A healthy guide to Mercury retrograde

Mercury goes retrograde three times a year, for about three weeks each time. The problem isn't the retrograde itself — it's rushing to start something new during it.

Seven rules that actually work

• Read a contract twice before signing it, and if you can, save it for after the retrograde.
• Back up your files; tech glitches are a classic during this time.
• Finish old projects, don't launch new ones.
• Read a message out loud before you send it.
• Always have a backup plan when traveling.
• Before you respond to someone who's come back around, remember why they left in the first place.
• If you can't decide, that's normal — retrograde isn't a season for clarity.

Does Mercury retrograde really break everything?

No. It raises the error rate on work that needs attention — it produces lack of control, not catastrophe. A contract read twice, a backed-up file and a confirmed appointment remove most of the trouble.

Classic mistakes

• Signing without reading
• Sending an important message while angry
• Updating a device with no backup
• Confirming a flight or meeting from a single source

The upside

Mercury retrograde belongs to everything starting with 're': revision, restoration, reconnection. Finishing an unfinished piece, going back to an old client, cleaning your archive — all of it performs above expectation now. If you must start something new, the world doesn't stop; it just asks for more confirmations and more backups.

Check the house

Whatever house the retrograde falls in is where the confusion shows up: the 3rd brings communication and siblings, the 6th work routine and health records, the 10th career and talking to your boss. Knowing the house tells you where to aim your attention.

Mercury retrograde isn't an obstacle, it's a rehearsal. Slow down the first time if you don't want to do it twice.

Step the transit chart in Charts to see the degree Mercury will station on, and which of your houses holds it.