The sex industry can be quite demanding at times, especially on your mental health, so if you are a new or even existing escort please read on to find some helpful tips.
Making time each day to take of yourself is one of the best things you can do when working as an escort in the sex industry. Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health and well-being, in fact, if your mental health is not in good shape you won’t feel like working and will most probably avoid getting out of bed and going to work.
Work-Life Balance as an Escort
Maintaining a work-life balance is just one of the steps you can make to ensuring optimal physical and mental health. Working too many hours each day could inevitably lead to mental health issues and burnout, so pacing yourself and being realistic as to how many hours your body can actually endure each day or week may very well be the first step to maintaining good mental health.
Helpful Mental Health Tips For Escorts
Below are few helpful tips on how you may be able to maintain a healthy mental health regime. Remember, that each and every escort and sex worker have their very own and unique set of health care requirement, so please consult with your doctor if these tips are not of any help to you.
- Be aware that you don’t work too many hours each day or week. Be mindful that your mental health may not be able to cope with long days.
- Being conscientious about your work-life balance is very important to both your physical and mental health.
- Make sure that you have plenty of support from other escorts that work within the sex industry. Having a strong support network may be the difference between coping and burning out.
- Keeping positive and upbeat about working in the sex industry as an escort may also help you to cope with incidents that may arise during your workday. Seeking regular visits with a counsellor who specializes in issues surrounding sex and sex workers.
- Setting boundaries with clients prior to arrival, during, and after is important to your overall day to day mental health.
- Working as an escort may be risky at times, so staying safe while working as an escort should be high up on your priority list, make sure that you have at least one person who knows where you are working and what time you are starting and finishing your workday. Perhaps you and your support person can take turns in checking in with each other every couple of hours.
- Make sure that you have plenty of sleep each day to ensure short term and long -term health. Sleeping at least 8 hours per day is ideal, however, if you feel as though your body needs a little extra sleep each day, make sure you schedule more time for yourself.
- Doing something you enjoy each day is a great way to de-stress and keep your mental health in check. Allow yourself at least an hour each day to engage in a hobby that you enjoy doing.
- Escort work is quite intense at times, so to keep your energy levels up, make sure that you eat every couple of hours. Healthy snacks such as cut-up fruit or nuts are healthy and keep your blood sugar levels from dropping. Make sure that you take some healthy snacks with you to work so that you can maintain optimal health.
- Eating regular nutritious meals at least a few times a day is a good way to stay healthy, also you will find that you can maintain a healthy weight if you don’t binge eat.
- Shower daily and take good care of your personal hygiene. Wash your hair, brush your teeth and cleanse and moisturize your skin daily. You would be surprised at how much better you will feel once you have had a shower.
- If you are feeling a little bit more stressed than usual, have a cup of tea and take some deep breaths, in general just slow down for a few minutes.
- During your workday, if you have a spare 10 minutes here and there, give a friend a call and just have a little chat, the distraction will do the world of good.
- Working as an escort can quite often be mentally draining, so when you’re on your own during the day, pop on your favourite music, you might be surprised how music can either be a quick pick-me-up or in some circumstances, it can calm you down and help you to relax, it all depends on what type of music you play.
- If possible, during your workday, head outside for 15 minutes to get some fresh air, sunshine and to connect with the rest of the world.
- Working as an escort can be very mentally challenging, try including some type of exercise during the day. If you don’t have time to go to the gym, you could always do some stretching, Pilates, yoga, or even go for a run. Exercise helps to promote happy hormones, so you are less likely to suffer from mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
- To prevent burnout from happening on a regular basis, try and see if you can take some time off work occasionally. Every now and then have a weekend of work and do something different from your usual routine. Once or twice a year, take at least a week or two off work and go away on a holiday with family or friends.
- Keep a diary with some short-term and long-term goals that you may have. By keeping a journal, you will be able to keep a track of your daily, weekly, monthly and yearly progress. For example, perhaps you are studying whilst are working as an escort and would like to keep track of your short-term and long-term study goals. When you can see your accomplishments as a whole, you are more likely to feel as though you are making some progress and in return, you will most probably feel more positive about the daily demands of working as an escort.
- Ask for help from family and friends when you are feeling overwhelmed. If you have a lot of responsibilities outside of work, ask a few reliable people that you know to help you with those commitments. Most people are only happy to help if you let them know in advance.
- Working as an escort can be demanding at times, so watching a funny movie with someone you like spending time with, a good laugh can do wonders!
- If you are feeling mentally stressed or physically exhausted, have a massage to help you to relax and rest, you may find you need to have a weekly massage if it means keeping on top of things.
- Meditate when possible, relax and quieten your mind by listening to mediation sounds and music.
- Make sure you have regular health care check-ups with your G.P, if you are not feeling well physically, it may impact on your mental health as well.
- When working, make sure you have a stress kit with you at all times. You may like to include items that will help reduce stress such as a stress ball and handheld massager.
- When working as an escort, take a hygiene kit with you that may contain items such as deodorant, wet wipes, toothbrush, and toothpaste, so that you can freshen up during the day.
There are many more ways to stay mentally fit and protect yourself from short term and long- term mental health. Talking regularly with other new and existing escorts may also be of benefit to you, especially when you are just starting out as a sex worker. Other more experienced escorts have usually already worked out strategies and solutions to maintaining good mental health.
If you have tried many of the tips suggested above and are still having mental health issues or burnout, then it’s always best to seek out a health professional who can help you directly. They will work out a mental health plan for you and seek other medical practitioners who can assist you with your individual medical needs and requirements. The above mental health tips for new and existing escorts are just a guideline only, so please seek medical help immediately if you are not coping.