When it comes to tackling a huge to-do list, presenting at an important meeting or getting the most out of a networking event, confidence is key. You’ve got to be firing on all cylinders, confident that what you’re saying and presenting is worth listening to. While career confidence isn’t something you can develop overnight, a few things can help, including outfit choice, sleep quality and nutrition habits. But, according to some cycle sync-ers, saving these mammoth tasks for ovulation week might be the biggest hack of all.

Ovulation usually happens in the middle of your cycle (around day 14 if you have a 28-day cycle). It’s when the egg travels down the fallopian tube, where it’s either fertilised by sperm or reabsorbed into the body ahead of menstruation. Now that might not sound like a recipe for nailing your PDR or schmoozing a room full of strangers, but to understand the impact ovulation has on our mood and wellbeing, we’ve got to look at the chemical process that happens when that egg is released.  

Ovulation happens when our levels of oestrogen and luteinising hormone peak – and it’s that rise which is responsible for enhancing certain cognitive functions.

“Research suggests that during this phase, many women experience heightened confidence, greater verbal fluency and improved social skills,” explains psychologist Dr Laura Geige. “Some studies even indicate a potential increase in creativity and problem-solving abilities due to the effects of oestrogen on the brain’s neurotransmitters.”

This hormonal peak can also make us more emotionally intelligent and happy, says Dr Veronika Matutyte from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. “This is due to oestrogen’s role in boosting the availability of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which not only uplifts mood but potentially sharpens mental clarity and decision-making capabilities. Women might experience heightened confidence and assertiveness during this phase – traits that are invaluable when tackling complex projects or leadership roles.” 

But the relationship between oestrogen and productivity isn’t totally straightforward. That hormonal peak can’t undo stress, poor health or general fatigue, for example – so you can’t rely on a monthly boost if your wellbeing is already low. You might have an anovulatory cycle (due to PCOS or hormonal contraception) and even if you do ovulate, you might not be as tapped into your cycle as you could be, making you less likely to notice subtle changes throughout the month.

“While ovulation may offer a period of enhanced cognitive function, it should not be seen as a guaranteed productivity hack,” says Dr Geige.  

If you have a regular cycle, the key lies in becoming more in touch with what’s normal for you and then working to enhance the effects. For example, some believe that overdoing it during your period can lead to lower energy by the time you get to ovulation – and vice versa. 

Dr Matutyte warns that hormonal influences also vary from person to person. We won’t all experience the same level of hormonal peak, so while we might be able to capitalise on the temporary boost in cognitive and emotional capacity that ovulation offers, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule.  It’s also true that we don’t all feel great at the same point in our cycle; some women feel switched on and powerful during their periods, while others feel great throughout the first half of their cycle.

Few of us will have the flexibility to save up big tasks every month. You can’t predict when you’ll be asked to make a presentation and probably won’t be able to sync your cycle to the company calendar. But when timings do align, you can use that knowledge to give you an extra edge.

And of course, you need to be thinking about the fundamentals of wellbeing all month long. Dr Geige says: “If you consistently notice a surge in confidence and creativity during ovulation, it could be advantageous to align certain tasks with this period. However, it’s equally important to recognise that productivity is influenced by a myriad of factors beyond hormonal fluctuations. A woman’s experience of her menstrual cycle can vary significantly from month to month, influenced by stress, sleep, nutrition and external pressures.” 

This surge in hormones tends to start from the last day of your period and finishes with ovulation (typically a week later). If your cycle is 27-29 days long, ovulation usually happens 14-17 days after the first day of your period. Start listening to your body after your next period and see if you notice a slow increase in mood, brain power and sociability. 

You could use a mood tracker to see if there’s a pattern month on month. Or you could be more scientific and use a basal temperature thermometer or a fitness tracker like an Oura or Samsung ring, which track your temperature during the evening and can tell you when you’re approaching ovulation. Oura also allows you to track mood and other symptoms so you can build a full picture of what your cycle normally entails. 

Images: Getty