Woman's Life | Blog | Menstruation at work
How to be productive despite PMS and menstrual bleeding
The female cycle usually begins with menstrual bleeding every month. Sometimes accompanied by abdominal cramps, leg pain, backache and severe fatigue, performing at work can be challenging.
Content overview:
- Your period and productivity
- Don't let your period stand in your way
- Home office or period-friendly workplace
- Ease menstruation symptoms with self-care
Your period and productivity
The impact of your menstrual cycle on your work is not a common topic for discussion. Many employers expect consistency in their employees' productivity levels but this is not always realistic. Your period can be a particularly exhausting time for you. Nausea, abdominal and back pain, low mood and brain fog; the list of symptoms is long.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) alone can cause many symptoms before menstrual bleeding, which can impact your day. Cramps in the abdomen, weakness and a lack of concentration are then also an unpleasant companion at the start of menstruation.
An anonymous survey carried out by erdbeerwoche GmbH in 2020 of 2,165 women shows that around 98% of participants suffer from menstrual complaints before or during their cycle. This includes all complaints before and during the period. 52% of women reported period pain as the biggest challenge, of which around 43% were unable to work due to the severity. (Erdbeerwoche, 2020)
Don't let your period stand in your way
While your hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, are in constant motion, you'll feel the fluctuations. One day can feel like any other, and the next can look completely different for you. And in most cases, menstrual bleeding never happens at a good time. Whether you're rushing for the train or in and out of meetings, you might often find yourself thinking 'Not now!'. Painkillers can help with severe menstrual pain, but how can you ease some of the other symptoms? "A herb is grown against every disease," are the words of keen natural medicine customer Sebastian Kneipp. Of course, menstruation is not a disease, but there are many herbs that can help with the discomfort.
Try yarrow, monk pepper, goose finger herb, lemon balm, sage, lady's mantle and black cohosh. Drinking these herbs as tea at your work desk can help warm you up from the inside and gently alleviate pain. PMS symptoms can also affect your productivity at work. Try a tea mix with chamomile, lavender, stinging nettle, verbena and gown to help combat these symptoms.
The obvious solution to relieve pain is painkillers. But taken on a regular basis, these medications can have side effects. The Beurer EM 50 Menstrual Relax and EM 55 Menstrual Relax+ offer you an ideal alternative for pain relief without medication or side effects. Electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in combination with heat works to gently relieve your menstrual pain. A discreet and flexible TENS pad you can wear under your clothes whilst on the go and no one will know. The ergonomic shape makes it comfortable too, so you'll hardly know it's there either. Delivering targeted pain relief from the outside, you can adjust the intensity between 15 levels. Take control of your well-being and breeze through your menstrual days with ease.
Home office or period-friendly workplace
Menstruation in the workplace is usually a taboo topic but that's beginning to change. In some Asian countries, women are entitled to dedicated leave days, paid or unpaid, known as menstrual leave. On average, this is between one and three days. However, this downtime can have an impact on productivity and workload. Working from home is a good alternative. With a heat pad on your tummy, a herbal tea for inner warmth and a balanced diet, you can get through the day a little more comfortably. The flexibility of this arrangement is also an advantage. You can be free to take a rest when necessary and continue with your work as your symptoms ease.
But not every job can give you the flexibility to work from home. This is when a period-friendly workplace can really help. With the flexibility to take unscheduled breaks if needed, you can still manage your productivity at work even when your symptoms are bad. There are many ways employers can help make it easier for women to continue to work during their period. Allowing drinks and healthy snacks at desks and providing hygiene products such as tampons and pads in bathrooms for emergencies can help women feel more comfortable at work. Flexible working hours and retreat areas can also help.
In Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, India and recently in China's Anhui, Hainan and Hubei provinces (Erdbeerwoche, 2021), statutory menstrual leave is available to women.
Ease menstruation symptoms with self-care
Do you dread the time before and during your period at work? This can trigger psychological pressure which could worsen your symptoms. But you're not alone - many find managing their period at work difficult. However, there are ways you can prepare for your menstruation and ease the symptoms as a result. Look after yourself and your body. This includes a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, a good work/life balance, and practising relaxation techniques to avoid stress.
Sources:
- erbeerwoche GmbH (ed.) (2020). Erdbeerwoche-Menstruations-Umfrage 2020. https://erdbeerwoche.com/erdbeerwoche-menstruations-umfrage/ (28/11/2022).
- erbeerwoche GmbH (ed.) (2021). Menstrual Leave – the most important information about menstrual leave. https://erdbeerwoche.com/meine-umwelt/menstrual-leave-die-Hauptsten-infos-zum-menstruationsurlaub/ (30/11/2022).
