Illustrations by Emma Günther
Work and the menstrual cycle
Tracking your period can help you see patterns in your cycles and working habits
Top things to know about work and the menstrual cycle:
Hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle might impact energy levels and cause physical symptoms. These can affect life in general, including work.
Work performance fluctuates for women and people with cycles, but this is likely caused by reasons other than periods
Women take more sick days than men, often for period-related reasons
Cycle tracking can help people with cycles look for patterns
Employers can make it easier for people with periods by training staff on menstrual experiences and providing more menstrual resources at work
Negative attitudes about women’s bodies and their functions might influence how women and people with cycles are perceived in the workplace
Women and people with cycles face challenges in the workplace
People used to believe that women weren’t fit to be leaders, but this is no longer the case. Perspectives have shifted over the past several decades; a 2020 study showed that people believe women to be as competent or more competent than men in the same positions (1). When women are in leadership positions, their companies, colleagues, and employees all benefit, regardless of their sex or gender. Research has shown that productivity, collaboration, loyalty, and fairness are improved with women leaders (2,3).
Women and people with cycles might be shaking off the misconceptions of the past, but gender inequalities in the workplace are still a major barrier. The gender wage gap means that depending on a person's ethnicity and race, women on average earn 10-25% less than their male counterparts, with women of color earning much less than white women (4,5). Some researchers believe that women are seen as less productive than men, and therefore, should earn less (4).
A study in Sweden showed that women lost more days of work to health-related causes than men (6). Some researchers have studied whether or not these missed days are related to menstruation (7-9). This issue is complex. When people do take days off for cycle-related issues, they may not feel comfortable telling their employers why they need the day(s) off (9-11).
The menstrual cycle and productivity
“Productivity” is pretty ambiguous and hard to study (4). Despite this, many researchers are trying to find out how the menstrual cycle impacts productivity. On one hand, associating the menstrual cycle with a lack of productivity could be used as a way to continue discriminating against women in the workplace. On the other hand, identifying the ways in which women’s productivity is hampered by periods and menstrual experiences could help employers support them to ensure their productivity is not reduced, helping further equality in the workplace.
Research suggests it’s not menstruation that impacts productivity at work, but the experiences that come alongside it. A study found that cramps, fatigue, and bloating affect people’s work before and during their periods (11). Not everyone who has a cycle has these experiences, but in an ideal world, every person with a cycle would experience menstrual health–complete physical, mental, and social well-being in relation to their menstrual cycle (12).
If women and people with cycles have access to healthcare and education that’s needed for menstrual health, would the period’s impact on productivity be reduced (12,13)?
How to work with your menstrual cycle, not against it
By tracking your menstrual cycle and its related experiences, women and people with cycles can look for patterns between their cycles and their work habits. Knowing how you feel during different parts of your cycle could help you know when you might be more up for networking, when the best time is to generate new ideas, or when you are most focused. These insights are personal though. Every body is unique, and what is true for you is likely not true for the person in the next cubicle over.
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Cycle syncing for work
People who use Clue say they feel more motivated, creative, and focused right before ovulation. These feelings usually go away after ovulation and continue to decrease just before the period, and even more during the period. If the same is true for you, you’ll have more energy, be more sociable, and feel more motivated during your follicular phase, which leads up to ovulation. This is a great time to plan important meetings or presentations. Some studies say creativity is at its highest during ovulation (14). Progesterone peaks in the luteal phase, and some science suggests it might make muscles feel calmer or more relaxed (15). The luteal phase might be a good time to plan for long periods of focus or more tedious tasks.
If you use Clue and find any of the above is true for you, you can plan to brainstorm during the follicular phase or deep focus work during your luteal phase in your future cycles. Syncing your cycle with your work can help you be more productive.
There’s more to productivity than the menstrual cycle
Productivity could be hindered by the period for some people, but there are lots of reasons productivity can slow down. Do you feel like your productivity is different depending on the season or time of day? Do you feel like it changes in spaces where you feel safe? How does the gender balance of your environment impact your productivity? These are all things to consider when we talk about productivity.
It’s also important to remember that we live in a world built by and for men. From the way medical studies are designed to the size of crash test dummies that determine car safety, almost everything we engage with throughout our day was designed for men (16,17). The workplace, as shaped by many cultures, was created for men as the primary wage earners in a patriarchal society. Women and people with cycles must hustle and grind alongside men who likely have fewer caregiving responsibilities and earn more for less work (18). When characteristics and behaviors typically associated with men are rewarded, and those associated with women are penalized, this is called "masculine default" (19).
How can Clue help me track my experiences?
Emerging evidence suggests that cycle-tracking apps like Clue might be a useful tool to help people with cycles notice changes to productivity (11). Productivity can be hard to define, though, so thinking about what makes you personally productive or distracted is likely the best way to figure out what’s true for you.
Taking a look at your productivity in the Clue app is as easy as tracking in these categories:
Pain
Energy
PMS
Mind
Social Life
Exercise
Tracking these experiences consistently throughout your cycle can help you see when you are feeling energetic and productive versus when you are feeling low-energy or withdrawn. After tracking for one or more cycles, take a look at the Analysis tab in the app. You’ll be able to see insights based on your tracking patterns that can give you answers about productivity during your cycle.
How work impacts the menstrual cycle
Science that looks at the relationship between menstrual cycles and work have shown that long hours and shift work may impact menstrual cycles. Working long hours (more than 41 hours) or doing shift work has been linked to unpredictable cycles, as well as very short or long menstrual cycles (20,21). Some work environments that expose employees to chemicals, low temperatures, or lifting heavy weights have been linked to menstrual conditions like dysmenorrhea (22,23).
