10-Minute Journaling for Overwhelmed Moms

You used to light a candle and write for twenty minutes. Now you scroll your phone in the bathroom just to feel something.

If you’re overwhelmed, overstimulated, and feeling out of touch with yourself, you’re not alone. We created a free printable kit designed for the overwhelmed moms who are crispy: not just tired, but emotionally fried.

No judgment. No pressure. Just a simple, 10-minute way to gently reconnect with yourself.

What is a Crispy Mom?

Crispy (adj.): A state of being emotionally fried, mentally overloaded, and one spilled cup away from snapping.

You might be crispy if:

  • You answer “What’s for dinner?” with “I don’t know. Vibes?”
  • You can’t tell if you need to cry, scream, or reorganize your closet
  • You used to have routines. Now you just have alarms

It’s not full burnout. It’s the pre-burnt, functional-chaos phase. You’re still doing all the things—but you’re crispy around the edges.

Why 10 Minutes Matters

When you’re crispy, even the idea of “self-care” feels exhausting. Who has time for bubble baths or silent retreats? What you really need is something small and doable—a way to pause the constant noise for long enough to hear yourself think again.

That’s where this little practice comes in. Ten minutes with a pen can feel like cracking a window in a stuffy room—suddenly, there’s air again. You don’t need to be a “journaler” or have perfect handwriting. You don’t need the right notebook or even a quiet space. You just need a few minutes and the willingness to try.

Journaling won’t magically make the overwhelm disappear, but it can help you carry it differently. It gives you a safe place to let the thoughts spill out, to name the feelings buzzing in your body, and to remind yourself that you are still here, even under the weight of everything else.

What You’ll Get

  • ✍️ 10 journaling prompts designed for the burnt-out, the neurodivergent, and the deep-feeling. These prompts don’t ask for essays. They give you bite-sized entry points so you can start where you are—even if that’s halfway between tears and to-do lists.
  • 🌿 Printable Needs Inventory to help you figure out what you’re really craving. Spoiler: it’s not always just sleep (though sleep helps). Sometimes what we need is quiet, or connection, or someone to remind us that we don’t have to do it all alone.
  • 😅 Printable Feelings Inventory to help you name what you’re feeling without a therapist in the room. Because sometimes “fine” isn’t fine, and having the right words can unlock what’s been stuck inside.
  • ✨ A gentle invitation to begin again, even if it’s been forever. No guilt for how long it’s been. No shame for how messy life feels. Just a soft reminder that you can always pick up the pen.

This is for you if…

  • You feel like you’re doing everything and nothing at the same time
  • You used to journal (or always wanted to) but now your brain just buzzes
  • You’re exhausted, touchy, overstimulated, and one snack request away from tears
  • You know there’s a wiser, softer voice inside you—you just can’t hear her right now

A Note from Kristy

I made this because I was one bad week away from dissolving into a laundry pile and never coming out. If you’ve ever cried because someone asked what’s for dinner—same. This little ritual helped me remember I exist. I hope it does the same for you. I’m a working mom, writer, and recovering overfunctioner who forgot how to hear myself think. This little ritual helped me come back to myself on the hardest days. I hope it helps you too.

Ready to feel like yourself again—even just a little?


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No spam. No pressure. Just a quiet place to start.

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“I didn’t know how much I needed this until I opened the file. I cried and then journaled for the first time in months.”
— beta tester (aka a real crispy mom)

P.S. If you’re crispy, you’re in good company. Welcome home.