Menopause at work can be a quiet storm. You may look like you’re coping—replying to emails, attending meetings, even hitting targets—but inside, it can feel like you’re moving through treacle. You might forget a colleague’s name mid-sentence, struggle to find the right word in a meeting, or walk into a room and forget why you’re there.
This isn’t laziness or incompetence. It’s menopause. And many women experience it while juggling high-pressure roles, complex relationships, and impossible expectations. If you’re feeling foggy, frustrated, and flat at work, you’re not alone—and there is support.
The Unspoken Impact of Menopause at Work
Although menopause affects half the population, its impact in the workplace is still widely misunderstood—or simply not spoken about. The conversation is growing, but many women still suffer in silence. You might feel:
- Embarrassed about memory lapses or difficulty concentrating
- Anxious about being judged as unreliable or less capable
- Drained by trying to mask symptoms or keep up appearances
- Disconnected from colleagues or emotionally flat
- Guilty about needing more rest or space to think
For high-performing women, this shift can feel devastating. You’ve built a career on competence, clarity, and control—and suddenly you can’t trust your own mind in the same way.
It’s frightening. It’s disorienting. And it’s real.
What’s Happening to Your Brain?
Cognitive symptoms of menopause are often grouped under the term “brain fog”. This includes forgetfulness, reduced attention span, difficulty switching between tasks, and slower processing speeds.
This isn’t a sign of early dementia or permanent cognitive decline. It’s a result of fluctuating hormone levels—particularly oestrogen, which plays a role in regulating brain function, mood, and memory. As levels shift during perimenopause and menopause, many women notice a drop in mental sharpness, energy, and emotional resilience.
You may also be dealing with:
- Poor sleep due to night sweats or anxiety
- Increased stress reactivity
- Lower serotonin levels affecting mood and motivation
- Heightened sensitivity to noise, demands, or interruptions
This combination can make work feel harder than it used to—and the inner pressure to ‘just get on with it’ only adds to the strain.
Why It Feels So Hard (And Why You’re Not Weak)
Many women blame themselves when their performance dips, even slightly. But menopause at work isn’t a personal failing. It’s a biological transition with real psychological consequences.
You may have been the one who always held everything together. You’ve probably dealt with tight deadlines, long hours, and intense pressure for years. But now your nervous system may be more reactive, your focus more fragile, and your tolerance for stress lower than before.
This doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re changing.
When Menopause Collides With Burnout
In therapy, I often see women whose menopausal symptoms are made worse by burnout—or who only realise they’re burnt out when menopause removes their last reserves of energy. Burnout and menopause can look similar: exhaustion, detachment, decreased performance, brain fog, emotional flatness.
Put them together, and it’s no wonder so many women feel like they’re barely functioning.
You might be asking yourself questions like:
- Why can’t I cope the way I used to?
- Why do I feel so emotional at work—or nothing at all?
- Am I still cut out for this career?
- What if I can’t keep up anymore?
These are hard questions. But they’re also common—and they don’t mean you’re finished. They mean your body is calling for compassion, not criticism.
Creating Breathing Space at Work
You don’t have to overhaul your entire career to make menopause at work more manageable. Sometimes it’s about micro-adjustments that give you more room to breathe. This might include:
- Blocking short focus windows in your calendar where you won’t be interrupted
- Using checklists or reminder tools without guilt
- Taking screen-free breaks to reset your nervous system
- Prioritising tasks that require focus earlier in the day
- Setting boundaries around meetings, emails, or your availability
If your workplace is supportive, consider talking to your manager or HR about reasonable adjustments. Many organisations are beginning to understand the impact of menopause and may be more open than you expect. Even a small accommodation—like flexibility in hours or access to a quiet workspace—can help you feel more in control.
What Therapy Can Offer
If work feels like too much right now, therapy can be a powerful support. It’s not just about talking through symptoms—it’s about helping you reclaim confidence, reconnect with your values, and build strategies that support your wellbeing.
In therapy, we might explore:
- The pressure to ‘keep performing’ when your energy is low
- Identity shifts—who you are beyond your job title or role
- How self-worth and productivity have become entangled
- Burnout patterns and how to break them
- Emotional regulation techniques to soothe stress and anxiety
We can also integrate techniques like EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or hypnotherapy to help with sleep, nervous system regulation, and breaking unhelpful coping habits—like pouring that extra glass of wine just to get through the evening.
Therapy creates a confidential space where you can fall apart a little, and then piece yourself back together with compassion. You don’t have to be the polished, capable version of yourself in that space. You just have to show up.
You’re Not Alone
One of the most painful parts of menopause at work is the silence. The inner doubt. The fear that no one else feels this way.
But many women are walking through exactly what you’re feeling. They just might not be talking about it.
This stage of life can be powerful—not because it’s easy, but because it asks you to re-evaluate, slow down, and listen to yourself more deeply. Therapy can help you do that without judgement.
Final Thoughts
If you’re feeling foggy, frustrated, or flat at work, it’s not a sign of failure. It’s a sign that something is shifting—and that your current way of coping might no longer be enough.
Menopause doesn’t have to derail your career. But it may ask you to approach work, self-care, and stress differently.
You’re still the same capable woman. You’re just learning how to support yourself through one of the biggest transitions of your life.
And that’s nothing to be ashamed of.
If you’d like to explore what working together might look like, I offer a free, no-pressure consultation.
Whenever you’re ready, I’m here. You’re also welcome to download my free guide, Is Therapy Right for Me?, for a reflective place to start.