5 Ways I Use Astrology as a Practical Tool For Productivity and Personal Development

This is part 2 of a 2-part series in which I’m sharing how I work through my own ambivalence around my study and appreciation of astrology.

In Part 1, I shared my response to 3 common arguments that skeptics raise about astrology.

One of the most common questions about astrology is “does it work?” As I observed in Part 1, this is a trick question, because it depends on what you’re trying to do with it.

In effect, the response to “does it work?” is “does it work for what?”

I have found that it works very well for the purposes that I use it for.

As I learned more about astrology over the past several years, I’ve learned that astrology is more than just Sun-sign descriptions and magazine horoscopes.

Astrology is actually a multi-nuanced framework that is a practical and useful tool for productivity, personal understanding, creating more meaningful relationships, and working more effectively with time.

Here are 5 ways I use astrology as a practical life tool.

(1) A Tool For Personal Understanding: The Study of Archetypes

Astrology can be a potent tool for self-discovery and coming into wholeness.

I view astrology as a portal to study myself through archetypes.

In the “story” of astrology, the planets and signs represent different archetypes. Each of us has all of the archetypes within us.

The more I learn about the archetypes of the planets and signs, the more I understand these archetypes within me. By seeing which parts I tend to resent, I get insight into which parts of myself I push away, and I can do the work of learning to embrace those parts of myself.

In this sense, astrology is similar to other personality type indicators.

In fact, astrology offers a more robust and nuanced approach. Unlike systems like Myers-Briggs or DiSC, the system of astrology takes into account that any given archetype doesn’t behave the same way in every setting or situation.

For example, you likely show up differently around work colleagues than you do when you’re hanging out with old friends who know you very well.

This allows for a more nuanced understanding of how we show up in different areas of our lives.

Astrology is thus a potent tool for coming into wholeness by embracing all parts of myself.

(2) A Tool for More Meaningful Connection: The Study of Relationships

A big part of what we are observing in astrology is how the planets are interacting with each other, from our perspective on Earth.

This takes the study of archetypes to the next level: the story of how the planets interact in relationship with each other helps me identify how the different parts of me relate within my whole, as well as how the different archetypes within me relate to the archetypes in other people.

For example, I am currently in a transit of Saturn conjunct my natal Mars.

This has been an invitation to explore how these two archetypes interact with each other within myself, as well as how each relates to these archetypes in others.

Where do I try to push through limits or restrictions? Where do I stop myself from pushing through? Where do I resent the limitations imposed by others? Where do I crave more structure and where do I push back against it?

By studying the dynamics of these archetypal energies, I can better see the ways in which they can combine for constructive or destructive means.

It can be a lot easier to think about “how can I connect with my inner Saturn” or “my inner Mars” as a shorthand, instead of naming the various qualities of Saturn and Mars.

Astrology is a tool that helps me understand the different ways that archetypal energies can relate to each other, both within one person and between people.

(3) A Tool for Better Timing: The Study of Seasons and Cycles

My grandfather once told me to “take my cues from nature.” He was talking about the seasonal cycles.

That’s where I started my study of seasons and cycles. Then I learned about the moon phases. That led me to more fully study the movement of all planets.

I’ve been practicing flying trapeze for 21 years. One of the recurring themes I’ve learned through trapeze is that timing is key.

As a real estate broker, people are always asking me about market cycles and timing.

As a productivity coach I often say that timing is more important than time management.

For example, how long it takes to get from point A to point B depends on traffic, which depends on when you go.

To me, astrology is an overarching framework of seasons. Winter might be 3 months, but you can be in a metaphorical winter for much longer. By understanding the timing of the planetary cycles, I can better predict how long a current “chapter” in my life might last.

Astrology helps me understand the quality of time I am in personally, as well as the quality of time we are in collectively.

(4) A Tool for Decoding Life’s Mysteries: The Study of Patterns

The workings of the universe are a mystery, not a secret.

Everything unfolds in patterns. The key to unlocking joy in life is to learn how to decode the patterns.

For example, my body and mind feel and perform differently at different times of the month and, over the longer span of time, at different stages in life.

The symptoms — such as fatigue, brain fog, memory lapses, cramps, trouble concentrating — can feel random until I tie them into patterns.

On the micro level, I can tie these symptoms to the pattern of my menstrual cycle. On the macro level, I can track some of these symptoms to the stage of life known as perimenopause.

When you can decode the patterns, you have an edge: the ability to plan for what’s coming.

Just like you don’t go to surf when the tide is low: you plan your surfing based on when the waves are coming.

Or if you’re planning an outdoor event and it’s forecast to rain, you plan a back-up venue.

To me, astrology is like the weather or the tides or any of those patterns.

Keeping track of the cycles of the planets against my own life helps me see patterns.

For example, I have found that when the moon is in Cancer my body doesn’t do so well. It took me a while to connect that for me, the moon in Cancer means the moon will conjunct my Saturn, which can cause fatigue.

Similarly, knowing that I’m in the middle of a hard Saturn transit to my natal Mars, I’ve allowed myself more flexibility and time to rest. By knowing it was coming, I was able to plan ahead for it.

Astrology is a code to the patterns of the universe. Why wouldn’t I want to learn how to decode it so I could use it to plan better or have more compassion for myself?

(5) A Tool for Getting Shit Done: The Study of Attention, Focus, and Energy

Astrology is the best framework I’ve found for organizing the areas of my life and knowing where to focus and WHEN to focus there.

Before I started learning astrology, I used to get stuck in identifying the various “areas” on my “wheel of life.”

Then I learned about the House system. Not only does it lay out all the areas of life, it does so in a way that makes so much sense. It’s the original “wheel of life.”

As a productivity nerd, I’ve been through MANY different productivity systems and frameworks.

Many that tell you to set priorities or categorize things as urgent/not urgent. But those systems don’t tell you when to focus on an area.

Also, what many fail to acknowledge is that life doesn’t just slide neatly into boxes and quadrants.

Things don’t only fall into only one area. And at any moment in time we have multiple competing roles and responsibilities.

The framework of astrology recognizes this.

Astrology is a super practical system for getting shit done that’s based on empirical observation.

You don’t even have to “believe” in the story about the archetypes of the planets and signs to use it in this way. Just look at where the planets are gathered and know that this part of your life is asking for attention.

When you have knowledge of your chart and houses, and you know where the sun, moon and planets are, you know where to direct your attention, focus, and energy.

The technique of annual profections tells you where your focus should be for the year and what planets are particularly important to follow. This is a practical guide to prioritization.

As planets form relationships between different parts of your chart, it pulls focus to those areas of your life.

In this way, astrology is a tool that is both personal organizer, prioritization guide, and cosmic clock: telling us where to focus and when to focus there.

This is why I get so excited to share astrology with others.