10 Tips to Avoid Tech and Communication Chaos During Mercury Retrograde

The beginning of the end is near. Just kidding, it’s only Mercury retrograde. Mercury is the planet of communication, “which rules gossip, information, technology, news, and travel,” says Lisa Stardust, astrologer and author of “The Love Deck.” And when it’s retrograde, we can expect setbacks in all the areas of life the planet is said to govern.

If you’re reading this post, then you probably tend to use technology for the majority of your communication. Cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, desktops, and any other technological forms of communication you typically use will be affected every Mercury retrograde, according to astrologer Narayana Montúfar, author of “Moon Signs: Unlock Your Inner Luminary Power.”

It might sound super negative, but Mercury retrogrades are a great opportunity for you to “rework anything that’s no longer working for you,” astrologer Maressa Brown says. This means it’s a perfect time for you to make sure your communication methods are fine-tuned to your needs, so you can avoid any annoying inconveniences Mercury tries to throw your way.

To help you get through your next Mercury retrograde without any tech- or text-related slip-ups, here are 10 tips from Montúfar, Stardust, and Brown. Granted, a lot of these tips are smart to keep in mind even during temperate astro-weather, but they’ll come in extra clutch when Merc is doing its thing.

1. Avoid Texting About Important Topics: To avoid any miscommunication, Montúfar says to call – not text – someone when you have something important to say. Being clear over the phone can be more effective than using your go-to emoji in a text. “I know people don’t like phone calls, but I feel like phone calls could really help prevent miscommunications,” Montúfar explains.
2. Sing Before Your Next Phone Call: If you ever feel like a cat’s got your tongue before you answer the phone or make a call, try singing. Seriously. Belt out a line or two of whatever’s stuck in your head. (May we suggest a BTS bop?) “The best way to speak your truth and really cleanse your throat chakra is to sing,” Stardust says. This should help you articulate exactly what you want to say.
3. Carry a Portable Charger: Montúfar advises that you should carry a portable charger, especially when you’re expecting an important call. Don’t let your phone, laptop, or smartwatch hit one percent while you’re out – not during Mercury retrograde.
4. Back Up Your Files: Have an important presentation? Back up your files. Whether you’re backing up to the cloud, emailing your presentation to yourself, or loading your documents onto a USB, you’ll want to avoid “scrambling at the last minute” to find your files during Mercury retrograde, Montúfar says.
5. Don’t Get Lost in Your Inbox: “Keeping track of emails, texts, calls, and chats can already be a challenge, but once Mercury retrograde comes into full effect, cue the lost emails and misunderstandings,” Brown says. “Creating rules in Outlook, for example, can help you stay organised.” No matter which platform you use for your emails, Brown recommends organizing them to stay focused and make sure you can respond to people on time.
6. Close Your Tabs and Apps: “Closing Zoom windows is super important right after a meeting so you don’t have an embarrassing moment,” Montúfar says. Equally as important: closing your tabs before a meeting so nothing weird pops up when you need to share your screen.
7. Double-Check Everything: “Avoid the classic Mercury retrograde pain point: silly mistakes,” Brown says. She recommends drafting your post, email, or whatever; stepping away for a bit; then coming back to it to make sure everything you wrote makes sense. (Spell check is also your friend right now.)
8. Don’t Scroll Your FYP Before Bed: We know that an evening TikTok FYP (“For You page”) scroll is so tempting, but you will want to avoid doing that during a retrograde. “The electricity’s going to mess with your sleep, because you’re thinking a lot during Mercury retrograde . . . so you don’t want to be exposed to technology before going to bed” to have a peaceful night’s sleep, Montúfar says.
9. Get to Your Online Meetings Early: Being early for your meetings will ensure you avoid any last-minute tech mishaps. “Definitely get there early, even if it’s on Zoom. Be prepared,” Montúfar advises. That way, you know that your camera and headphones work, your background looks professional, you can’t see the sweatpants you have on, and you’re ready to share your screen if needed.
10. Give Your Electronics an Energetic Cleanse: Stardust recommends giving your electronics an energetic cleanse to prevent having people pry into your life via them. Now, how do you energetically cleanse your electronics? Naturally, with a black tourmaline stone, Stardust says. “Black tourmaline is really good for cleansing and protection. So what I like to do is to take my computer, my iPad, my phone, and I stack them one on top of the other, and I’ll put the stone over them overnight while I’m sleeping,” she explains. Just make sure you cover the stone with a cloth, Stardust warns. “People that are trying to ‘look into your life’ actually can do it if you have that stone exposed.”