DeskTime study finds that the full moon and Mercury retrograde make people more productive
DeskTime’s latest study shows a correlation between the movement of celestial bodies and our working patterns. The data reveals that worker efficiency climbs on full moon days (+4%) and doubly-so during Mercury retrograde periods (+8%), but dips slightly when both are in effect (-2%). Notably, when the full moon and Mercury retrograde coincide, people tend to leave work more than half an hour earlier.
The study analyzed work habits of over 5,000 randomly selected and anonymized DeskTime users in the U.S. and points to measurable shifts in how and when we work during Mercury retrograde and full moon phases, contributing to a historic and spirited debate about astrological influence on our day-to-day.
Mercury retrograde typically lasts around three weeks and is a natural phenomenon when it appears that Mercury is moving backwards in the night sky. It’s often explained as a faster train (Earth) passing a slower train (Mercury), resulting in the illusion that Mercury has changed course.
In astrological circles, Mercury retrograde has come to be associated with confusion, communication mishaps, and technological breakdowns, leading many to delay major decisions or brace for a period of turbulence. Anecdotally, the full moon also often points to trouble – the air fills with chaotic energy as people seem to act more strangely than usual.
“The data presents an unexpected correlation. While we can’t say whether celestial movements are a cause or simply a coincidence, the numbers suggest that these natural phenomena seem to align with shifts in our collective work patterns – or vice versa. It’s a reminder that many factors – both seen and unseen – can influence our daily routines,” commented Artis Rozentals, CEO of DeskTime.
The study also looked at the same data globally. The results and trends are by and large the same (when accounting for the U.S.’ above average productivity and efficiency), with a singular exception: when both the full moon and Mercury retrograde are in effect, people would also arrive 30 minutes earlier.
Methodology, terminology, and raw data
The study looked at the productivity data of 5,000 randomly selected and anonymized DeskTime users in the U.S. and over 40,000 globally. The study is based on three Mercury retrograde periods (each lasting around three weeks), three full moon days, as well as a singular day featuring both. It is compared to a control period of 30 days in 2025.
DeskTime differentiates between productivity and efficiency. Simply put, productivity measures how productively you work when you’re at your computer (time spent on productive apps or in logged meetings divided by total time spent on DeskTime, expressed as a percentage), whereas efficiency measures how productive/efficient you have been over the workday as a whole (time spent on productive apps divided by work hours, expressed as a percentage).
In the table below, you can find the data for the U.S.:
| Average day | Full moon | Retrograde | Full moon + retrograde | |
| Productivity | 88% | 89% | 89% | 88% |
| Efficiency | 82% | 86% | 90% | 80% |
| Arrival time | 8:02 | 7:58 | 8:05 | 7:53 |
| Leaving time | 5:25 | 5:31 | 5:23 | 4:50 |
| Total hours at work | 9h 23m | 9h 33m | 9h 18m | 8h 57m |
In the table below, you can find the global data:
| Average day | Full moon | Retrograde | Full moon + retrograde | |
| Productivity | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% |
| Efficiency | 64% | 69% | 69% | 63% |
| Arrival time | 8:26 | 8:25 | 8:23 | 7:52 |
| Leaving time | 18:19 | 18:21 | 18:20 | 17:51 |
| Total hours at work | 9h 53m | 9h 56m | 9h 57m | 9h 59m |
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