You’ve probably seen endless hacks for spotting the signs of burnout and tools to claw your way back to balance. But there’s a missing piece in the conversation: most workplaces are designed around male energy patterns — and women are paying the price. It’s time to look at what we can learn, and what we can do to change it.
Let’s talk hormones
In their simplest form, hormones are chemical messengers that tell parts of the body to do things. They dictate everything from energy and emotions to our ability to conceive, stress response and metabolism.
So, the next time someone says you’re ‘being hormonal’ remind them that is exactly what you need to be as a living, breathing, human being.
The difference between male and female hormones
Males have a 24-hour hormonal rhythm. Testosterone peaks in the morning and tapers off at night. It fuels sperm production, libido, muscle mass and strength, mood, and focus.
Women cycle through estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone across roughly 28 days (though every woman is different). In a workplace setting, these hormones take on roles:
- Estrogen: The connector and the creator
- Testosterone: The go-getter and the challenger
- Progesterone: The nurturer and the refiner
How these hormones shift through the month:
- Menstrual phase (Cycle day 1): First day of bleeding. Hormones are at their lowest. Energy is low as your body sheds the uterine lining.
- Late Follicular Phase (Cycle day 6-14 approx): Estrogen rises as the dominant hormone. Energy lifts along with your creativity and brainstorming power.
- Ovulatory Phase (Cycle day 12-18 approx): Ovulation is a 24-hour window where an egg is released. Testosterone peaks, driving confidence, energy, and a go-getter attitude.
- Luteal Phase (Cycle day 14 until the next period): Progesterone takes the lead. Energy is steady at first, then wanes as your next period approaches. Progesterone nudges you to finish tasks and prepare for rest – tidying your desk, wrapping up projects, and tying up loose ends.
What is productivity?
So, the definition for productivity is the measure of how efficiently resources such as time, energy, or materials are used to produce a desired output. And herein lies the root of the problem – the assumed idea of productivity today has become a linear model of constant, high output.
In other words: show up the same every day, at the same pace, with the same results. This is male-centric productivity.
Male-centric Productivity
Male-centric productivity mirrors the 24-hour testosterone cycle and is characterised by the following core principles:
- Consistent daily energy
- Value is measured by time spent
- Long, uninterrupted work hours are rewarded
- Output is more important than wellbeing
- Visible tasks are more valued than invisible tasks (like emotional labour)
This has become the gold standard in most workplaces. But for women, it’s a recipe for burnout.
Why this doesn’t work for women
Women’s bodies work differently. Energy and focus shift across the month. On top of this, women manage menstrual symptoms and often carry more caregiving responsibilities, which make long, uninterrupted hours unrealistic.
When workplaces ignore this, women are forced to work against their biology and pay for it with their health.
Women work differently to men.
Female-centric productivity is based on the approximate 28-day fluctuation of estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. The core principles include:
- Cyclical energy across the month
- Value is measured by the impact made – not just the time spent
- Balanced work and rest cycles are rewarded
- Wellbeing is essential alongside output
- Visible and invisible tasks are valued equally
Why ovulation matters beyond fertility
Ovulation isn’t just about getting pregnant. When women ovulate we unlock benefits to our heart, brain, bone and muscle health.
But stress from living out of sync with our cycle can switch ovulation off, meaning you miss those health gains.
All menstruating women should be aiming to ovulate regardless of whether they want children or not.
Male-centric productivity tends to value output over wellbeing. Men burn out too, but they can often push harder without the fallout. For women the cost is higher when they ignore the signals to rest.
How women burnout
Burnout happens when you cannot bounce back from chronic stress. You feel like a shell of yourself and joyless even in moments that once felt good.
For women, it often stems from ignoring the body’s need for rest and working as though every day is the same. The menstrual cycle is sometimes called the sixth vital sign. Like a fever or a racing heart, it gives you clues when something is off. Irregularities, cramps, or mood swings are not random – they’re red flags that need your attention.
What women can do to avoid burnout
Start by tracking your cycle with something like the sympto-thermal method. Get to know your energy fluctuations throughout the month, track ovulation and start implementing female-centric productivity into your work life where you can.
Support your hormones with targeted nutrition. Seed Cycle Blend follows a clinically proven seed cycling protocol, where you consume a therapeutic dose of specific seeds for each half of your cycle. These nutrients help balance estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The right nutrients can reduce menstrual symptoms and help you feel more balanced month-long.
And most importantly: take your breaks. Rest isn’t a weakness, it’s a productivity tool.
Burnout isn’t a lack of resilience. It’s a sign the system wasn’t built for your body. And it’s time to push back by tuning into your cycle.
What women can do to boost productivity
Having a cycle doesn’t make you less productive – far from it. Women can stillmhit their goals even with a wheat bag on their lap and a cramping uterus. The difference is, when you align work with your cycle, you get things done with less pain and more energy to spare.
When you understand your cycle you can anticipate your energy levels and plan accordingly. Here’s how to harness each phase:
- Menstrual: Simplify, refine and rest
- Late Follicular: Brainstorm and create
- Ovulatory: Collaborate, present and ask for a raise
- Luteal: Laser focus and tying up loose ends
When you honour your cycle, you protect your wellbeing, maintain your productivity, and arrive at the same destination as your male colleagues – just without the pain and exhaustion.
Your hormones aren’t a problem. They’re your guide. Take care of them.
Rochelle Marreiros is a certified nutrition coach and founder of Seed Cycle Blend, a women’s health brand offering wholefood supplements and menstrual awareness education for working women.
