Our period is rarely associated with productivity. From the cramps, to the nausea, to the uncomfortability of bleeding, this time can be difficult to work through. However it is not impossible. There are even some that say that our premenstrual symptoms (PMS), can actually enhance our creativity and productivity. So have we been looking at our period symptoms as an obstacle when it could have been a peak time for the creative process?
In an article for Forbes.com, Dr. Allison Devine, Board Certified Ob/Gyn at the Austin Diagnostic Clinic and Faculty at Texas A&M Medical school and trained in Functional Medicine, says that “There is plenty of data to support the powerful effects that the two main hormones of menstruation, estrogen and progesterone, have on our neurochemistry.” She later goes on to say that the media would rather focus on the negative effects of hormonal imbalances than the clear benefits that research has supported on the other side. In other words, with proper management, your period could be a powerful tool to help you reach new strengths in performance and productivity.
Claire Baker, a women's coach based in London, teaches her clients that understanding their menstrual phases can enhance their creative work. In a 5-page guide available on her website for download, she separates the ovulation period into seasons (winter, spring, summer, and autumn) to break down the key hormones that arise during the ovulation process so that you are able to take full advantage of the changes happening in your body.
Ultimately, your period does not have to be down time for your creative process. Depending on the phase of your ovulation cycle, it is possible that you could be creating some of your best work at this time. One of the ways period shame manifests is through this narrative that our period is a curse that forbids us from operating life like a cisgendered man. If we shift that narrative and use our period as a tool to enhance our productivity, then we can begin to chip away at the stigma that has affected menstruators all over the world.
