The biggest mistake I used to make was thinking I needed to work like a man.
Failing to listen to my body led to a host of hormone imbalances and burnout for me. I was stressed and anxious and I saw no way out of my fatigue some days.
If this sounds like you or someone you know… keep reading
Introduction
Hi 👋 my name is Laura Mai and I’m a marketing consultant looking to make ethical marketing easy.
One of my biggest passions in life is human health. This past year, menstrual cycles have been trending, and for good reason.
To gain gender equality in the workplace, understanding shifts in behaviour and biology is key to getting high performing women to stick around.
A quick disclaimer. This does not mean women can’t do the same work as men. We’ve surely proven by now we can, however there’s a way women can optimally work to support our longevity in the workplace.
If you’re interested in knowing how hormones affect your working life, or want to support menstruating female colleagues, this article is for you.
We’ll be going over:
🤍 introduction and the four phases of the menstrual cycle
✨How the menstrual cycle affects month to month working patterns
👏🏽 How you can support yourself/ others throughout the month
🤍 Introduction and the four phases of the menstrual cycle:
We all know what a period is, but there are shifts happening in a woman’s body throughout the month we don’t see.
There are actually four phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. These are the follicular phase, ovulation, the luteal phase and menstruation.
The follicular phase is the body’s spring and you’ll have good energy during this time.
Ovulation is your peak, it’s the perfect time to do big presentations.
The luteal phase is when the body starts slowing down, it’s a great time to finish up projects.
Menstruation is when you’ll need a bit of extra rest, it’s a great period for reflection.
✨How the menstrual cycle affects month to month working patterns
Each phase in a woman’s menstrual cycle will make certain activities more or less optimal.
The beginning of a cycle will bring energy and ideas, while the end of a cycle will call for rest and be optimal for reflection.
Knowing that women work on a 28 day clock and a 24 hour clock can enable us to plan and support women in the work place better.
👏🏽 How you can support yourself/ others throughout the month
These are my three tips to supporting yourself or others in their cycle
💡Plan plan plan. Sync your work to your menstrual cycle. Free resource here (on page 50) https://www.canva.com/design/DAFsPZS8ayI/ljC1dZa3Ic3lIdtYLRQuxA/view?utm_content=DAFsPZS8ayI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
💡share this information with one person so we can increase education around the menstrual cycle
💡learn more about other ways to support women’s hormones. Woman Code by Alissa Vitti is a great place to start
Thank you for taking the time to read about this important issue. If you enjoyed this post, then check out my blog www.lauramaigainor.com/blog where I post daily content tips and weekly human interest blogs.
