Spa Day: Block Your Calendar for Personal Time

Spa day at Exhale | ©️ Nikki Winston, CPA

My Microsoft Teams status is red and says “In a meeting” because…

I put myself on the calendar.

There's no analyses or decks or project updates.

These next few hours are for ME. It's time to smooth out the knots in my back, ease the tension in my mind, and rejuvenate my spirit. 

Spa day: a 90-minute deep tissue massage

Each spa day I look forward to dozing off while every inch of my body is massaged. It's so relaxing until that pins and needles feeling wakes my ass up and I let out a long groan. It hurts but it feels good at the same time along my lower back.

Spa day: 30 minutes in the hammam and sauna

Spa day done | Exhale Spa Atlanta | ©️ Nikki Winston, CPA

I'm the only one here today. As usual, I lay out on the warmth of the hammam. I close my eyes to nourish my soul, replenishing the energy reserves depleted by the demands of daily life.

Then I sit in the sauna for 10-15 minutes, come out for a cool shower, then repeat. My massage therapist recommended this as a detox routine after my massages.

Spa day: the chill time with hot tea and snacks

Spa day snacks | ©️ Nikki Winston, CPA

I'm also the only one in the tearoom. I get a restore tea bag and fill the cup with hot water. I take another cup to make me a to-go trail mix to enjoy some of it now and some for later. A time to sit and just be - it's quiet, the lights are dim, and the music is soothing.

The kids and the husband can wait. The emails, deadlines, and endless chores can wait. For now, it's just me, honoring the most important appointment on my calendar: the one with myself.

Thank you as always to the good people at Exhale Spa Atlanta. I blocked enough time to relax and refresh before I had to get in the carpool line and get back to work.

But for now, I'm savoring these precious moments of tranquility before rejoining the whirlwind of daily life. After all, self-care isn't just a luxury—it's a necessity. And by prioritizing our own well-being, we become better equipped to handle whatever life throws our way.

Here's to honoring ourselves, one self-care ritual at a time. Because when we take care of ourselves, we're better able to take care of everything—and everyone—else.