This Monday, I was supposed to motivate you.
Instead, I woke up in pain.
The kind of pain that sits in your bones.
The kind that makes lifting your leg feel like a full workout.
The kind that reminds you that no matter how strong you are, your body will sometimes demand that you slow down.
And in that moment, I remembered a conversation a friend and I once had.
She said, “I need annual leave for the first day of my period.”
We laughed.
But today, I am not laughing.
Because this is not a luxury.
This is a health conversation.
And it is time we start having it loudly.
Let’s Be Honest: Period Pain Is Not “Just Discomfort”
Some women work through:
• nausea
• dizziness
• migraines
• back pain
• cramps so severe they cannot stand
Yet they still show up to work and are expected to perform at full capacity.
Not because they are fine.
But because there is no system that allows them not to.
🌍 Countries That Already Have Menstrual Leave
This is not a radical idea. It already exists.
• Spain – up to 3–5 days paid menstrual leave per month for those with severe pain (with medical approval)
• Zambia – one day every month called “Mother’s Day”, no explanation required
• Indonesia – two days per month written into labour law
• South Korea – one day per month (unpaid by law, but protected)
• Taiwan – additional menstrual leave separate from normal sick leave
• Japan – legal right to take time off if periods make work difficult
So the real question is not “Is this possible?”
The real question is:
Why is the UK still treating this as a taboo instead of a workplace wellbeing issue?
🇬🇧 What Is Happening in the UK?
There is no national menstrual leave policy.
However:
• Some progressive companies offer period policies or cycle-based wellness days
• A Bristol organisation was one of the first to introduce a workplace period policy to support staff flexibility
So the change is starting but it is not widespread.
Right now, women are expected to:
• use normal sick leave
• stay silent
• “push through”
And that silence is the problem.
💼 How Do We Make This Happen in the UK?
Not by suffering quietly.
Change happens in stages:
1️⃣ Start the conversation in workplaces
Through:
• staff wellbeing surveys
• HR discussions
• women’s networks
• occupational health reviews
Policies don’t appear, they are pushed for.
2️⃣ Reframe the language
This is not about “special treatment”.
This is about:
**menstrual health
• productivity
• inclusive workplaces**
Because a supported employee is a more effective employee.
3️⃣ Use existing rights
Right now, severe period pain can fall under:
• sick leave
• reasonable adjustments (if linked to a medical condition)
But many women don’t use these because of stigma.
We change that by normalising the conversation.
4️⃣ Data + story telling
Policies change when:
• real experiences are shared
• companies see the impact
• wellbeing becomes a measurable metric
Your story is not “just a story”.
It is evidence.
This Is Not About One Day Off
It is about dignity.
It is about recognising that women’s bodies are not inconveniences in the workplace.
It is about creating systems where a woman does not have to choose between:
• her health
• her salary
• her reputation
Today’s Motivation
Today I did not show up with productivity (technically Sunday, I’m working today, LOL 😂).
I showed up with honesty.
And maybe that is the real motivation:
Rest when your body demands it.
Speak about pain without apology.
Advocate for systems that support women, not just celebrate strong ones.
Because strength is not working through pain.
Strength is changing the system so the next woman doesn’t have to.
The Question For You
What would your workplace look like if menstrual health was treated as real health?
And what would happen if we stopped whispering about it, and started writing policies about it?
Happy Monday
Today’s motivation: take care of yourself, and fight for a workplace that takes care of women too.
With Love,
Ayo♡
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