It’s the worst time of the year, people.
Mercury retrograde is here to throw a wrench, elbow and faux pas to your best plans for peace and joy this holiday season.
Because Mercury rules communication and commerce, its retrograde cycle has a direct impact on both our personal and professional lives.
Contrary to the terminology, Mercury and the other planets never move backwards through space; they simply slow down, a slowing down that looks like an inversion from our position on Earth.
When a planet is retrograde, its energy works in the opposite direction, not necessarily ANTIWe, but certainly not as a trusted assistant. As Mercury rules the mind, its retrograde signifies a period of challenge in organizing, expressing and creating order in our lives.
When is mercury retrograde?
The final Mercury Retrograde of 2024 begins on Monday, November 25th and lasts until December 15th.
This retrograde falls in the mutable fires of Sagittarius, and this rodeo tends to feel more divisive than others due to the calendar intersection of year-end work deadlines, pre-holiday stress, familiar obligations, career expectations, and days off. peak of seasonal emotions. disorder.
According to a recent study by EduBirdie, 62% of Gen Z and millennials modify their work routines in honor of this chaotic transit.
Read on to learn more about hacks that help and choices that hurt.
Refresh the space, reset the mind
One in three Gen Z and millennials report that a clean, relaxing environment helps them feel centered amid the destabilizing energy of Mercury retrograde.
As Mercury rules the mind, decluttering your space can be equated with clearing mental cobwebs. Clutter, like Mercury’s hijinx, can increase the risk of developing a mood disorder, inhibit creativity, decrease productivity, reduce energy, and interfere with concentration and decision-making.
Conversely, a quiet space with soothing elements such as warm lighting, plants, soft music and aromatherapy diffusers elevates and supports mental processing.
Bonus: Plants can remove toxins from indoor air. Be clear, cozy and build your safe harbor in the storm of heaven.
Practice patience – but don’t procrastinate
Mercury retrograde is notorious for causing delays, accidental nudity broadcasts, and other unfortunate miscommunications.
EduBirdie found that 25% of the new workforce set flexible deadlines and install some sort of professional buffer to reduce the stress associated with Mercury retrograde.
Some take the precaution further by postponing meetings and rescheduling crucial calls.
Avery Morgan, a productivity expert and chief communications officer at EduBirdie, says, “Procrastination can creep in if you pause your workflow too often. Since retrogrades are frequent, a better approach is to listen more, stay calm and keep communication open with colleagues in those meetings.”
Further, Mercury retrograde is an ideal time to review or revisit an existing personal project or collaboration. Leaning in instead of quitting is the name of the game, folks.
Keep it, baby
Mercury is also the realm of technology – when the trickster planet slows down, machines and technology perform notoriously. Prevention equals protection during these trying times, so take a few minutes to save essential work files to an external hard drive or cloud service.
Avoid embarrassing typos or scrambles of a wrong answer—all while creating extra time to proofread before fully submitting.
Choose self-care – skip self-sabotage
Twenty percent of Gen Z and millennial workers avoid making important decisions or commitments during Mercury retrograde, with 12% admitting to calling in sick to avoid stress, a tactic Morgan calls “letting chaos win.”
She advises, “While avoiding big decisions is a great move, avoiding work altogether is not the answer. Instead, focus on activities that recharge you. Incorporate daily self-care rituals like journaling, meditating, or walking to clear your head. Taking regular breaks instead of a full day off is the ultimate game changer.”
Astrology 101: Your Guide to the Star
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and reports irreverently on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
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