I’ll never stop preaching the importance of energetic hygiene when you’re handling the constant pressures of running a business, and integrating your monthly cycle into how you run your schedule is an ideal place to start.
As someone who spent years suppressing my natural rhythms in the corporate world, learning about my 28-day cycle compared to the 24-hour male hormonal cycle was equal parts enlightening and frustrating.
The CliffNotes version is: the business world was built for men. For 24-hour hormonal cycles that peak with testosterone in the morning and wind down over the course of the day, resulting in an early boost of energy and focus and a more receptive, relaxed, and social afternoon.
In contrast, people who menstruate have a 28-day cycle that only peaks with testosterone mid-cycle, during ovulation. While I don’t think anyone is designed to work an office 9-5, it’s no wonder so many women burn out hard maintaining the typical Mon-Fri schedule.
Rather than expecting the same level of energy and output each day, working with our body’s natural rhythms opens the doorway to heightened creative abilities, increased energy, and much lower stress.
If you’d like to start tapping into the unique energetic themes of your menstrual cycle, here’s how to work with the four phases to experience more energy and vitality as you lead your business:
Phase 01. Menstruation: Inner Winter (Days 1-5)
Energetic Themes: Intuitive, introspective, inward-focused, releasing, withdrawal, receiving
Business Focus: Rest, let go, tune in. This phase is a crucial time to go inward, receive transformative insights, connect with your deeper “why” and refine your vision, and recharge your creative power for the upcoming phases. Don’t force action, launch offers, or push yourself to do more.
Quick Tip: Set up support systems so your business can (mostly) run without you during this time. Set up automations, create a marketing funnel, and consider batching content during the more energetic phases.
During your menstrual phase, your intuition is heightened, making this the perfect time to tune into the spirit of your business. Instead of pushing through with your regular schedule, honor this time by slowing down and turning inward.
I used to force myself to show up on social media and host calls during this phase, only to feel drained and disconnected from myself. Now, I block these days for planning and visioning work that requires deep thinking but minimal energy output.
Phase 02. Follicular: Inner Spring (Days 6-12)
Energetic Themes: Rising energy, creativity, action, optimism, beginnings
Business Focus: Start projects, launch, create! This is where you harness all the power you stored up during phase 01. Take advantage of your energy and stamina to plan or launch projects, film content, guest teach or hold interviews, and use your heightened communication and risk-taking abilities.
As your energy begins to rise in this phase, you’ll notice an uptick in your creativity and openness to try new things. This is your business development phase — the perfect time to create new offers, launch fresh marketing campaigns, or solve problems with inspired thinking.
During this time, I focus on creating content, hosting calls, outlining course materials, or mapping out launch strategies. The ideas flow more easily, and I find myself naturally thinking outside the box and wanting to take action.
Phase 03. Ovulation: Inner Summer (Days 13-15)
Energetic Themes: Peak energy, power, magnetism, communication, birth, inspiration
Business Focus: See and be seen! You’re at the peak of your personal power, optimism, and allure. Create content, host workshops, pitch your services, sell your offers, attend events, and focus your energy toward manifesting your desires.
Quick Tip: The quality of rest you received in the first phase directly correlates to the energy level you’ll experience in this phase — it may take a few cycles to see noticeable external results.
Your ovulatory phase is a natural spotlight moment. You’re at your most magnetic and articulate, making this the ideal time to be seen and heard. This is when your communication abilities peak and others are naturally drawn to your energy.
I typically schedule all my launches, content creation, teaching engagements, and client calls during the Spring and Summer phases (I’ve found my conversion rates increase significantly when I align any promotional activities with this natural peak of energy).
Phase 04. Luteal: Inner Autumn (Days 16-28)
Energetic Themes: Analytical, detail-oriented, discerning, completion-focused
Business Focus: Receive, flow, and speak your truth. This is an ideal time to engage your community, close out projects, review the results of your actions, and tune into your capacity to receive. Energy tapers off as you approach menstruation, so be gentle with your emotions and prioritize self-care.
Quick Tip: Tune into your authority so the raw energy of this phase doesn’t lead to premature, not-self decisions (especially if you have emotional authority). Honor your emotions and focus on what really matters.
I know, I know – most people hate this phase and think it’s punishment that we spend the majority of our cycle here, but it can be an incredibly powerful time when you work with this potent energy. During your luteal phase, your energy begins to turn inward again, but you still have the focus and discernment needed to complete projects and tie up loose ends. This is when your analytical skills shine, making it perfect for detail-oriented tasks like reviewing data.
I use this phase to finish out projects, update my funnels and systems, clear my personal task list, run errands so I have everything I need, and prepare for the reflective work of the upcoming menstrual phase. I also love using planetary energy to structure my week, which I share more about in this video.
Creating A Cycle-Aligned Business Schedule
Okay, here’s a quick overview of how to implement cycle syncing in your business:
- Track Your Cycle: Use an app like Stardust (my personal favorite!) or Flo to identify your current phase and anticipate upcoming shifts. Important note on period tracking: please be mindful of the risks of using these apps if you currently live in the USA and have any possibility of getting pregnant.
- Plan Quarterly: Look at your menstrual cycle pattern alongside your business calendar so you have a better idea of when to schedule launches, intensive work periods, and rest phases.
- Batch Similar Tasks: Group activities based on the energy required and assign them to the appropriate phase.
- Communicate Boundaries: Let team members and loved ones know about your schedule structure so they understand when you’re most available for certain types of work and engagements.
What About Irregular Cycles?
If your cycles are irregular, you no longer menstruate, or you don’t have a menstrual cycle but you’d like to incorporate energetic cycles into your work, you can still benefit from this approach by:
- Following the lunar cycle instead (new moon = menstrual phase, full moon = ovulatory phase)
- Creating your own 28-day cycle structure and following it consistently
- Paying attention to your energy patterns over time and creating a personalized map
Results You Can Expect
When I started aligning my business activities with my cycle, I experienced:
- More energy during my ‘active’ phases (because I had truly rested)
- Increased sales during launches
- More satisfaction in my business and personal life (especially relationships)
- Deeper connection with my intuition, resulting in better decision-making
By honoring your body’s natural rhythms, you create the space for more self-awareness, intuition, energy, and fulfillment. This sustainable approach not only feels better but actually leads to greater profitability over time, because it significantly strengthens your leadership skills.
If you’re ready to design a business that works with your unique energetics instead of against them, my Legacy Human Design Reading will help you understand the unique gifts that differentiate your brand and how to support your mind and body based on your unique Variable configuration.
Here’s to running a more profitable, sustainable business in 2025. 🥂
Keolani xx
