The planet Mercury, which handles communication, electronics, contracts, and travel, goes retrograde three to four times a year for about three weeks each time. The planet Mercury is named after the Roman god Mercury who’s known as the trickster. He’s also got a reputation as the rule-breaker, always pushing the line and testing people’s temperaments. He’s not a bad guy, but he does love to play tricks on people. Often during a Mercury Retrograde, you might feel like the world is playing tricks on you as you encounter delays, communication mix-ups, and computer crashes. But Mercury Retrograde gets an undeserved bad reputation. If you’re prepared and aware, these three-week stints can offer you a wonderful excuse to slow down, relax, and enjoy yourself. A Mercury Retrograde is nothing to panic about, but there are some things you can do to prepare and even thrive during these three weeks.

Delay in purchasing expensive electronics.

This is not the time to buy that laptop you’ve been eyeing or to upgrade your phone to the newest model. The phone might arrive late or damaged. The laptop could go on sale next month. You may lose the air pods you just bought during the retrograde. Also, make sure to back up your computer files during these three weeks. Wait before installing new software or purchasing upgrades for your computer or phone as well. In general, avoid any high-end purchase. The car you planned to buy might be out of stock in the color you want. Electronics, appliances, and high-end items purchased in a Mercury Retrograde tend to cause minor problems, so if possible, postpone these purchases.

Put off signing important contracts.

Mercury is in charge of negotiations, important documents, and contracts. If you have to close on a house or a sign a deal with a client during a Mercury Retrograde, you’ll probably be fine, but if you can push it off a few weeks, do so. Signing important documents during Mercury Retrogrades can lead to headaches down the road. Your dream house might have a plumbing issue the inspector didn’t find. The client you just signed with could turn out to be a huge headache. The new job you accepted during the Mercury Retrograde could come with an angry boss. If this contract was verbally agreed upon before Mercury Retrogrades, you should be just fine. But when in doubt, sign two weeks after Mercury turns direct. If you have to purchase a home or sign a lease on an apartment, you should be just fine as long as you are extra careful about the details. Make sure you read and re-read any contracts, have an attorney look at paperwork, go over the home’s inspection with a fine tooth comb. As long as you are vigilant during a Mercury Retrograde, all will go well.

Double and triple check texts and emails before hitting send.

Mercury rules communication, so when it retrogrades, you could send a text to the wrong person or draft an email that sends the wrong impression. You might be complaining about your boss to a co-worker and mistakenly send the email to the boss instead. Or you could write a well-intentioned text or post only to find it is completely misinterpreted. Miscommunications during a Mercury Retrograde are common, so make sure that your words are clearly expressed during this three week period.

Breathe new life into old projects.

This is the best time to take a dream, project, or goal you’ve put on the backburner and breathe new life into it. If you were working on a book and put it aside because you got busy, use these three weeks for diving back into your writing. Or if you were looking for a new job with little success, use this Mercury Retrograde to network and reach out to old contacts. While it’s not a good idea to launch a new business or product during a Mercury Retrograde, it is a great time to revive old ideas you’ve worked on in the past.

Be gentle with loved ones.

Tension, minor disagreements, and miscommunication snafus are very common during a Mercury Retrograde. Your partner might start a fight out of the blue, or a friend might share an unkind opinion with you. Be patient and remember that this weird energy will soon smooth out. Avoid listening to gossip during these periods and try to shrug off any negativity or dramas going on around you.

Make way for the new.

Mercury Retrogrades give us time to redress, reorganize, and reassess making this a perfect time to organize closets, clean out the garage, or go through those boxes in the attic. Donate clothes and household items to charity. The more you can clear away any clutter during these three weeks, the more space you create for newer, happier events to come your way.

Surrender and slow down.

This is also one of the best times to exhale, relax, and accept a slightly slower pace in your life. Practice mindfulness. Spend this time journaling or commit to a social media break and get back to nature. If possible, schedule a massage, get a manicure, go for a walk in the woods or take a day off work to recharge your batteries. This is a great time to meditate, practice yoga, and write down all your thoughts. Inner reflection and meeting your shadow are also recommended during a Mercury Retrograde. Use this time to slow down your busy life allowing yourself to rest, relax, and renew.

Plan and prepare.

If you have to travel during a Mercury Retrograde, just make sure you’re prepared. Double-check that you packed everything you need. Make sure your suitcases are clearly labeled with your flight connection tags. If you have to start something new or plan a party, create a list of everything you need to do. Make a Plan B. Getting married outside during a Mercury Retrograde? Make sure you have an inside option planned in case of rain. The more preparation you put into events during a Mercury Retrograde, the more you’re assured that everything will go as planned.

To the Romans, Mercury was the trickster god, but to the Greeks, he was Hermes – the messenger of the gods. Mercury Retrogrades give us a chance to receive inner messages, to pause and think before sending our own messages and to take a moment to exhale, relax, renew and revive some old dreams.