'Working with, not against': new app Phase launches to reshape productivity for women
Helps women manage their work and schedules in line with the changing strengths of their menstrual cycle.
A new app launching today is aiming to rewrite the rules of how women work — by putting the menstrual cycle at the centre of productivity planning.
Phase, a London-based start-up, describes itself as a productivity tool built specifically for women, designed around the hormonal shifts that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. Its creators say the app is grounded in neuroscience and endocrinology, offering what they call “biology-based productivity” — a system that doesn’t track symptoms or pain, but instead focuses on cognitive and energetic strengths that ebb and flow across the month.
While 81% of women report a decrease in productivity due to their menstrual cycle, for the most part, the structure of modern working life has remained rigid — demanding consistent energy and focus from bodies that are anything but linear.
Phase aims to address that disconnect. Available globally from today on the Apple App Store, the app provides users with personalised insights to help them align work with their hormonal rhythms. The goal, according to its creators, is not simply to “track” a cycle, but to reframe it — as something to work with, rather than manage or suppress.
“To say we are excited to have this out in the marketplace would be an understatement,” said co-founder and CEO Maggie McDaris.
“We have built a tool to solve a problem that we had as women who care about our careers, but also who have cycles and must navigate that while still delivering at work.
“The uniqueness of Phase is that it not only tracks hormone levels, but operates on a much more interactive level allowing users to apply these learnings to their day-to-day lives with a calendar integration tool.”
Work smarter with cycle-aware scheduling
By syncing tasks with the natural shifts in mood, focus and energy that occur during the menstrual cycle, Phase hopes to help users avoid burnout, reduce stress, and “work smarter”. The app includes features such as radar charts showing daily cognitive patterns, task prompts tailored to energy levels, and integrations with tools like Google Calendar, Office 365 and Chrome — all designed to offer subtle but consistent nudges toward more cycle-aware scheduling.
Co-founder and CEO Maggie McDaris created Phase together with co-founders Sam Cooke (CTO) and Georgie Powell (CMO) after her own experiences of burnout led to her leaving her executive career. She continued:
“Phase was born from a deeply personal journey through burnout and recovery. After returning to work just weeks postpartum, I found myself completely depleted: physically, emotionally and mentally.
“Discovering cycle syncing was a turning point; it helped me reclaim my energy and work in alignment wiht my body, not against it. Georgie, Sam and I co-founded Phase to bring that same relief and power to other women so they can thrive, be productive and feel unstoppable at work.”
While “cycle syncing” has long circulated in wellness communities — often focused on exercise or diet — Phase seeks to bring the concept into mainstream work culture.
Dr. Fran Yarlett GP, a Women’s Health Specialist and Member of Phases’s Clinical Advisory Board added:
“I am so proud to have been a part of the evolution of Phase – this is a tool that delves into the nuances of a woman’s menstrual cycle, highlighting the various ‘superpowers’ she possesses across the cycle.
“Rather than seeking perfection, Phase aims to help women to lean into the peaks of energy, periods of more reflective behaviour, and ultimately understanding that sometimes the role of Phase is going to be finding the best time in a not-so-great week.”