Whoop That Trickster: 3 smart business moves to make (and 3 to avoid) during a Mercury Retrograde

If you’ve hung around in any sort of astrology circles, you’ve probably heard about Mercury retrograde. It’s got a bad rep – kinda like that asshat in high school who is famous for ultra violent wedgies – everyone knows who he is and they try to stay the heck outta his way when they see him roaming the halls.

For those not in the know, here’s the scoop in a nutshell sans astrobabble: Mercury, the trickster planet connected with all things transportation and communication, slows down its orbit – creating a Murphy’s Law effect on everything from travel to computers. In other words, anything that can go wrong, just might.

But here’s a little secret I’ve discovered over the years: it can be very good for your business if you know how to work with it. (Yep, you heard me right.) Being a proactive gal, I don’t let a thing like some random planetary transit slow me down or salt my game.

Instead, I lean into that energy and work that beyotch like nobody’s business.

Here’s what to do when that retrograde shizz hits the planetary fan in a few:

Review + Redo – I like to go over my plans for upcoming products and launches with a fine toothed comb. This is a perfect time to look at projected dates, details, web copy, materials, etc. and see what needs to be cleaned up and wrapped up. Also, this is a great time to check out website and marketing materials. Is everything up to date? Does anything not reflect your brand? Rework it until it’s right.
Declutter – This is my favorite time to purge my office of old files, outdated tax records, and the millions of sticky notes that like to collect on my desk. I also use this transit for getting rid of digital clutter – even my computer desktop gets pared down and organized. All useless and obsolete gunk gets the digital boot! If I’ve been leaving some paperwork linger around way too long, I knuckle down, get it done and file that away too. Once this stuff is out of my way, I can be more productive and present for my clients. Hard to do that when you have gobs of crap or responsibilities in the way (or on your mind!). Use Mercury retrograde as your excuse to tighten up your surroundings!
Retreat – Take a business retreat if you can. That means a day or two away from your work to brainstorm, create, come up with new ideas, set new goals. This can be done at home or at a nice hotel (I prefer to go out of my usual environment so that it feels like I am truly away from the office). I schedule in some fancy meals and loads of down time with a pen and composite notebook. (And yes, there is wine involved.)

And here’s what you want to avoid:

Launching – Mercury retrograde is rarely a good time to launch anything. That means your snazzy new product, website or business needs to sit tight until it passes if you want to see that sucka succeed. I’ve watched more biz things tank when they have been put in motion during a Mercury retrograde. Hold your horses and wait til the planetary smoke clears.
Buying new equipment – Once upon a time, I bought a new computer during a retrograde. Needless to say, I had no end of drama getting it working properly. I knew better but tempted fate anyhow. I should have spared myself the aggravation but oh no….I just couldn’t wait. Yeah, I’m an astro-rebel that way.
Signing contracts – If someone is shoving any sort o’ contract in your face, hold off and examine it thoroughly. This transit is great for reviewing fine details, so take your good natured time. Do not put your autograph on the dotted line until you make sure that contract isn’t a deal with the devil.

Always remember, the planets may affect Universal energy but you’re always da Boss of your biz. Show that Mercury retrograde what’s what, playa.

Blessings!

Theresa

image from stock photography – isn’t that the friendliest Mercury you’ve ever seen? Adorable!

More Mercury retrograde advice: How To Have a Happy and Productive Mercury Retrograde