how to reframe your work week
from capitalist & corporate to cyclical & cosmic
This article was originally published in our monthly print newspaper, The Retreat, The April Issue, No. 23 | Business & Pleasure. To read it, and other incredible pieces in their intended analog form, check out our newsstand here.
Body of Knowledge—a holistic wellness column by Madelyne Beckles
YOUR WORK WEEK REFRAME
This time last year, I was sitting at my kitchen table with my computer open in front of me when I noticed a tension building inside of me. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, it was a warmer spring than usual. From the outside, all seemed well, but inside I felt trapped: I didn’t have clients to attend to, and nothing on my to-do list was urgent, yet I didn’t feel like I could leave my chair. I was riddled with anxiety, refreshing my inbox and Instagram waiting for something to come through, feeling guilty that I didn’t have a big task for the day to prove that I was doing something with my life, and terrified that if an opportunity didn’t present soon, my business would fail completely. I decided to shut my laptop to go for a walk. (Note to reader: Walking helps to lower stress hormones like cortisol and triggers the release of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, which are natural mood boosters. I’d like to think I was—at least subconsciously—thinking about this at the time. The fresh air, a kiss from the sun’s rays, and a change in scenery for a fresh perspective doesn’t hurt either.) Once I started to move out of my head and into my body, it became clear to me that the ways in which I had been going through my days were officially not working. My energy was misaligned, and my well-being was compromised, which felt completely antithetical to my values and life’s purpose. If I wanted to practice what I preached, then something needed to change.
When I made the decision to start my own business as a holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, and creative, some of the biggest appeals were having agency over my time, flexibility in my schedule, and variety within my days, weeks, and months. What I didn’t realize was how bad my corporate hangover would be. I had unwillingly inherited some unhelpful patterns from working my 9-5 that ran deep—and after launching my business, I found myself recreating the same frameworks I had set out to escape. For me, this looked like:
rushing through my morning to get to my computer by a certain time
thinking that work had to look or feel a certain way to be legitimate and valuable (taking a long time, being unenjoyable, monotonous, etc.)
filling my to-do list and calendar with busy work to feel productive and worthy
creating unrealistic self-imposed deadlines
Unlearning these habits was going to be as much a part of my process as building new systems to operate from.
It turned out, though, that I didn't need to build so much as I needed to remember.
As I continued on my walk and admired the gardens on one of my favorite streets, I returned to one of my guiding principles as a practitioner: align with nature's cycles, and you will never be lost. I turned my mind to the cyclical approach that held the most presence in my life at that time: the seasons.
Seasonal living is something that comes naturally to me, especially since we experience each season distinctly where I live in Ontario, Canada. I use the wisdom of Winter to slow down, rest, dream, vision, plan and process. I don’t launch anything, and have little expectation of opportunities presenting. Focusing on the more intuitive, contemplative work takes the pressure off of a season where we are meant to let go of the doing and settle into being. Spring is a time for initiation. As the snow melts and the ground thaws, and nature comes out of hibernation, and so too do we.
Spring symbolizes new beginnings, a rebirth after the dormancy of Winter. Once that first environmental shift of Spring presents, and the light changes, my motivation begins to awaken and what’s meant to be birthed that year becomes clear. My ideas that were once formless start to take shape, next steps present themselves, and timelines become tangible. I plant the seeds both in the world and in my garden, for what I want to ripen in Summer, and harvest in Fall.
Though structuring my work in relation to the wheel of the year is a foundational element, I was still experiencing some discomfort day-to-day within my weeks.
I was doing my best to release my internalized guilt around productivity and fear of slowing down, but I still wasn’t feeling completely in flow. Then I caught wind of the concept of the planetary days of the week, which is rooted in ancient astrology, and correlates each day of the week with a specific planet, which is believed to influence the energy and themes of that day.