How you feel at work might impact your cycle, too. One study found that feeling like you have little control at work, are not supported by coworkers, or don’t have job security is linked to increased period pain (24). The findings vary between studies, but if you do shift work—like the night shift—or work long or variable hours, tracking can help you figure out what is true for you and your cycle.
How the menstrual cycle impacts work
Women and people with cycles are diverse and have different experiences when it comes to periods and menstrual experiences. Some people are more impacted by negative period experiences, while some people are not impacted at all. A Dutch survey of 32,000 women studying the relationship between menstrual symptoms and absenteeism (missed work or school days) found that only about 1.3 work days per year were missed on average due to menstrual symptoms–but productivity was reduced (9). It’s likely that people often don’t report their periods as a reason for calling in sick. A Norwegian study found that women lose more work days than men to sickness (25). The exact numbers likely differ from country to country.
How to create a menstrual-friendly workplace
When workplaces are gender-balanced, businesses improve their outcomes. Gender-balance means that women and men are expected to participate equally in all activities of “work” (26). In order to achieve gender equality, employers must implement systemic changes.
A solution that’s proven to work and approved by people with cycles doesn’t exist yet. A move in the right direction could be to create policies and practices that reduce stigma and normalize menstrual cycles. Employers might provide menstrual products in the workplace and offer education and resources on menstrual health, like access to apps like Clue.
The U.S. Department of Labor recommends employers use these five strategies to make workplaces more menstruation-friendly (27):
Provide free period products in a private space.
When uniforms are required, offer dark colors and other flexible options.
Offer flexible work hours and scheduling options.
Provide paid sick leave and make menstruation a specific condition for leave, including medical appointments related to menstruation.
Provide managers and employees with training about menstrual symptoms and support services they can offer.
One survey looked at what happens when work culture and policies are designed to include women and people with cycles.
It found (28):
Profits increased by 63%
Productivity increased by 63%
Ability to attract and retain workers increased 60%
Creativity and innovation increased 59%
Company reputation increased 58%
Connection to consumers increased 38%
What is menstrual leave?
One proposed approach for employers to support their employees is by offering flexible work arrangements for those who experience menstrual cycles. Currently, Spain, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea, and Zambia already offer some form of menstrual leave (29). Beyond just implementing menstrual leave, workplace flexibility—flexible or remote work, personalized schedules, and allowing for more time off when needed—would benefit people with all types of reproductive health needs.
A wide-sweeping change is also needed across cultures that emphasize workplace productivity and presenteeism, where employees attend work when they are feeling unwell or are sick. In cultures that reward productivity, employees might feel pressured to prioritize financial stability and job security over their well-being (30).
If employers do implement policies like menstrual leave, it is important to consider that women and people with cycles are unique and have a right to privacy. Not every person with a cycle needs to take time off work, and not everyone wants to tell their boss or colleagues that their absence is related to their period or reproductive system (31).
Some people worry that strategies like menstrual leave might perpetuate harmful stereotypes and add to the stigma around menstrual cycles (32). Menstrual leave policies may not help reproductive health or gender equality because they fail to address the underlying health issues that affect people who have menstrual cycles but do not have access to the care needed to address them. There is a risk that menstrual leave policies medicalize the menstrual cycle, which could reinforce beliefs that assign a lower value or status to individuals based on their biology (31).
Women and people with cycles continue to face barriers and discrimination in the workplace due to their cycles, often juggling period pain and symptoms while worrying about the effect it may have on their productivity or how others perceive them.
Now you know more about work and the menstrual cycle
It’s important to challenge the social assumptions surrounding the menstrual cycle and its impact on performance. While hormone fluctuations during the menstrual cycle may impact mood and behavior, these findings don’t necessarily apply to all individuals and should not be generalized or pathologized. It is important to treat menstrual cycles as normal, common, and expected. If women and people with periods have access to healthcare and education about treatments for menstrual experiences, it is likely that the period's impact on productivity could be reduced.
FAQs
What are the benefits of having a period?
Choosing whether or not to have periods is personal, but biologically it is not necessary to have a period. Some people choose to have periods, even while taking hormonal birth control because there are some benefits.
Benefits of having a period (33):
Avoiding spotting throughout the cycle
Predictable bleeding
Feeling reassured about general health
Feeling assured about the lack of pregnancy
Some people choose to avoid or skip periods by using continuous hormonal birth control or other medication (34). This can be useful for people who have endometriosis or really painful periods. This might be based on personal preference, to reduce unwanted period symptoms, or to miss fewer days at work or school (34). A review of 12 randomized trials found that headaches, fatigue, bloating, genital irritation, and period pain were reduced when people used continuous birth control that suppressed their periods (34).
Is it okay to call in sick for period cramps?
Depending on where you live, whether or not it’s okay to call in sick for period cramps is probably up to your employer’s paid sick leave policy. Ask your manager or someone in your human resources department if any accommodations are made for people who experience painful periods.
Why can’t I focus on work during my period?
Some people believe that hormonal changes, especially the sharp changes in progesterone before and after the period, impact focus and brain function in women and people with cycles (35). More research is needed in this area, but so far research has debunked this theory.
Clue users have reported that focus is highest right before ovulation and sharply decreases during the period. This could be due to a number of reasons that aren’t hormonal—it’s hard to focus when you are in pain, bloated, or bleeding heavily.
