The 10-Minute Self-Care Routine Every Overwhelmed Mom Needs
Because you shouldn’t have to earn rest, or wait until everyone else is okay to be okay.
If you’re a Mom, then you know exactly what it feels like to run on empty. You probably know what it feels like to be touched out by breakfast and wonder how you’re going to get through the rest of the day. You definitely know what its like to watch your coffee go cold again. You’ve probably wondered some days, how something so small (like a pair of tiny socks on the floor) could trigger such a big wave of “I can’t do this anymore.” And odds are – if you’re a mom in 2025, you may not have as much support as you thought you might.
I get it. Because I’ve been there, too.
Here’s what I want you to know: you don’t need an hour-long bath or a spa day to come back to yourself. You just need a rhythm that meets you in real life, where the mess and magic collide. It took me a long time to realize this, and to accept it. But once I did, and once I allowed myself to take that time in little pockets throughout the day, everything changed for me.
The routine I am going to share with you is your 10-minute no guilt self-care routine. This is a simple, doable list of nourishing habits that will bring you back to center, even when you have no idea where your center is anymore.
Why Motherhood Overloads Your Nervous System (And What That Really Means)
Motherhood isn’t just physically exhausting—it’s nervous system exhausting. Every sound, every sudden cry, every decision you make for tiny humans while ignoring your own needs… it all adds up. Your nervous system is the part of you that decides whether you’re safe or in danger. And when it’s constantly reacting to overstimulation, unpredictability, or the invisible pressure to “hold it all together,” it can get stuck in survival mode.
Here’s what that might look like:
-You’re always on edge, even in silence.
-Your heart races when your toddler whines, even before they fully meltdown.
-You feel like you could cry—or explode—over something small (like crumbs on the floor).
-You find yourself snapping, shutting down, or spacing out… and then feeling guilty afterward.
That’s not you being dramatic or failing. That’s your nervous system saying, “I’m overloaded.” But it doesn’t have to stay this way forever. You can train your body to feel safe again—even in the chaos. Little daily resets, like the one you’re about to read, help regulate your stress response, soothe your system, and remind your body and mind that you’re not in danger… you’re just a mom doing your best in an overwhelming world.
Why 10 Minutes Is Enough (and Powerful)
Self-care doesn’t need to be long to be effective. In fact, when done with intention, 10 minutes can regulate your nervous system, shift your mood, and reset your entire day. And when you can incorporate this once, twice or as many times as you can in your day – your body and mind know what to expect, and know that they can stay regulated even when the storms of big childhood emotions and overstimulation hit.
When you consistently give yourself small, meaningful pauses, you teach your body it’s safe to rest. You remind your mind that you matter, too. And just as importantly, you give your kids a model of what it looks like to tend to yourself with compassion.
The 10-Minute Overwhelmed Mom Reset Routine
This routine is designed to soothe sensory overload, bring you back into your body, and help you feel like you again—even if everything around you is chaos. You can do this while your child watches a show, during nap time, or even in the bathroom with the door “locked” for five sacred minutes (when your child is in a safe spot). Find your pocket of time, where ever it may be, and take it without guilt. Let’s break it down:
MINUTE 0–2: Move and Exhale
Reset your body first.
- Do 3 rounds of deep box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4).
- Shake out your arms, stretch your shoulders, roll your neck.
- If you’re really wound up, do 10 jumping jacks or dance wildly for 30 seconds.
Why it works: Movement and breath discharge stress hormones. They signal to your nervous system: we’re safe now.
MINUTE 2–4: Water + Something That Grounds You
Anchor into sensation.
- Splash cold water on your face or run your hands under warm water.
- Drink a glass of water slowly and intentionally.
- Apply a calming essential oil to your wrists or neck (lavender, orange, or frankincense work well).
- Bonus: stand barefoot if you can or even better – stand on the grass if possible and safe to do for one minute.
Why it works: Water is a grounding element. Engaging the senses brings you out of your head and into the now.
MINUTE 4–6: A Quick Environment Reset
Resetting your space resets your mind.
- Set a timer for 90 seconds, turn on your favorite happy song and clear just one surface.
- Light a candle, turn on soft music, or open a window.
- If you’re holding tension, try saying: “This space doesn’t have to be perfect to feel peaceful.”
Why it works: Your external space reflects your internal one. A tiny shift physically can make a big difference emotionally.
MINUTE 6–8: Say It Out Loud
Words rewire. Say what you need to hear.
Choose one phrase that resonates, sit on the floor, and say it out loud (or whisper it if you’re hiding in a bathroom):
- “This is just a moment, not forever. I will get through today.”
- “I’m allowed to be human, even as a mom. ”
- “Calm is available to me—even now. I choose it.”
- “I can start over at any point today. I will restart now.”
Why it works: Your nervous system listens to your voice. When you speak safety, your body believes it.
MINUTE 9–10: Do One Thing Just for You
Even if it’s small.
- Stand in the sunlight.
- Lay down on the floor.
- Read one paragraph of something beautiful.
- Write one sentence in a journal: “Right now, I feel…”
- Listen to your favorite song and sing it out loud
- Scroll your favorite app and disconnect, you deserve it.
Why it works: This tells your brain, my needs matter. It doesn’t have to be big to be sacred.
Bonus Tip: Make It a Ritual, Not a Task
If you do even just part of this daily, you’ll notice a shift. Eventually you will find that your shoulders soften sooner.
You’ll catch your breath before yelling. You’ll feel more rooted in the middle of the storm. It wont happen overnight, but little by little you will feel a change in your body when it knows it will have its own time to breathe. And maybe… just maybe… you’ll start to believe that taking care of you is not optional. it’s foundational.
You Deserve to Feel Like You Again.
This 10-minute self-care routine isn’t just a break, it’s a bridge. It’s a way back to the version of you who’s not just surviving the day, but slowly, gently coming back to life within it. Motherhood has a way of consuming you, and making you feel buried underneath the chaos and expectations of caring for others every day. It can be so easy to put yourself last. But the more often you take this time for yourself, the more natural it becomes to meet yourself there—in the quiet, in the breath, in the moment you choose you.
Because when you care for the mother, you care for the whole home.
If this resonated with you, I’ve have even more tools coming soon to help you reset in the hard moments, including a free Mom Reset Map and a Calm Mom Kit. Sign up for my weekly newsletter to be the first to find out when I release it. You can also check out my blog post about what I do instead of yelling for more family and parenting support.
Much Love,