As someone who is obsessed with meaning-making systems, and particularly astrology, this resonated with me deeply as a way to organize my time: when I see clients, how I teach my yoga classes, when to do administrative tasks, launch ideas, or create content, and even take days off. It was a true lightbulb moment.
your new cosmic calendar
MONDAY
On Moon-days (Mondays), I channel the yin energy by keeping my days pretty light in order to ease into responsibility and honour my energy. The moon calls us to move through our day gently, and lead with intuition: a slow emergence out of our cocoon and into the week ahead. I wake up naturally instead of setting an alarm and take extra time with my morning routine, doing a longer Kundalini set than my usual practice, as moon days are primed for meditation. I also have my weekly meeting with my writing coach, which is equal parts a heart-to-heart and strategizing session for the week ahead.
TUESDAY
Tuesdays are ruled by Mars, the firey planet of action and motivation! This makes sense because they always seem to fly by. It’s a great day to hit the ground running and get shit done after a peaceful Monday, and for getting into the work that has been sitting on our to-do list for weeks either due to fear, or procrastinating. I start the day off teaching a 9am yoga class and from there I send off my weekly newsletter, and get deep into whatever admin task is the priority for the week.
WEDNESDAY
Wednesdays are ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication, which means hump day is my preferred day to meet with clients, schedule meetings, and send off emails. This is a great day for practical work, writing, meeting deadlines, signing contracts, finding solutions, and talking in general! Plan an after-work yap session with your BFF over dinner or on the phone.
THURSDAY
Thursday is the day of Jupiter, one of my favourite planets, as it possesses qualities of expansion, abundance, vision, and discovery. I prioritize creative work on Thursdays, like making client protocols, developing recipes, or creating content. It’s also a great day to launch new offerings or ideas into the world.
FRIDAY
Friday is the day of Venus, and is always a day off for me so I can go into full Venus mode. It’s a day for beauty, love, sensuality, self-care, aesthetics, and play. I like to make myself an indulgent breakfast, and take my dog for a walk in the woods. Then I take a bath and read a book with a face mask on, followed by a phone call with a girlfriend as I cook a luxurious dinner for me and my love. At the end of the month I will also do my expense and revenue tracking, as Friday is also a supportive day for finance work (with Venus being a ruler of money, possessions, luxuries, and the things we value). If you can’t take Fridays off, channel this planet by wearing your favourite outfit to work, and indulging once you’re off the clock—whether that means having an opulent night in with all of your favourite treats and rituals, or hitting the town for a fun night out.
SATURDAY
Saturn-days (Saturdays) are for discipline, structure and prioritization,making it a good day for cleaning and organizing your space, meal-planning and grocery shopping, or doing any tasks that you have been putting off. For me, this looks like teaching two morning yoga classes and then heading out to pick up my CSA share and doing whatever errands are needed. After lunch I’ll sit down to write my newsletter, as Saturn’s influence offers an ideal day for writing at length, and finishing tasks. Once I’ve wrapped up, I review my calendar and set my to-do list for the following week, so that I don’t have to think about it come Monday.
SUNDAY
Sunday, the day of the sun, is the most personal day. It’s a day to fill your cup, slow down, and connect with spirit, nature, and yourself. For you, this might look like spending quality time with your family, going on an adventure, or getting lost in a new book or this paper. For me, it’s a glorious day off where there is no agenda, and my heart leads the way.
By honoring these cycles, my creativity, energy, and business overall has felt so much more integrated. Much more than the capitalist corporate structures that have conditioned so many of us prioritize constant growth and productivity over rest and regeneration. Once I switched from these structures and reclaimed cyclical living by way of the earth and cosmos, my work and well-being improved greatly. This approach allows my energy to ebb and flow throughout the week, as opposed to pushing Monday through Friday and spending the weekend in recovery mode. It also mitigates decision fatigue around what to do each day, and when. Aligning my business with the natural world gives it structure, purpose, and connection by laying out a framework that encourages balance and pleasure. This somewhat subtle yet intentional shift has become both an act of self-trust and of resistance—two qualities that make for a better experience of work, self, and the world we live in.
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