Using our Cycles to our Advantage
In recent years I have been learning more about cyclical living and trying to incorporate small aspects of this into my life and work.
Essentially the concept is that us humans are cyclical beings, we are part of nature and as a result we are not supposed to be "On" all the time. So like the seasons of the year there is a time for activity and productivity (spring & summer) and then there is time for rest and introspection (autumn & winter). But our lives right now and especially our worklives are structured in a very linear way, ie: A to B, always moving forward.
There are numerous cycles to observe but for example as women we have a natural 28 day cycle where we have high energy for half of the month and a lower energy at the other times. However our traditional working day/week is set up to suit the male body which has a 24hour hormonal cycle.
There are times when we are all go and super productive and other times when we are not and that is not only ok, it is the way we are designed!
So how about considering using our cycles to our advantage with work as opposed to seeing them always as a negative?
It’s a big leap I know to go from where we are in terms of our work lives and I don't think our HR departments are going to embrace cyclical living any time soon. But we can make a few small adjustments ourselves that no one at work needs to know about!
The first step is to acknowledge that we are cyclical beings with ebbs and flows, we are not machines
Then track your cycle (your whole month which has 4 phases, not just your period). I use the MyFlo tracker
Observe when you feel energised or a little more introspective
If you have some control of your workflow schedule, try front loading more challenging tasks and work activities that involve presentations during follicular and ovulation phases and then keep more admin, introspective tasks (where you don’t need to speak to many) for the more inward time of the month. You may only be able to control a little bit of this but just observe it and see where it may take you.
I have been learning about this over the past number of years through various teachers and it's a real slow burner and takes time to digest. I started with a lovely online workshop called Seasonal Living with Clare Mulvany, a day retreat with Mari Kennedy, a gorgeous yoga teacher who acknowledges women's cycles and doesn't just tell you to push through Lou Horgan, lectures by Dolores Whelan, Kate Northrups book Do Less, as well as more recently Niamh Gallaghers Becoming Programme.
The simple message is, we are humans, not machines. We are part of nature and our bodies cannot sustain constant striving, doing and going. So let's consider using what we innately have to our advantage. We have tons of energy for one half of the month, let’s use it and then be kinder to ourselves when we are a little lower.
This is an ongoing process for me as I regularly overdo things and feel the need to be in a constant state of productivity, so it takes a process of unlearning. There is a lot of rinse and repeat as it is completely counter cultural to our work social norms. If you have never thought about it this way before it can be a lot to take in and sound all a bit woo woo but just consider it and let the idea sit with you for a while.
If you already bring aspects of cyclical living into your life and work, I'd love to hear from you ( I am a complete nerd about how people structure their days and manage their time!)
