What Not To Do During Mercury Retrograde

Main image courtesy of Museums Victoria.

If you’ve ever heard the term Mercury in retrograde before, you might be wondering exactly what that means. Often it’s also associated with a weird energy where things can feel a little off, there’s interference or miscommunications, and you should stay away from certain tasks. Some folks even get downright scary about what you should not do during a Mercury retrograde. But are there really serious consequences to engaging in certain activities, or is there a way you can live your best life, but also be mindful of the type of energy that’s given off during retrograde season?

While all the solar system planets go retrograde at some point throughout the year, we’re going to be taking a closer look at Mercury’s retrograde, including:

• What exactly does Mercury in retrograde mean?
• What not to do during Mercury retrograde
• Some tasks you can do during a retrograde and are encouraged to embrace!

What is Mercury in retrograde?

Breaking down a natural, cosmic phenomenon

While you may have negative connotations of a Mercury retrograde, it’s not a bad thing at all! In fact, this natural phenomenon is all about perspective. Astronomers actually refer to this event as an “apparent retrograde motion,” because the planet does not actually move backwards. From our perspective on Earth, it only appears to move in a backward motion. So not to worry, Mercury doesn’t actually break all laws of physics and suddenly start to go backwards around the sun. 

Mercury is the closest planet to our sun, which means it has the smallest orbit and only takes around 88 days to completely go around it. When it laps the Earth and begins to turn to pass around the sun on the other side, it appears to go backwards from Earth’s perspective (since our orbit is slower) as it takes that turn. All the planets in the solar system appear to go retrograde from our view on Earth, whether that’s the closer planets to the sun like Mercury and Venus, or the outer planets with larger orbits like Jupiter and Saturn. Mercury’s retrograde occurs three or four times each year, which is probably why it’s the most observed retrograde of them all, and it can last for a few weeks at a time. 

What not to do during Mercury retrograde

What should you avoid when Mercury goes retrograde?

While everyone can make their own informed decisions on what they should/should not do during Mercury retrograde, there are a few things you can try and avoid so that the retrograde goes as smoothly as possible. Remember, it’s up to you to decide what you want to put your energy and attention towards. Don’t focus on the negative aspects of what could “potentially” go wrong during a retrograde event, as it may only draw more negative energy your way. We recommend not living in fear of something going wrong, or getting lost in translation, instead we’re offering a few suggestions of what not to do during Mercury retrograde so you’re more aware of what energy you’re inviting in cosmically. 

• Don’t rush, take your time with things. While this can easily be a mantra to hold onto throughout the year, if you want to avoid negative consequences, then make it a point to not rush into things. This can refer to important projects at work, or if you find yourself interested in someone new romantically. Mercury retrogrades last for only a few weeks, so give yourself space to slow down and do things right.

• Try to avoid making major decisions. This goes hand in hand with trying not to rush things in your life. A lot of the time we feel pressure to make decisions, especially large ones, even though you might want a little more time to think it through. Avoid buying a house or planning a major trip, because the interference you might experience with a Mercury retrograde could get in the way.

• Don’t launch brand new endeavors without careful thought. Mercury rules thoughts, information, and communication, so this is especially true if you’re in a career or have interests in these pursuits. Launching a new blog, book, or podcast during a Mercury retrograde might not be the best timing.

• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Sometimes things are unavoidable and we are required to make big or difficult decisions during a retrograde. Don’t worry, the sky isn’t going to fall down! If you need to make a choice or something needs closure right now, go ahead and do your best. Just make sure to do everything to the best of your ability, and don’t stress too much about what might happen.

• Don’t stress about the retrograde! There’s enough stress already around us, and the retrograde shouldn’t contribute to that. Keeping it in mind is a good idea, but most things around us are out of our control anyway. The best advice for retrogrades (of all planets!) is to just pay close attention to how your energy levels are feeling, and listen to what your body, mind, and heart need. This will help you be your best self, so you can make the right decisions during this time. 

Mercury retrograde “do’s”

There are a lot of ways you can make Mercury retrograde a good time of year 

It’s not a great idea to constantly live in reaction mode when it comes to cosmic forces beyond our control. That’s why absolutely avoiding certain things during a natural event like a retrograde may seem like overkill to you, and you’re not alone.  Lots of people are more inclined to focus on the positive things they can do when a planet like Mercury goes retrograde, and make that the focus of the few weeks it appears to be going backwards. Here’s a list of a few things you can do during Mercury retrograde season to ensure you’re operating on the right frequencies.

• Be flexible. Life doesn’t operate in just black and white, there is a lot of grayscale out there! Instead of just thinking about what you’re not supposed to do during a Mercury retrograde, focus on being more flexible instead. People who can only see things as one way or other may find themselves more stressed, as opposed to finding a more open approach to their lives during this event. Find your flow and try to be more flexible during the retrograde, whether it’s with work commitments, or deciding what to do for date night. Don’t sweat the small stuff!

• Take your time with communications. One of the most well-known euphemisms surrounding a Mercury retrograde is that it can wreak havoc on communication, including the many devices we use for that end. So if you’re having a conversation with a friend or colleague, make sure you’re clear to avoid potential miscommunications. And backing up your documents or reading that email a second time are never bad ideas—no matter what time of year it is!

• Make sure to be patient when giving instructions. Patience is something you might want to focus on as Mercury is in retrograde. Do you notice it’s shorter at this time of year? Is there a way you can make it a point to work on that? This is especially true if you’re in a leadership role, or you need your instructions to be followed.

• Reorganize and rearrange. Instead of trying to complete a project, class, or embark on a new endeavor during a retrograde, why not use this time to reorganize, review, or rearrange what you already have done? Sometimes this can look like tidying up your workspace, getting someone else to review your work, or reorganize the files or photos on your phone/computer.

• Make a list of future goals. The energy during a retrograde is also good for sitting back, observing your progress so far, and making a list of future goals. Making a list of smaller goals that you want to attain after the retrograde is a good way to keep your eyes on the prize, but not rush to the finish line.

How will you plan for Mercury in retrograde?

Mercury retrograde is something you can plan on occurring a few times each year. And while it can seem a bit scary at first, the more you learn about it, the more you can take control over your feelings towards it. There may be a few things you should avoid doing during the retrograde, but nothing that’s monumental or written in stone. After all, you get to decide how you react to cosmic events like this, not the other way around!