Ten 20-Minute Self-Care Strategies for Stressful Seasons
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that real self-care requires long routines, perfect mornings, expensive products, and an unrealistic amount of free time.
Gotcha. That is absolutely not true.
When life is heavy, when anxiety is loud, and when burnout is creeping in, self-care does not need to be aesthetic or impressive. It needs to be doable.
Especially if you are an overwhelmed woman, and especially if you are used to carrying everything for everyone else.
In this post, I am sharing ten 20-minute self-care strategies designed for stressful seasons, not ideal days. These are trauma-informed, nervous-system-friendly practices you can actually fit into real life.
By the end, you will have practical ways to regulate your body, protect your energy, and feel more grounded without overhauling your entire routine. You may not suddenly feel like a glowing wellness influencer, but you will feel more like yourself. And honestly, that is better.
Grab twenty of your very important minutes and whatever drink is closest to you, and let’s get into it.
1. Do a Nervous System Check-In (Not a To-Do List)
What it is:
A short pause to ask your body how it is actually doing, instead of pushing straight into problem-solving mode.
When I first started doing nervous system check-ins, my only goal was to stop snapping at people when I was overwhelmed. What I discovered was that my body was signaling stress long before my mind caught up.
How to use 20 minutes:
Sit somewhere quiet
Place one hand on your chest or belly
Ask yourself: What am I feeling in my body right now?
Name sensations without trying to change them
What you can expect:
Less reactivity. More clarity. And fewer moments of wondering why you are suddenly crying over nothing.
2. Practice “Low-Effort Rest”
When you are burned out, traditional rest can feel impossible. Lying still can actually increase anxiety for some nervous systems.
Low-effort rest means choosing rest that your body can tolerate.
20-minute ideas:
Sitting outside without your phone
Listening to calming music or sound healing
Lying down with your feet elevated
Gentle stretching without a goal
What you can expect:
Your body starts to soften without forcing relaxation. This is regulation, not performance.
3. Journal One Honest Question (Not a Whole Page)
You do not need a three-page journaling ritual to benefit from reflection.
Choose one question and stop there:
What am I most tired of carrying right now?
Where am I pushing when I actually need support?
What does my anxiety need me to hear today?
Set a timer for 20 minutes. Stop when the timer ends, even if you want to keep going.
What you can expect:
Emotional clarity without overwhelm. And fewer spirals later.
4. Move Gently With No Outcome
Exercise culture has convinced us that movement only counts if it is intense, sweaty, or productive.
Your nervous system disagrees.
20-minute options:
Gentle yoga
Stretching on the floor
Walking without tracking anything
Slow, intuitive movement
What you can expect:
Reduced anxiety and a stronger sense of safety in your body.
5. Makea “Boundary Buffer”
Stressful seasons often come with too much access to you.
Use 20 minutes to identify one small boundary you can set this week.
Examples:
Delaying responses instead of replying immediately
Saying “I will get back to you” instead of yes
Blocking off one non-negotiable break
What you can expect:
Less resentment and more energy, even before the boundary is fully enforced.
6. Do a Sensory Reset
Your nervous system responds quickly to sensory input.
20-minute sensory resets:
Warm shower
Aromatherapy
Weighted blanket
Holding a warm mug
Listening to grounding sounds
What you can expect:
A noticeable shift in your stress level without having to think your way out of it.
7. Name What Is Not Yours to Carry
This one is especially important for women who have learned to overfunction.
Use 20 minutes to write down:
Responsibilities that are not actually yours
Emotions you are managing for others
Expectations you never agreed to
Then ask: What can I release, even a little?
What you can expect:
Relief. And often grief. Both are part of healing.
8. Plan for the Hard Parts of Your Week
Planning is self-care when it reduces stress, not when it adds pressure.
Use 20 minutes to identify:
One stressful moment coming up
What support or buffer you can add
What you can lower expectations around
What you can expect:
Less dread and more agency.
9. Stop Comparing Your Healing
Comparison is one of the fastest ways to dysregulate your nervous system.
Instead of scrolling and spiraling, spend 20 minutes doing something grounding:
Reading
Stretching
Sitting outside
Journaling
What you can expect:
More self-trust and fewer moments of feeling behind.
10. Get Support That Matches the Season You Are In
You do not need to white-knuckle stressful seasons.
If journaling or self-care practices are bringing things up that feel heavy or unmanageable, support matters.
Therapy, somatic work, ART, yoga, and sound healing can help you process stress and trauma without reliving everything.
What you can expect:
Healing that feels supportive instead of exhausting.
That’s a Wrap: Self-Care for Real Life
It is amazing what you can do in 20 minutes when you stop trying to do everything.
Self-care in stressful seasons is not about fixing yourself. It is about meeting yourself where you are.
If you want support that honors your body, your history, and your capacity, you do not have to do this alone.
Want more grounding tools like this?
Download my free Healing Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery and Wholeness or join my newsletter for gentle reflections and nervous-system-informed support.
If you are looking for therapy in Charlotte or anywhere in North Carolina, Florida, or South Carolina, you can schedule a free consultation to explore healing.
And if you try one of these 20-minute practices, let me know which one you start with first.
