Why Popular Time Management Strategies Don’t Work for Women

The 24 Hour Cycle vs 28 Day Cycle

Some weeks you’re on - you’re crushing it at work, you’re killing it in the gym, and you have energy after work to meet up with friends or to engage in leisure activities you love. But other weeks? Not so much. You have to drag yourself out of bed, you feel like you’re phoning it in at work and during workouts, and after work, you crash on the sofa and stare at the ceiling.

If that describes you, you’re probably (and rightfully) frustrated by these swings in mood, productivity, and energy. And being the wickedly intelligent woman that you are, you’ve probably set out to try to fix them.

Maybe you’ve tried the Bullet journal or a to-do list app.  Maybe you bought an inspiring day planner, hoping that the beautiful pages would zap you into action. Maybe you read one of the million books out there on time management or productivity secrets. . But none of those things have worked—or will work in the future.

Why?

Because traditional time management strategies don’t work for women. These external “solutions” force us to follow the 24-hour circadian cycle and they ignore a woman’s natural, 28-day hormone clock. We’ve been taught to plan our lives on the 24-hour circadian schedule, which works well for men—but not for women.

With most time management systems, we’re expected to make to-do lists, check things off as the day goes by, and then wake up the next day and repeat. Every day, every 24 hours, the same thing. But when women are forced to function as if their natural 28-day hormone clock doesn’t exist, we miss out on the superpower granted to us by our hormones.

We have different strengths during each of the four phases of our 28-day hormone cycle, and when we align our activities with our strengths during each phase—instead of keeping the rhythm of our lives the same, day in and day out— we can accomplish more, with less stress. When we understand and sync our lives with our hormone cycle, all of a sudden (and with very little effort!) we have plenty of time to do all that we want and need to. We have more spaciousness to get things done.

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Really? This all sounds a little woo woo….

Now, you might be thinking Wow, that sounds great. Far-fetched and totally made up, but great! But this isn’t theoretical at all. Research shows that our hormone cycles have a direct influence on our mood, energy, creativity, and worldview. So, when we plan our activities in accordance with the natural flow of our hormones, we can be top-performing, high-achieving women with energy left over at the end of the day—no to-do list app necessary. (Though we benefit greatly from knowing where we're at in our cycle, which is the reason our MyFLO app was designed!)

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Leverage your hormones for productivity

As women, our cyclical nature means we can and should work differently, (and plan our food and exercise differently), depending on which abilities are amplified by our hormones, during each phase of our cycle. When we start to get familiar with our different strengths during each phase, we become more predictable powerhouses at work and in life, instead of believing we’re victims to our hormonal fluctuations.

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Time Management for Women: Step into your power

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Step 1

Your essential first step is to sync your diet and exercise with each phase of your cycle. Research shows that your body has different micronutrient needs each week, and that, hormonally speaking, you are better equipped to handle intense workouts during the first half of our cycle. When your system gets the nourishment and movement it needs when it needs it, you will feel energized, creative, and naturally more productive.

Step 2

The second step? Respect your feminine energy. Now, when we say “feminine energy”, we're not talking about how you dress or behave. We're talking about connecting with your unique cyclical nature as a woman, and recognizing the natural shifts in energy and focus that come along with each part of your cycle.

These natural shifts are not vulnerabilities. When we learn how to use them in a way that benefits us, they become strengths. Harnessing the power of these shifts is the secret to achieving your personal, professional, and romantic goals. There is a timing and seasonality to your life—and when you use that knowledge to your advantage, you’re doing what I’ve coined as, Cycle Syncing®. Practicing Cycle Syncing® allows for greater creativity and productivity, without greater stress.

Through Cycle Syncing®, you can accomplish more of what really matters with ease, grace, and less stress. Cycle Syncing® isn’t mysterious or made-up. It’s a practice that starts with understanding the delicate (and often off-kilter) balance between estrogen and progesterone, and how those hormones shift during the month.

After that, it’s about structuring your life around the ebbs and flows of those hormones. It's actually quite simple! In practice, Cycle Syncing® is a totally doable and intuitive way to live.

Step 3

The third step is when things really get exciting. This is when you start to embody Cycle Syncing®, by learning about the four phases of your cycle and aligning your activities with your strengths in each phase. This is the magic that will help you do more of what matters to you, without burning out.

‍The follicular phase

• ‍When: The week after your period ends
• What’s happening hormonally: Estrogen is on the rise
• What to do: Set your intentions for the future, clarify your vision, spend time journaling (or otherwise recording your feelings and thoughts), organize what you want to accomplish in the coming weeks

‍The ovulation phase

• ‍When: Mid-cycle for 3–5 days
• What’s happening hormonally: Estrogen is at its highest point
• What to do: Talk about your vision, collaborate with like-minded folks, schedule meetings, connect with others, embrace your desire to be social during this phase

‍The luteal/premenstrual phase

• ‍When: About 10–12 days before your period begins
• What’s happening hormonally: Progesterone is at its highest point
• What to do: This is your do, do, do time! You are at your most organized during this phase and you love getting granular about the details. Make this phase all about accomplishing the activities and goals you outlined during your follicular phase

‍The menstrual phase

• ‍When: The days during your bleed, when you're on your period
• What’s happening hormonally: All of your hormones are at a low point
• What to do: Slow down, reflect on what’s happened over the last month, and practice gratitude for the good things that have occurred and all you’ve accomplished. Think back on any areas of your life that feel less than optimal or that need more attention, and use them as a starting point for setting intentions during your next follicular phase

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Cheers to your Cycle Syncing® journey!