Living your periods well, in class and at work
For some of us, having our period at work or in class is not easy. Heavy periods, painful periods, mastodynia … At this time of our cycle we sometimes wish we could disappear for three days. And leave us alone. But menstrual leave does not yet exist in Europe. So how can you best live your period at work or in class?
Know your cycle well = be well prepared
To start, don't let yourself be caught off guard again. Knowing your cycle well and being attentive to each phase makes a big difference.
First to prepare psychologically. Indeed, we better put our slump, stress or bad mood into perspective when we know where it comes from. PMS is not uncommon, don't feel alone.
Then, to prepare yourself physically for these tiring days. To make your period less painful, rest before it arrives. By sleeping a little longer or doing yoga for example.
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Pamper yourself during your period, even in class or at work
When your period is here, take care of yourself. Take a thermos of pain-relieving herbal tea to drink throughout the day. Take some dried fruits to give you energy. Wear clothes in which you feel comfortable and pretty, and above all keep your back warm (with a bodysuit or camisole that you can slip into your skirt or jeans, without letting any cool air escape. Brrr. ). If you work in an office or are a student, carry a small hot water bottle to slip under your clothes. The heat is relieving! Of course, depending on your job this won't be possible, but maybe during a break.
Choosing the right periodic protection
Whether you have a static or dynamic job, worrying about staining your clothes and having to go to the bathroom to change is stressful. And often embarrassing. Firstly because there is still a taboo on the rules (what can you say in the middle of a meeting without blushing a little depending on the context?). Then because depending on our job, we don't always have toilets nearby. Fortunately, today there are periodic protections that last up to 12 hours without leaking . Zero waste, without toxic components, and without risk of toxic shock (these are external protections): I named menstrual panties . With these pretty and comfortable panties, stress is over.
Breathe, delay
Of course, depending on your profession and the flexibility possible in the organization of your work within your company, not everything is feasible. But if you can, organize yourself to have fewer difficult tasks during this time or distribute them differently depending on your energy. Give yourself more break time or more regular breaks if that allows you to decompress. And above all, before leaving, take deep breaths.
Towards menstrual leave?
Very few countries have established menstrual leave. Although it has existed in Japan and Indonesia since 1947, it is used very little there. Unfortunately, women who request this legal leave are frowned upon! In Zambia, there is an additional day of rest for menstruating employees, called “Mother’s Day”. On the European side, this is a project that has been seriously considered in Italy since 2017, in the event of painful periods .
The solution would lie in temporary teleworking, when possible. But this would exclude many women in professions that do not allow it. And according to certain feminist movements, menstrual leave is considered sexist, in the sense that it could increase discrimination against women in hiring :(. To be continued...
By Elise
