Mercury Retrograde and Business: What Actually Matters

Mercury retrograde gets blamed for everything from email glitches to relationship breakdowns. Most of it is confirmation bias—we notice the problems during retrograde and forget the ones that happen constantly otherwise.

But there's a useful kernel in the tradition, if you strip away the superstition.

What Mercury Retrograde Actually Is

It's an optical illusion. Mercury appears to move backward in the sky because of the relative positions of Mercury, Earth, and the Sun. It happens about three times a year, lasting roughly three weeks each time.

Does this planetary positioning affect your email server? Almost certainly not.

But here's what might matter: the archetype of Mercury retrograde—as a period for review, reflection, and revision rather than new initiatives—can be genuinely useful.

The Practical Application

Think of Mercury retrograde periods as scheduled time for:

• Reviewing contracts rather than signing new ones
• Reconnecting with past clients, colleagues, or opportunities
• Revising plans and strategies already in motion
• Researching rather than launching

This isn't because Mercury is actually affecting your business. It's because having scheduled periods for reflection—instead of constant forward motion—is genuinely valuable.

Most businesses run at full speed all the time. Mercury retrograde, if you choose to use it this way, gives you "permission" to slow down and review.

What to Actually Avoid

The traditional advice to avoid signing contracts during retrograde isn't magical—it's practical. The retrograde period invites more careful review. If you're signing something hastily during a period culturally associated with miscommunication, you're probably rushing.

Don't avoid signing because Mercury is retrograde. But do ask: "Am I being thorough enough? Have I reviewed every detail?"

What to Actually Do

Use retrograde periods to:

• Audit your current systems and processes
• Reach out to people you've lost touch with
• Revisit projects that stalled
• Back up your data (you should do this anyway)
• Re-read important documents before signing

These are good practices regardless of planetary position. Mercury retrograde just gives you a reminder.

The Timing Reality

Should you delay a major business decision because Mercury is retrograde? Probably not. Business has its own timing requirements.

But if you're using retrograde as a prompt to be more thorough, more reflective, more careful—that's not superstition. That's just good practice with a celestial calendar.

The Bottom Line

Mercury retrograde won't crash your servers or tank your deal. But the archetype of periodic review and reflection it represents is genuinely valuable in a business culture that rarely stops to think.

Use the astrology as a prompt, not a prediction. Your results will depend on what you do—not where Mercury appears to be.