10 Tips for Dealing with Brain Fog at Work

Written by Jo Ibbott, Executive Menopause Coach

Jo is well-known when it comes to Menopause! She is an Executive Coach specialising in Menopause and Founder of What the Fog? Facebook Community, Foglights Menopause Hub, and developed the Courage Coaching Menopause Advocate Programme for organisations.

Brain fog has hit the headlines, quite literally. Zoe Kleinman, Technology Editor at the BBC, wrote a LinkedIn post about having to use notes while presenting the News at 10 on the BBC. She has never had to use notes before and does not use an autocue. In the post, she talks about how, as she was reporting on a massive outage, she just could not get this particular tech jargon phrase to stick in her head. She knew that if the words did not stick, it would throw off the rest of the piece. So she had to resort to holding her notes.

The response on LinkedIn has blown her away, with women sharing their stories about brain fog, how it undermines them, and how it makes them feel at work. There have even been suggestions of a campaign, #holdthenotes.

Zoe is in her mid-40s and perimenopausal. She would usually write about all things tech, but following the overwhelming response to her LinkedIn post, she felt it was essential to write about her experiences of brain fog and work for the BBC this week. You can read the article here.

As a menopause coach, Zoe’s story is not new to me, but it clearly resonated with many. This symptom of perimenopause is problematic to talk about, difficult to explain, and makes us feel a bit less capable, so we prefer not to admit it, particularly at work.

What is brain fog?

• memory loss

• losing words, phrases, names

• confusion

• inability to concentrate in the same way

• lack of clarity, literally feeling like your brain is mush, as one woman described it to me

• losing your train of thought mid-sentence

• information not going in, cognition and processing difficulties

Some women really do think they are getting early-onset Alzheimer's. It can be that bad.

Why does it happen?

Oestrogen and testosterone are essential hormones for our brains. When they fluctuate and decline, problems arise. Oestrogen helps the hippocampus function well, the part of the brain that is important for memory and certain types of learning. Testosterone strengthens the nerves in the brain, helping maintain mental sharpness and clarity.

[Dr Louise Newson: The Definitive Guide to Perimenopause & Menopause]

What can you do?

1. Be honest about it with family, work, and friends.

2. Give yourself some grace. It is real and does not mean you are less capable.

3. Talk to your GP about HRT.

4. Introduce a mindfulness or grounding practice into your repertoire to use when brain fog strikes or in its aftermath. Stress and anxiety about brain fog can make it worse.

5. Ask, "What do I need to do to mitigate or support myself?" For example, plan more fully, diarise prep time, and create space.

6. Plan ahead (if you can remember to, haha).

7. Challenge the thoughts that tell you you are a failure or less capable for needing these adjustments. It is not you, it is perimenopause.

8. Read Dr Lisa Mosconi's book The Menopause Brain. It is both fascinating and validating.

9. Please feel free to book a complimentary 45-minute call with me to help you gain clarity and set a plan.

10. Cannot think of a tenth (brain fog). If you have one, get in touch, and I will write another article about it.

Start your journey today

You do not have to face this alone. Talking about it and admitting it is happening is a good first step toward banishing feelings of shame and feeling less alone or overwhelmed. Menopause coaching can help you identify the challenges you are facing and develop new ways of working. Book a coaching call today. Let us work together to challenge undermining symptoms, rebuild your confidence, and help you thrive through perimenopause and menopause at work, not just survive.

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Read more from Jo Ibbott

Jo Ibbott, Executive Menopause Coach

Jo Ibbott is a leading expert on perimenopause and menopause, particularly its impact on women and the workplace. Experiencing the often-dismissed symptoms of mid-life hormonal shifts firsthand (low mood, anxiety, irritability, loss of confidence, and sleep disturbances), Jo trained as an Executive Menopause Coach. Her mission is to ensure no woman is undermined by menopause. To that end, she equips organisations with understanding and solutions, and has created a range of coaching and educational resources, alongside the What the Fog? Facebook Community, to empower women with knowledge and confidence.