5 Hormones to Balance to Boost Productivity

It was 2 PM on a Thursday. My to-do list was as long as my arm, I had Friday deadlines looming, and the constant ‘ping!’ of incoming emails was assaulting my brain.

I wanted to finish a top-priority analysis report by the end of the day yet my boss kept popping into my office to ask about it, disrupting my concentration each time.

If I could just complete this task, it would free up a huge amount of time and energy for the rest of my work.

After 20 minutes of laser-focused productivity, typing away with the flow of a spring mountain river, I suddenly hit a wall of crushing fatigue and brain fog. My head hurt to think, and I kept rereading the same paragraph, trying to piece together its meaning. All I could think was, “damn, now I’ll have to finish this in the morning…” because I knew that when the mid-afternoon energy crash hit, I couldn't get much done.

This scenario is common for many women, especially those aged 35-55. During these years, known as “perimenopause,” balancing five key hormones becomes increasingly important.

5 Hormones to Balance to Squash Procrastination

Estrogen Decline

Ever felt like your cravings or sweet tooth have turned into a toddler who refuses to listen to the word “NO”?

As estrogen naturally declines in women over 35, sometimes this drop happens too quickly.

Lowered levels of estrogen lead to increased inflammation at the cellular level. Systemic inflammation blocks insulin from doing its job—moving glucose into cells to be burned as energy—so your cells begin acting up as though they’re being starved. Which, to your brain, is a big deal - not having enough glucose sends tiny signals to slow down cognitive processing,

Estrogen Dominance

At the same time, you can also have too much estrogen!

Most of my clients struggle with perimenopause hormonal imbalances, the most common being a combination of low estrogen and high estrogen.

Estrogen dominance can mean high levels of estrogen, but it can also just mean a problem with the estrogen to progesterone ratio. Most women struggle to clear away excess estrogen due to sluggish hormone detoxification processes, often caused by detox diets and supplement packs.

Insulin Resistance

Did you know that cravings are an insulin issue? It's your inflamed cells no longer responding to insulin like they used to.

The more carbohydrate-rich foods you eat, even healthy ones like oatmeal and sourdough bread, the more your cells stop responding to insulin’s knock on the door to let glucose inside cells for energy. Instead, that glucose your cells refuse to take in gets shunted to fat cells for storage, increasing your cravings for those fat storage foods. No wonder unexplained weight gain is so common in women over 35!

When needed for mental power, that glucose stored as fat is stuck, so you get foggy and tired.

Progesterone

This calming, soothing, sleep-supportive hormone starts its natural decline the day you hit puberty.

Through pregnancies, stressful events, and our own mental and emotional rollercoasters, progesterone takes a hit early in most women’s lives. This is why women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s experience mood swings, crying spells, miscarriage, infertility, spotting mid-cycle, sleepless nights, and fatigue. Not a great combination for powerful concentration.

Cortisol

The ever-important stress hormone, cortisol, is the queen of the castle.

Every hormone is affected by the health of cortisol.

If cortisol is triggered continuously and not properly supported with adequate nutrition, it will steal nutrients and resources from other hormones, especially progesterone.

Cortisol triggers inflammation - the #1 cause of brain fog - and actively works to turn muscle cells into glucose when those cravings for sweets and carbs hit. When your body doesn’t truly need glucose, this converted glucose gets stored away in fat cells, especially in the belly.

Your Healthy Habits Might Be Making You Feel Worse

The biggest mistake many women in perimenopause make is bouncing between strategically marketed health products, thinking they’ve found the magic pill. Yet, despite doing all the things seemingly correctly, they don’t address the five hormones to balance to boost productivity and end up feeling exhausted, moody, fat, foggy, and overwhelmed.

Another mistake is not choosing appropriate hormone-balancing foods. Just because a food is labeled “healthy” doesn’t mean it’s right for you and your hormonal situation. "Healthy" food recommendations are based on the general population and don’t focus on a woman’s hormonal shifts in perimenopause.

“Healthy” is an Illusion: You might be loading up on salads, smoothies, and whole grains thinking you're doing everything right. But some of these "healthy" choices could be packing your body with inflammatory ingredients. For instance, whole grain bread might be spiking your blood sugar, and kale and extra turmeric could trigger inflammation.

Hidden Hormone Disruptors: Foods like Greek yogurt and soy are often hailed as health superstars, but they contain estrogen-like hormones that can mess with your natural hormone levels. Dairy foods are especially problematic—whey protein is inflammatory and supports the growth of cells and tissues, and cow’s milk contains high amounts of estrogen. This combination is behind the growth of extra fat cells and women's cancer.

Skip the One-Size-Fits-All Fitness: High-intensity workouts increase cortisol levels, leaving you more stressed and fatigued. Continuously increasing intensity or duration can disrupt healthy hormone production, worsening symptoms. Instead, embrace a cyclical exercise routine that syncs with your hormonal fluctuations to change the game.

Too Much Cardio: Overdoing cardio spikes cortisol, inflammation, and thyroid dysregulation. Instead, as you approach 40, start focusing more on building muscle. More muscle means more fat is burned and more energy can be made.

Using Weekends to Rest and Recover: While catching up on sleep over the weekend is tempting, this habit wrecks your hormones and disrupts your circadian rhythm. Consistent, great sleep is key every night of the week, and daily self-care and a reasonable bedtime support your energy and nervous system better than a “once a week” couch marathon.

Too Much Self-Care: You don’t need hours of meditation, float tanks, or walking in nature to retrain your body back to a natural calm state. Little things count more—10-15 minutes of daily practices like belly breathing, singing, quick walks between meetings, and drinking extra water prevent overwhelm more consistently and effectively.

Holistic Best Practices to Balance the 5 Hormones to Get More Done in Less Time

Simple is always better. Include these seven tips into your routine and free up time by ditching one-size-fits-all advice. Amplify your energy, sleep, and mood, and get more work done in less time so you can finish each week feeling accomplished:

1. Eat more plants, especially cruciferous vegetables, legumes, lentils, garlic, onions, and dark green leafy vegetables.
2. Enjoy 1-2 servings of fruit every day—apples, berries, pineapple, dragon fruit, melon, cherries, and peaches are my favorites.
3. Adopt a cyclical exercise routine—plan your movement around your menstrual cycle and your energy levels each day.
4. Get outside in the sunshine—research shows that regular sunlight exposure can increase serotonin levels by up to 30%, enhancing mood, boosting energy, and improving brain function.
5. Prioritize sleep and get to bed by 10 PM every night—your brain will thank you.
6. Practice yoga or light stretching every day, even if it’s just 5 minutes—this encourages energy flow and detoxification.
7. Drink extra filtered water—aim for 3 liters every day. Choose what works best for you, whether it's alkaline or another type of filtered water.

Unlock Your Potential with Balanced Hormones

My clients successfully work on the five hormones to balance to boost productivity and enjoy shorter workdays with more accomplishments, more leisure time, and a solid state of health, radiance, and vitality each day. If you want to power through your workday, writing reports and staying engaged with clients, with boundless energy, laser-sharp focus, and a calm, collected demeanor, get started today.

A root cause-focused holistic evaluation of your hormone health and cellular function will have you confidently stepping into your leadership roles, delivering inspiring coaching sessions or live presentations, and feeling sexy, fabulous, and beautiful in your own skin.

Ready to Take Charge of Your Hormones & Supercharge Your Productivity?

Book a 60-minute root cause holistic hormone assessment and receive a clear, insightful analysis of your personal root causes and a unique nutrition plan to refuel your personal nutrient gaps and boost your productivity by 2-3X in just 7 days.

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