“Life is busy and our tendency is to put ourselves last,” says Kristi Dickinson, Director of Spa and Wellness, Rancho Valencia. “Even now, when most of us have ample free time, self-care starts to take a back seat and self-soothing activities such as eating rich food and consuming alcohol can creep in.” Creating a self-care schedule, believes Kristi, ensures that you will not only prioritize your wellbeing, but that you will choose an activity that both feels good and improves your health.
Kristi Dickinson
With that in mind, Kristi, created a comprehensive Self-Care Schedule for our readers that addresses all aspects of wellbeing. Each day is comprised of 12 different self-care activities in these categories: Meditation; Exercise; Mind/Body; Spirituality/Culture; a Podcast; an At-Home Spa Therapy; time in Nature; Cognitive Fitness; Social time; Unwind time; a Skincare/Beauty practice; and Sleep Prep.
Phew! That may seem overwhelming to you at first read, but Kristi’s Self-Care Schedule actually serves as a great guideline. You can choose a few to do each day, or if you’re feeling energetic and adventurous, all of them—or you can simply draw inspiration and design your own self-care steps. You can start with just one day a week, and mix and match from your favorite options, or dedicate three days a week . . . whatever you choose to do and how often, we know you will benefit from the results.
At-Home Spa Therapies with Anne Bramham
What makes this Self-Care Schedule extra-special is that Anne Bramham, a respected industry mentor and Founder of the American SpaTherapy and Education Certification Council (ASTECC), wrote the protocols for the featured At-Home Spa therapies. You’ll learn how to dry brush, run your own contrast shower, rub your feet the right way, create a castor-oil pack (careful, they can be messy), and enjoy an aromatic inhalation session. I met Anne way back in the day when Spa Montage Laguna Beach first opened. I was one of the few lucky guinea pigs invited to experience Anne’s innovative “Art of Spa” program that forever changed spa menus across America. Anne is an incredible educator and an invaluable asset to the spa industry, and I’m grateful to her for sharing her expertise.
Anne Bramham
Anne and Kristi have been working together since 2010, when they opened the Spa Montage Deer Valley. Shares Kristi, “In my other spas, the companies who trained our spa therapists were vendors. I saw our relationship as a transaction—you give us the knowledge, we pay you. Anne was very integrated into the Montage culture and was there to support on every level from marketing and PR to complicated case studies and therapist career paths. It was a big shift for me to see what was possible with a true education partner.”
As the years went by, Kristi realized that her guests were receiving “tremendous results from their bespoke therapy programs and the therapists were experiencing these intense personal shifts.” She realized then that she needed to be involved with ASTECC on a deeper level, so in a rare move among topnotch spa directors, she left her position and enrolled in massage school, later going into private practice, specializing in ASTECC modalities. She was called back to leadership and brought ASTECC to Rancho Valencia in 2015. The partnership has been invaluable—and award-winning. In 2018, the spa earned the Forbes 5-star award and business has nearly doubled, relates Kristi. “ASTECC allows us to connect with our guests on a higher level and these long-term relationships create a community space rather than a simple hotel amenity. I cannot imagine a wellness program without ASTECC.”
