Even though I’ve dug into, and learned to love all aspects of my cycle, I am still caught off guard time to time by that week that overlaps the end of one cycle and the start of the next.

It falls on the last few days of the luteal phase and first few days of the menstrual phase (your period).

Today, I wanted to go over what I notice during this week and how I deal with it:

+ I am TIRED, exhausted, to a point that coffee can’t combat.

I go to bed earlier, sleep in just a little longer, and I don’t feel guilty about it. And if there’s a day I need a nap, I take a 30 minute to an hour long nap, and don’t feel guilty about it.

I get outside more, or just go out and run an errand. Getting up from my desk and out of my apartment usually gives me a little boost.

+ My motivation goes straight out the window.

This one is so much harder to accept than feeling tired. I get frustrated when I don’t feel that usual spark for work I normally have.

There is only one way to handle this. Cut down your to-do list to what absolutely must get done that day. And focus on getting that done, give yourself more time and more breaks throughout the day. And if that’s all you accomplish, congratulations, celebrate it!

You can be productive on a different level when your motivation is low. Find that balance, that happy medium.

+ Feeling blah, meh, wanting to curl up in a ball and do nothing.

There’s a time and a place to just let this take over, and I’ll usually allow myself one day to be a human blob. But if you’re going to do it, commit to it, don’t feel an ounce of guilt and really just bask in the glory of doing absolutely nothing.

I also find time for mindless tasks I don’t make time for during the rest of the month. Usually decluttering or deep cleaning, organizing or sorting. Things that are on your to-do list but aren’t top tier essential must do's.

+ Feeling more blue and gloomy than usual.

This is the time to pamper yourself. With food, with bubble baths, music, whatever makes you feel loved by yourself.

It’s also a great time to do some reflection on life. Look at what you’ve been spending your time working on, or doing lately. Are you happy with how you’ve allocated your time? Are there things you wish you would make more time for? What changes can you make going forward to curate your days into what you want them to be?

This phase (or combo of phases) is pretty much the same as the end of fall, headed into winter. Think about when the weather starts to get colder than you're comfortable with, the days get darker, shorter, more gray. You don’t just stop living because it’s not as exciting and fun. You learn to adapt and change your habits during the colder months.

Learn to look at your cycle in a similar light. How can you adapt to make the most out of each phase?