Making Work Work Again: How Women with PMDD Can Thrive in Ambitious Careers

For years, I thought my struggle to cope at work was a personal failing. Why couldn’t I just “push through” the exhaustion, the brain fog, the sudden swings between clarity and overwhelm? It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) that the pieces began to fit together.

PMDD is more than “bad PMS.” It’s a severe, cyclical condition that can disrupt careers, relationships, and confidence. Yet it often goes unrecognised in workplaces — leaving many women battling silently, trying to hold ambitious careers together while managing unpredictable symptoms.

The truth is: thriving at work with PMDD is possible. But it doesn’t come from grit alone — it comes from knowing how to work with your body, not against it.

Step 1: Understand Your Cycle as Data

One of the most empowering shifts for me was moving from “dreading” my cycle to tracking it as useful information. Knowing when symptoms are likely to appear means you can plan proactively — scheduling more demanding work during higher-energy phases and allowing extra margin for recovery when needed.

This isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about aligning your workload with your biology, so you’re setting yourself up for success rather than constant firefighting.

Step 2: Build Micro-Resilience Practices

When symptoms hit, it’s easy to feel derailed. But even in difficult days, small practices make a big difference:

• Two minutes of heart-focused breathing to regulate your nervous system before a meeting.

• Short breaks outdoors to reset your energy and mood.

• Writing down priorities so your brain isn’t overloaded with “must do’s.”

Micro-practices may feel small in the moment, but over time they train your system to recover more quickly — shifting you from “barely coping” to building genuine resilience.

Step 3: Create Psychological Safety at Work

Workplaces play a critical role. The difference between surviving and thriving often comes down to whether your environment supports you. Psychological safety means being able to speak openly about your needs without fear of judgement.

This doesn’t always require dramatic changes. Sometimes it’s about flexible scheduling, compassionate line management, or a culture where women’s health isn’t treated as a taboo subject.

Step 4: Redefine Success on Your Terms

For ambitious women with PMDD, success isn’t about pretending symptoms don’t exist — it’s about creating sustainable ways of working that allow you to show up with clarity and confidence. Thriving doesn’t mean being symptom-free. It means building a career that’s resilient enough to flex with you.

Final Thoughts

If you live with PMDD, you’re not “bad at coping.” Your body has unique needs, and learning to work with those rhythms can unlock not only resilience, but also a deeper sense of clarity and purpose.

✨ This is exactly the kind of work I do with clients — helping ambitious professionals navigate stress, health, and performance in a way that feels sustainable.

👉 Explore The Resilience Reset or connect with me on LinkedIn if this resonates and you’d like to start making work work again.