by Amelia Quint

Did your computer crash while you were working on a draft? Send a text to the wrong person? Can’t stay focused even after your second cold brew? Mercury retrograde could be to blame! Or, at least that’s what most horoscopes would tell you. Luckily, we’re in on the secret: while these periods of time can bring surprises, they can actually do more good than harm with some careful planning.

That’s because Mercury retrograde is an essential part of our growth. Three times a year, the planet of communication backtracks, giving you the space you need to learn from past mistakes or revise your goals, whether in love, business, or friendship. Ahead, your guide for what your star sign can expect from all the Mercury retrogrades in 2020, including how to prepare, what you’ll learn, and lots more.

Aries

You jump headfirst into everything, but during 2020’s first Mercury retrograde, it’s time to set some boundaries! With Mercury backtracking through your houses of rest and groups from February 16 to March 9, protect your energy from friends who tend to take more than they give. On the bright side, you could find kindred spirits who bring out your spiritual side through meditation, astrology, and more.

Next, Mercury retrograde from June 18 to July 12 in your emotions zone heals your heart, but you’ll have to dig through some tough feelings first. A summer love could send you on a nostalgia trip, or an old flame might reappear in your mentions. Whatever happens now helps you move on for good!

Finally, Mercury’s backspin through your love and intimacy sectors from October 13 to November 3 helps you revise your idea of what a relationship should look like. There’s no template for the perfect partner, so when you throw your preconceived notions out the window, you can finally make space for the person who’s right for you.

Taurus

With Mercury retrograde in your leadership and career zone from February 16 to March 9, the universe is calling on you to sit in the captain’s chair. Even if you’re not used to calling the shots, the project you’re working on needs your vision to succeed. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect the first time around, and just make sure you get things in on deadline!

This summer, Mercury’s backspin through your communication zone from June 18 to July 12 could lead to major mixed signals. For best results, be as clear as you can in everything you write (especially emails and texts!) and don’t be embarrassed about asking for clarification if you aren’t sure what someone means.

From October 13 to November 3, your relationship habits are up for review. Mercury retrograde activates your love and health zones, tweaking your current partnerships to be more sustainable. Imagine how much you’ll be able to accomplish with your number-one cheering you on!

Gemini

We know you’re great at your job, but have you been growing? With smart Mercury retrograde in your professional tenth and expansive ninth houses from February 16 to March 9, you recognize areas where you can make some improvements to your already stellar resume. You never know — that reach goal you set might actually be within your grasp!

Over the summer, Mercury retrograde in your value zone from June 18 to July 12 reminds you just how valuable your skills are. Could you ask for a raise or find a different job that’s better suited to your talents? Plan it out during the retrograde, and after Mercury’s direct on July 12, make your move!

Finally, the Mercury retrograde from October 13 to November 3 helps you make pleasure a priority. Turns out work and play go hand in hand, so if you’ve been fighting writer’s block or feeling uninspired, adding some fun back into your routine will work wonders.

Cancer

Finding the balance between your tough exterior and soft insides can be a challenge, especially during Mercury’s retrograde from February 16 to March 9. It moves through your expansion zone through March 3, pointing out where you’ve stretched yourself too thin. Once it backtracks into your intimacy sector on March 4, you take a much needed retreat.

With eclipses in your sign for the past two summers and another on the way this year, you’ve been undergoing a serious personal transformation. Fortunately, Mercury retrograde in your sign from June 18 to July 12 gives you the space you need to slow down and integrate the lessons you’ve learned since it all began.

The Mercury retrograde from October 13 to November 3 restores your joy as it travels through your pleasure and privacy sectors. Alone time is an art form, and during this period, you perfect it! It’s a great opportunity to return to the hobbies that bring you joy, like calligraphy or collecting.

Leo

You’re usually an extrovert, but with Mercury retrograde in your relationship houses from February 16 to March 9, you might need to give yourself a little more self-care than usual — or, your partner could be the one who needs extra space. There’s a fine line between vulnerability and oversharing, but an honest heart-to-heart with your loved one can help you find the right balance.

Luckily, Mercury retrograde in your spirituality sector from June 18 to July 12 reconnects you with your inner self. Whether it’s through therapy, journaling, or simply turning on your out-of-office message for a staycation, you can do some major healing during that time!

What you learn will help you speak from the heart during talkative Mercury’s backspin from October 13 to November 3. You’ll revise your personal narrative, whether by updating your inner monologue to be more positive or making art that helps you move past a hard time.

Virgo

You often rely on your partners to help your life run more efficiently, but when tricky Mercury backpedals through your relationship and habits zones, you might have to be the one to offer a helping hand. Don’t worry, your bond is strong enough to weather it — and you’ll be closer than ever afterwards.

Mercury’s retrograde through your groups zone from June 18 to July 12 will reshuffle the decks at your office or within your social circle. Even if there’s some initial awkwardness, you could meet someone who becomes a longtime friend or mentor!

