Reclaiming Peak Performance in Perimenopause- Practical strategies you can use right now

Let’s say you’re in your 40s or early 50s. You’ve climbed the ladder, you’ve earned the respect, you’re used to hitting goals. But lately something’s off. You’re showing up at work, delivering , yet you can’t feel like yourself. The sharpness has dulled. The energy isn’t what it used to be. You flick on the fan in mid-meeting. The “aha” moment or sharp pivot just doesn’t land the way it did.

What’s happening isn’t just stress, or “bad sleep”. It may well be the transition of perimenopause, and for high-performing women like you, this can feel like a hidden performance hit. At VANTA Coaching we believe seeing this shift for what it is is the first step to reclaiming your power.

1. The invisible gap: work self vs body self
You’ve always trusted your brain, your execution, your stamina. That version of you has been performing. But mid-life brings hormonal changes, fluctuating oestrogen, shifting rhythms — all of which affect things you care about: focus, memory, confidence, even your body’s physical resilience.

Research shows that women in perimenopause/perimenopausal transition often report lower work ability, more emotional exhaustion, and poorer health outcomes. For example, one review found the more intense the menopausal symptoms, the more likely a woman is to feel disengaged at work, or think about leaving. 

You might notice:

Brain fog, word-finding problems, foggy thinking in meetings
Energy dips, fatigue mid-afternoon or after travel
Hot flushes, night sweats = poor sleep = cognitive & physical drag
Confidence wobble: you’re not sure why you’re having to front-foot tasks you used to knock over, This is not a performance failure. It’s your body speaking. And if you ignore it the gap grows.

2. Why this matters now for you
Because you’re in the “sweet spot”: leadership roles, high responsibility, juggling lots. You might think of perimenopause as something for “later”. But it’s already here. The science is clear — the transition often starts years before “menopause” 

If you don’t address it:

You risk feeling like you’re not you. And that can erode your confidence.
You may pull back, avoid bigger roles, even consider quitting (because it feels easier than fighting the fatigue or fog).
Your work-life conjunction suffers: you’re managing home, high stakes job, and your body shifting. That’s triple load.
And for your business (or your employer) this matters. Because you’re valuable. Losing your edge, even slightly, means you lose your joy, and your  impact.

3. Mapping the mismatch (so you can track it)
Here’s a tool to help you identify the gap between how you should be showing up, and how you’re actually feeling.

Step A: Baseline your high-performer self
Write down (short bullet):

What I used to do well (e.g., lead a strategy session, close a big deal, deliver the keynote, coach the team).
The energy and brain-space I used to have (e.g., thinking ahead, executing without rework, staying alert late).
What I felt like when I was in that zone (confident, sharp, unstoppable).

Step B: What’s changed
Over the past 6-12 months, rate (1-5) where you are now vs then, for each dimension:

Focus/clarity
End-of-day energy
Confidence in decision-making
Physical resilience (muscles/stamina/sleep recovery)
Emotional reactivity (how you respond under pressure)

Step C: Match symptoms to performance
Link any of the following you’re noticing:

Period irregularities, night sweats, hot flushes
Poor sleep, early waking, brain fog
Mood shifts, irritability, low threshold for stress
Physical changes (weight, muscle loss, joint aches)
These can affect performance via: diminished focus, slower processing, hesitation, less stamina, more irritability.

When you see the gap mapped this way, you shift from “something’s wrong” to “I’m navigating a phase that demands strategy”. That’s VANTA’s lens.

4. Strategies to reclaim the edge (not the generic fluff)
Here are tailored actions for high-achieving women — not “eat kale and walk 10,000 steps”. These are sharp, strategic, aligned with executive living.

• Focus restoration
Chunk your high-cognitive work into defined windows (e.g., first 90-120 minutes when you’re freshest).
Use “micro-reset” rituals when fog hits: 3 deep breaths + 30 seconds outside the window, cool water splash, rapid 5-minute mind-body routine (e.g., stand, stretch, brain reboot).
Delegate or outsource the cognitive tasks that drain you the most — save your peak brain time for strategic moves.

• Energy / stamina audit
Quality sleep is non-negotiable. If night sweats/night waking are frequent, treat this as you would any leadership-risk (bring in the medical team).
Strength training twice a week matters: supporting muscle mass, hormonal resilience, mood.
Movement pattern: include short high-intensity efforts + longer low-intensity for recovery. Make this your performance training, not just “fitness for fun”.
Nutrition shift: Fuel for brain and hormones — ensure enough protein, healthy fats (especially Omega-3s), colourful micros. Avoid sugar crashes, caffeine overload at midnight.

• Confidence & identity anchors
Re-visit your “why” — what your next chapter looks like. If you sense “I don’t recognise myself”, start intentionally defining the you from now.
Micro-wins matter: keep a log of where you did land well. Buffering your confidence with real data.
Mentoring others: As someone who’s been doing high performance, doubling as mentor anchors your value and purpose.

• Workplace environment optimization
Support + environment = performance.

If your office is warm, poorly ventilated, full of stress triggers: it’s working against you. The fit-out matters. Research shows that simply having better ventilation, fans, access to cold water, flexible hours improves outcomes. 

Build a small “perimenopause performance plan” for yourself: communicate (to trusted manager/partner) what you need when an off-day hits (flexible task, delegated heavy-lift, brief pause).
Use your voice: When appropriate, normalise pro-active adjustments — doesn’t mean “I’m broken” it means “I need my kit to stay sharp”.

5. Your next-step challenge (30-day sprint)
Because coaching without action is just theory. Here’s what you do this month:

Week 1: Map your current state (use the audit in Section 3). Pick one area you want to focus on (e.g., focus, energy, confidence).
Week 2: Implement one ‘environment’ change (e.g., ask for desk fan, change your morning work block, book a strength session).
Week 3: Add one ‘bio-/movement’ switch (e.g., 2 strength sessions, track sleep every night, reduce caffeine after 4pm).
Week 4: Host a personal debrief: How do you feel compared to Week 1? What wins? What still drags? Adjust your plan for the next 30 days.

6. Why this matters beyond you
Because you’re not just doing this for yourself. You’re doing it for your team, your organisation, your legacy. When high-performing women self-manage this transition, there are ripple effects: stronger leadership, better work culture, less attrition, more knowledge stayed in the system. Employers are finally waking up to this: the economic cost of unmanaged menopause/perimenopause is real. 

7. Final note
You might be looking at this and thinking: “Is this just another stage I must endure?” I’ll say: Yes, it’s a stage. But you don’t have to wait for it to become a liability. You can treat it as a performance upgrade. At VANTA Coaching we believe mid-life is your moment,  not your slowdown. You’ve earned your seat at the table. Now let’s ensure your body and brain are aligned so you can own it.

If you’re ready to rebuild your focus, energy, and confidence at work during perimenopause, contact us explore tailored VANTA Coaching’s Midlife Performance Program.