Seven Days of Self-Care
Photo by Gabrielle Henderson
Sunday Self-Care Schedule
6:30 am Meditate • 6:45 am Exercise: Stretch • 7:30 am Mind/Body: Tai Chi
8:00 am Spirituality/Culture: Gratitude journaling • 9:00 am Podcast: Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations
10:00 am At-Home Spa Therapy: Seaweed bath; we recommend Earth Matters
1:00 pm Nature: Hike • 3:00 pm Cognitive Fitness: Lumosity
5:00 pm Social: Video call with family • 6:00 pm Unwind: Glass of wine • 7:00 pm Skincare/Beauty: At-home mani/pedi • 8:30 pm Sleep Prep: Read
Photo by JD Mason
Monday Self-Care Schedule
6:30 am Meditate • 6:45 am Exercise: Strength • 7:30 am Mind/Body: Pranayama
8:00 am Spirituality/Culture: Weekly intention setting
9:00 am Podcast: Linkedin Speaker Series
10:00 am Spa Therapy: Dry brush, circulatory technique
1:00 pm Nature: Walk • 3:00 pm Cognitive Fitness: Sudoko
5:00 pm Social: Card game • 6:00 pm Unwind: Yoga • 7:00 pm Skincare/Beauty: Facial mask
8:30 pm Sleep Prep: Read
Photo by Samuel Austin
Tuesday Self-Care Schedule
6:30 am Meditate • 6:45 am Exercise: Cardio • 7:30 am Mind/Body: Qi gong
8:00 am Spirituality/Culture: Crystals
9:00 am Podcast: Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
10:00 am At-Home Spa Therapy: Reflexology
1:00 pm Nature: Garden
3:00 pm Cognitive Fitness: Crossword puzzle • 5:00 pm Social: The Book of If by Evelyn McFarlane
6:00 pm Unwind: Yoga • 7:00 pm Skincare/Beauty: Exfoliate • 8:30 pm Sleep Prep: Read
Photo by Anton Malanin
Wednesday Self-Care Schedule
6:30 am Meditate • 6:45 am Exercise: Foam roller
7:30 am Mind/Body: Emotional Freedom Techniques, EFT
8:00 am Spirituality/Culture: Virtual museum tour
9:00 am Podcast: Duolingo Spanish podcast
10:00 am At-Home Spa Therapy: Contrast shower
1:00 pm Nature: Beach walk • 3:00 pm Cognitive Fitness: Happy Neuron
5:00 pm Social: Call an old friend • 6:00 pm Unwind: Yoga • 7:00 pm Skincare/Beauty: LED light therapy (Kristi uses the handheld at-home device from LightStim)
8:30 pm Sleep Prep: Read
Photo by Artursfoto
Thursday Self-Care Schedule
6:30 am Meditate • 6:45 am Exercise: Strength
7:30 am Mind/Body: Affirmations • 8:00 am Spirituality/Culture: Journal
9:00 am Podcast: TED Radio Hour
10:00 am At-Home Spa Therapy: Dry brush, lymphatic technique
1:00 pm Nature: Nature photography
3:00 pm Cognitive Fitness: My Brain Trainer
5:00 pm Social: Learn couple’s massage • 6:00 pm Unwind: Yoga • 7:00 pm Skincare/Beauty: Facial Mask
8:30 pm Sleep Prep: Read
Photo by Zen Bear Yoga
Friday Self-Care Schedule
6:30 am Meditate • 6:45 am Exercise: Cardio
7:30 am Mind/Body: Singing bowl • 8:00 am Spirituality/Culture: Virtual Kirtan
9:00 am Podcast: This American Life
10:00 am At-Home Spa Therapy: Castor oil pack
1:00 pm Nature: Garden • 3:00 pm Cognitive Fitness: Spanish lesson
5:00 pm Social: Zoom happy hour with friends • 6:00 pm Unwind: Yoga • 7:00 pm Skincare/Beauty: Exfoliate
8:30 pm Sleep Prep: Read
Photo by Jonnelle Yankovich
Saturday Self-Care Schedule
6:30 am Meditate • 6:45 am Exercise: Pilates
7:30 am Mind/Body: Coloring book
8:00 am Spirituality/Culture: Virtual art gallery tour
9:00 am Podcast: Tara Brach
10:00 am At-Home Spa Therapy: Aromatherapy (anti-viral) inhalation
1:00 pm Nature: Bike ride • 3:00 pm Cognitive Fitness: Queendom
5:00 pm Social: Ecstatic dance (various virtual dances may be found on Facebook)
6:00 pm Unwind: Star gazing • 7:00 pm Skincare/Beauty: LED light therapy (Kristi uses the handheld at-home device from LightStim) • 8:30 pm Sleep Prep: Read
Mary Bemis
Mary Bemis is Founder & Editorial Director of InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. An advocate for all things spa, Mary forged a vocabulary for spa reportage that is widely used by those who cover the issues today. Recently honored as a Top 30 Influential Voice Transforming Wellness by Medika Life, Mary is an inaugural honoree of Folio’s Top Women in Media Award. Her spa media roots run deep—in 1997, she launched American Spa magazine, in 2007, she co-founded Organic Spa magazine, and in between serving on the ISPA and NYSPA Board of Directors, she was on the launch teams of Luxury SpaFinder and New Beauty magazines. Named a "Wonder Woman of Wellness" by American Spa magazine, Mary was honored by the International Spa Association with the distinguished ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award. She is a special advisor to the non-profit Global Wellness Day.
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