Finally, Mercury takes a backspin through your communication and money zones from October 13 to November 3, reminding you how important it is to be clear about what you want. During this period, you can finally banish insecurities about your self- and net- worth for good!

Libra

When Mercury backpedals through your habits and happiness zones from February 16 to March 9, you realize you’ve taken fun off your schedule. Fortunately, this is your opportunity to course-correct accordingly! Give yourself time to recharge instead of working from dawn to dusk, and you’ll find it actually enhances your productivity.

Over the summer, Mercury retrograde in your professional tenth house could make you doubt your direction. If you’re feeling unsatisfied with your career, stay curious. Maybe you could tweak your current job to be more fulfilling — or, it might be time to embrace the adventure of switching industries!

From October 13 to November 3, Mercury reverses course through your value sector, as well as your own sign. If you’ve reached a professional plateau, you could put together a compelling case for a raise. Or, you set better boundaries to protect your time and energy. Either way, you end the fall richer!

Scorpio

There’s no doubt that you work hard, but when was the last time you took a break? During Mercury retrograde in your time-off sectors from February 16 to March 9, the universe reminds you to rest. For best results, get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and listen to your feelings. They’re trying to tell you something!

If it’s been a while since you took a vacation, Mercury’s backspin through your expansive ninth house from June 18 to July 12 could be the perfect time to do it. This is great energy for a working retreat, but make sure you schedule in time for a few unexpected twists in your travel plans.

When Mercury backpedals through your sign and your spirituality zone from October 13 to November 3, your perspective about life shifts or the better. It’s a mixed bag of doubts and dreams, but you end it with inspiration that will buoy you far into 2021 and beyond! Keep the faith, and you’ll be fine.

Sagittarius

Mercury’s retrograde through your home and community sectors from February 16 to March 9 helps you get back in touch with your roots. It’s super emotional, but can actually be inspiring if you hold onto small things that ground you, like a favorite local coffee shop or creative practice that’s consistent.

When Mercury reverses course in your intimacy sector from July 18 to July 12, reconnect with your sensual side. Even if it’s uncomfortable at first, know that there’s nothing wrong with asking for what you need in order to feel good. In fact, it could turn out to be a total game-changer for your relationships!

Finally, Mercury’s backspin through your twelfth and eleventh houses bring your vision for the future into sharp relief. Both have to do with dreams, and if you do this right, you can edit your goals to be much more realistic and, ultimately, achievable. After this, you’ll be closer to achieving them than you ever have!

Capricorn

Mercury retrograde in your communication and cash sectors from February 16 to March 9 could lead to a few misunderstandings about your bank balance, but not to worry! As you work to resolve any confusion, you might find a willing investor for a future project or learn a better way to market yourself.

When Mercury backpedals through your relationship zone from June 18 to July 12, what you want in love could surprise you. For best results, rekindle the spark with the people who already adore you instead of starting up a new romance. (It could fizzle out after Mercury goes direct anyway!)

Finally, Mercury’s reversal in Scorpio and Libra from October 13 to November 3 could shake things up at work or within your friend group. Remember, your connection to your co-workers is a relationship too, so do whatever you need to do to restore harmony — or ask that they do the same for you.

Aquarius

With Mercury retrograde in your worth zone from February 16 to March 3 — not to mention your own sign from March 4 to 9 — it’s time to banish any lingering self-doubts about your value. You’re more than deserving of all the things you desire in work, love, and life as a whole. Just remember: during this period, the only person you have to convince of that fact is yourself.

Mercury’s backspin through your health and habits sector from June 18 to July 12 helps you break out of your routines, ready or not. It’s a great time to upgrade your nutrition, fitness plan, and skincare rituals. But if you try to resist those changes, the universe could throw you a few curveballs to jumpstart your growth.

Everyone knows you’re a pro, but have you been challenging yourself enough lately? With Mercury’s reversal in your career expansion sectors from October 13 to November 3, don’t rest on your laurels. If there’s a new aspect of your industry you’re interested in, it’s a great time to study and gain news skills!

Pisces

You’re always dreaming up new ideas, but when Mercury retrograde travels through your sign and your spirituality sector from February 16 to March 9, you could be overwhelmed by all the inspiration! If you find your imaginative side getting carried away, plant your feet on terra firma and make a concrete plan for how to put all those ideas into action.

This summer, Mercury retrograde in your crushes and creativity zone from June 18 to July 12 might be more fun than you’d expect! Think spilling your latte just in time to have a cute person come help you clean it up, or meeting someone who gives you that awkward ‘middle school crush’ vibe for the first time in ages.

Mercury’s backspin through your expansive ninth house and secretive eighth house from October 13 to November 3 helps you find the balance of public and private when it comes to your partnerships. Do you really have to make it Instagram official, or would an intimate, photo-free moment feel more special? Listen to your heart, and you’ll know what to do.