Menopause at work: a practical guide

Perimenopause frequently coincides with career peak years. The dissonance is real: your body is going through a major transition while you're often expected to be at your most 'together.'

Environmental adjustments: a small desk fan is quiet, portable, and honest. Layers matter — a cardigan you can shed makes a vasomotor episode manageable in a meeting. A water bottle and moisture-wicking layers are unglamorous and effective.

Meetings: sit near an exit if you can — it makes stepping out for a wave feel less conspicuous. Front-row is worse than back-row when a flash hits. Videocalls: adjust lighting and camera framing so a flush isn't the whole frame.

Communication: you don't owe your workplace a diagnosis. If you choose to name it, keep it short and specific ('I'm going through the menopause transition and may occasionally step out or adjust the room temperature'). In some jurisdictions there are workplace policies you can invoke; know what applies to yours.

Brain fog at work: write things down, ask for meeting notes, and reduce open-tab chaos. This is not weakness — it's a documented, temporary change in cognitive resources deserving the same accommodation you'd give a colleague recovering from anything else.