Thanks to pop-culture, many have heard the term, “Mercury Retrograde.” It’s been the subject of popular memes, sitcom references, office astrologers and fodder for the many astro-curious. Often, Mercury Retrograde gets a bad rap instead of the earnest examination it deserves.
What you should know
Mercury Retrograde cycles happen 3-4 times annually and, last around 3 weeks
Retrograde energy is also active 1-2 weeks before the start and after the end date
Mercury influences aspects of day-to-day life, including (but not limited to): communication, publishing, media, contracts, technology, logic/reasoning, education, broadcasting, scheduling, and travel
It is in these areas of life that the Retrograde can be felt most strongly
Each cycle aligns to a sign of the zodiac and thus specific themes that compel us to go back and reflect, revisit, reconnect, reconsider, repair, review, revise, reimagine, re-commit, refine and reengage
Why you should care
Mercury Retrograde influences can affect anyone, regardless of birthday
This information can be very useful when making plans (personal and professional)
Knowing how to best navigate can inform your business cycles and activities
Approaching this period with the right mindset will help you maximize opportunities, manage risks, and reduce errors
Common points of failure and frustration
Lack of responsiveness from other parties
Missed messages of all kinds (text, email, voice, and written)
Missed deadlines by key parties (client, realtor, lender, appraiser, title company, insurer, etc.)
Missing, inaccurate, or incomplete documents (online and paper)
Misunderstood messages (tone and/or content)
Privacy breaches from information sent to incorrect recipients or with incorrect details
People are more prone to error, flip-flopping and/or overthinking
Normal processes, service agreements, and business functions face unexpected issues (systems, hours, staffing, turn times, rush orders, etc.)
Changes to contracts/situations delay or negate terms, funding, progress, or closing
Signing contracts and/or making commitments without critical, relevant information
Issues with technology, especially newly purchased (subject to defects and dissatisfaction)
How to survive
How amazing would it be to take 3-5 weeks to pause, take a step back, regroup and review? Sadly, ours is not a world wherein this is possible. Because of the length and nature of these transits, we cannot simply batten down hatches and let the storm pass. Our modern lives revolve around the Mercurial trappings of communication, contracts, technology, logistics, travel, trade, and media. I recommend the following survival tips:
Slow down
Read everything…twice
Reset expectations, thinking patterns, and context
Review terms with an expert (legal, medical, financial)
Reconnect to past experiences, friends, partnerships, and colleagues
Revise plans, scripts, projects, contracts, commitments, timelines, and contingencies
Revisit product, project and organizational designs, budgets, skills, and staffing levels
Reuse existing ideas, materials, and content to complete work quickly with fewer resources and errors
Renew routines that bring mental clarity (meditation, prayer, exercise, yoga, reading/listening)
Remember to plan for mishaps when traveling and mitigate through preparedness (carry-on luggage, spare tire, phone charger, travel alerts, etc.)
Resist the urge to make NEW binding agreements or launch NEW efforts
How to thrive
While these periods can feel fraught with inconvenience and riddled with change, they do offer opportunities – at least for those bold enough to change their approach.
I had a mentor who used to embrace the mantra, “go slow to go fast.” A statement that seems counter-intuitive but, is quite apt for operating during a Mercury Retrograde. I’ve found time and again that powerful results can come out of these cycles when a person and/or team can adopt the following guardrails:
Assumptions: In business, assumptions become the foundation of decisions, models, and contracts. Get them on paper, take time to examine, ask questions, document answers, assign follow-ups and invest the time to educate your team/clients/customers. Make sure everyone is on the same page.
Time/Speed: No matter the situation, allow yourself the space to think through what you're doing and why. This is a huge pain point right now in real estate – no one feels like they have time. Offers are being made sight-on-seen, contingencies are being dropped without a second thought and everyone is racing to submit the best offer. Even in a time-sensitive situation, I urge people to take an intentional pause (even if only 30-60 minutes) to get clear on what you are doing and why.
Reverse Engineering: Mercury demands that we counter emotion with thought and ambiguity with detail. As such we must think, recall, learn, engineer, document, and communicate. The retrograde delivers situations that require us to go back to something (product, client, deal, negotiation, contract, inspection, credit repair, etc) before moving forward. My recommendation is to zoom in, LEAN in and reengineer in order to better understand. Process mapping, customer journeys, policy revisions and quality assurance checks are favored. The key is to begin at the end of the process/situation and work in reverse.
Iteration vs. Perfection: There is no perfection during a retrograde (or most anytime for that matter) but, the small parts can be greater than the sum total. Break your work into smaller pieces, refine the details, replace non-working components, and examine performance issues.
Maintenance: One of the most productive activities during this period revolves around the idea of maintenance. My Dad ran a fleet of vehicles when I was growing up and his worst headaches were the result of deferred maintenance. EVERYTHING in life and work requires maintenance and upkeep. Spend this time cleaning up: contracts, files, paperwork, data, and business routines.
Archive vs. Delete: While you’re cleaning up, be sure to ARCHIVE anything that you may need to reference for fact, regulatory inspection, or evidence. There’s always the chance that you’re working under the wrong assumption when you permanently delete or destroy something.
In the world of finance and real estate:
Reconnect with prior clients and customers
Review homes sold during prior Mercury Retrograde periods for resale/refi potential
Revisit prior deals that fell apart and brainstorm how to move forward differently
Reconfirm client needs (home type/size/location/usage, budget, and timeline)
Clarify changes to client resources (income, credit, and holdings for purchase)
Revisit and reset expectations based on current environment (inventory, interest rates, regulations, etc.)
Plan ahead with the support of a seasoned expert
I help ambitious finance and real estate professionals get a leg up on the competition by using astrology as their secret sauce. Book some time for a quick chat about how coaching and astrology can take your performance and personal satisfaction to the next level.