Work + Menopause. Staying the Course.
Is this career burnout… or could it be menopause?
At 47, I thought I was hitting a career wall.
I was a marketing director, wife, mother to 3 and a carer. Constant juggling. Long days. Poor sleep. A scenario many will recognise – and one I assumed was simply how life looked at the stage.
Then something shifted.
Things I had always managed began to feel overwhelming. I had a sudden loss of confidence, brain fog crept in, and I questioned my self-worth — and my future at work.
What I didn’t question was menopause.
I thought I was just tired, burnt out and under pressure.
The truth? I wasn’t having a career crisis. I was perimenopausal.
Did I speak to my boss? No. Why? because I didn’t understand what was happening myself.
How do you ask for support when you don’t know what you need?
I would like to think I am an intelligent and capable woman, but I am one of the 60% of women who only start looking for information on menopause once symptoms begin.
Here’s why this matters – not just personally, but professionally:
- The fastest growing demographic in the workforce is women over 50
- There are over 50 menopause symptoms
- 1 in 2 women consider leaving work due to menopause
- 1 in 10 leave entirely
- Around 14 million working days are lost each year in the UK
- Menopause-related attrition costs the UK economy around £1.5 billion annually
When 51% of the population will experience menopause — and over half of the UK workforce is female — the cost of misunderstanding this life stage is enormous.
Today, I work as an executive coach and a certified menopause coach — informed by lived experience.
Because when women understand what is happening in their bodies and have space to think clearly about who they are and where they’re going, everything changes.
Imagine if:
- Women had personalised, one-to-one support through this transition
- Groups were educated early about menopause and informed about available choices
- Managers felt confident supporting their teams
- Careers weren’t quietly derailed by mislabelled “burnout”
This stage of life doesn’t need to derail a career.
With the right support, it’s about retaining experienced, multifaceted women – and helping them stay the course.
What difference would that make for you or your organisation?
If you’re navigating this stage yourself, or leading others through it, I’d welcome the conversation.
