Maximise productivity and well-being: A short guide for planning your workload based on your menstrual cycle

Understanding our bodies and deciphering how our menstrual cycle works for us is an absolute game-changer. Why, you ask? Well, it's like unlocking the secret code to our work lives, where energy levels, mood, and productivity are at stake.

Everyday, a growing number of women are joining the workforce and the pursuit of professional success. Now more than ever, we are determined to showcase our abilities and empower ourselves to orchestrate our work activities with grace and precision. Our goal is to work more efficiently, increase our performance coalesce and at the same time feeling comfortable in our bodies and safeguarding our mental health.

In this article I want to share a short guide to skillfully navigate the ever-changing tides of our menstrual cycle in a way that you can effectively plan your monthly activities while maintaining your well-being.

Phase 1: Menstruation (Days 1-5) 

During the menstrual phase, many women experience fatigue, cramps, and mood swings. It's important to prioritize self-care during this time, such as taking breaks, staying hydrated, and getting plenty of rest. Something that helps me, when working from home, is to put a bag of warm water on my belly, other than alleviating my cramps also helps me stay focus on something other than the discomfort of those days. 

During this phase, you might also want to avoid activities that require high levels of concentration or physical exertion. Try organizing your days in a way that you can:

• Take time to stretch and move around: it can be as easy as moving away from your desk to grab a cup coffee or tea and stretching your legs.

• Schedule some time for light or moderate physical activity: you can try yoga or walking, this may help relieve cramps and boost mood.

• Avoid high-pressure projects or tasks that require a lot of attention to detail: what works for me is that I try to work on repetitive tasks, such downloading and reviewing project reports, organizing slides for clients, or reviewing the backlog and pending activities of my team and follow up their progress.

Phase 2: Follicular Phase (Days 6-14)

During the follicular phase, estrogen levels rise, and you may experience an increase in energy, focus, and creativity. This can be a good time to take on more challenging tasks from projects or activities that require creative problem-solving.

To organize your days try:

• Tackling challenging tasks that require focus and attention to detail: for example use those days to work on solving a complex issue that a client reported, or, as I do, working on creating quotes for potential clients, calculating revenue of my projects and coming up with ways to improve the project dynamic.

• Starting new projects or initiatives that require creativity: during those day, where my energy is at the highest, for example, I take time to write these articles, create posts for my Instagram and Tiktok page (projecto_pro) and preparing slides for upcoming training session that I have to deliver.

• Engaging in social or team-building activities: this helps you take advantage of increased social energy. You can try scheduling some time to grab a bite with your friends or colleagues.

Phase 3: Ovulation (Days 14-15)

Ovulation marks the midpoint of the menstrual cycle, and during this phase, it can be a lot easier for us to stay focus. You may want to take advantage of this phase to tackle more demanding projects, or schedule important meetings or presentations.

Some suggested activities can be:

• Scheduling important meetings or presentations: In my case, I have truly noticed I perform way better during these days when presenting a project progress to a client, or have to gather project requirements for a new project, I organize and process the information faster.

• Tackling complex projects: you can try working on tasks that require concentration and focus, for example, solving resource allocation issues on projects, or finding ways to accomodate to a request from a difficult client.

• Engaging in high-intensity exercise: during this time intense exercise may be more tolerable and beneficial.

Phase 4: Luteal Phase (Days 16-28)

During the luteal phase, progesterone levels rise, and we may experience mood swings, fatigue, and anxiety. It's important to prioritize stress-mangement during this phase, as well as to avoid scheduling too many new or demanding activities.

Whenever possible, try:

• Engaging in stress-reducing activities: what I usually do, for example, is taking time to eat slowly and avoid running around trying to do all at at once. You can also try meditating or going for a massage.

• Scheduling less demanding tasks: if possible, try delegating activities or re-scheduling non priority tasks, it is not always possible but it's worth trying.

• Taking regular breaks: this should apply for all phases, but specially in the luteal phase avoid overworking to prevent burnout.

The menstrual cycle it's natural, beautiful and can have a significant impact on a woman's work life, understanding the different phases of the cycle can help us plan our work activities more effectively, improve our performance, minimize discomfort, and prioritize our overall well-being.