and anxious and all over the place, and i had no idea i would love it this much. sometimes i focus way too much on the negative, like many of us do, and too easily i forget to give value to all the amazing things that have happened in my life. there is so much to be grateful for that we should be acknowledging on a daily basis. this career comes with a lot of pressure and stress but i’ve dedicated my entire life thus far to achieving this goal and i will never take my dream-turned-reality for granted. many more goals to be achieved, but i will never let my ambition interfere with my gratitude. and neither should you! sincerely soft, soft always, yours softly” (source)
Emma Stone prefers a brain dump: “Something I really like to do when I’m struggling with anxiety is a brain dump. What I do is just write down anything that I’m worried about. I just write and write and write and I don’t think about it and I don’t read it back. I find it’s really, really helpful for me to get it all out on paper.” (source)
Conclusion
There are many actor-approved self-care practices out there for you. Now, it’s time for you to start incorporating them into your daily life as an actor! Whether meditation, yoga, morning routines, talking, napping, or journaling speaks to you most, remember to start small with your new habits. Consistency is vital, so starting with just 3 minutes of meditation every day is way better than meditating for 10 minutes every two weeks. After a while, your mind and body will start craving this new habit, and then you can extend your sessions progressively.
I hope these tips will help you slow down and take care of yourself. The acting business is tough, and it’s essential to take the time to fill your cup!
If you want to read more about tips from famous actors, check out our articles Audition Tips for Actors by Accomplished Actors and Famous Actors on Memorizing Lines.
