No doubt over the years you will have received various nuggets of advice from well-wishing  family members and older friends, but how often do you take these on board? When you were younger, these pearls of wisdom would perhaps go in one ear and out the other. However, you may now regret not listening when all this fantastic advice was dropped into your lap. Don’t worry, we’ve got it covered in our list of five things all men should know.

Look after your health

This fairly obvious, but mostly ignored advice will be priceless as you get older. Looking after your health means not only aiming to eat healthily and to exercise, but also carrying out self-examinations and going to the doctors when something isn’t right. Prostate cancer is a treatable yet common disease, but still men are dying from it because they failed to go to the doctors when they first spotted the symptoms. Get regular check-ups as your doctor may spot something amiss even if you haven’t. Self-examine your genital areas for lumps, bumps and things that shouldn’t be there.  Even examine your chest and armpits, as men can get breast cancer too.

The importance of dressing well

You are no longer at College, so stop dressing as if you are. A simple, tasteful suit, tailored shirts, and polished shoes are much more appealing that hilarious slogan T-shirts. Casual clothing doesn’t need to be untidy, so take pride in your appearance even during downtime. Resources like Dudepins.Com can prove invaluable for sourcing smart yet affordable clothing for men, so why not give it a visit and update your wardrobe for the new adult you?

You need to call your parents

And yes, this means peaking to dad too. Not many men enjoy spending hours on the ‘phone to their parents, but as you grow older, they are growing older too, and there will be a day when you wish you could speak to them again. If you can’t visit them often then make a point of giving them a call at least once a week so you feel connected to them and they know you care.

Never mansplain

Don’t presume to know more than a woman. It seems simple, but so many men are guilty of what has come to be known as mansplaining. This is when a man will try to explain something to a woman, presuming she is not already aware of the relevant information. It often occurs when a man believes he is more intelligent than the woman taking part in the conversation, or that he has an expertise that she doesn’t. It is condescending, sexist and rude, so just don’t do it. If you still aren’t clear about what mansplaining entails, click here for some great examples.

You will never need that much legroom on the subway

Much like mansplaining, manspreading is thing that irks women, and with good reason. If a woman splayed her legs so wide, she would be sure to get some funny looks, yet when a man spreads his legs with no regard for his fellow commuter’s personal space, there is usually not even the hint of a glance. Have consideration for the people sitting near you and keep your legs together.