Mercury Retrograde: Full Technology Checklist

Red alert — Mercury is in retrograde! What does this mean? Well, astrologists believe Mercury being in retrograde leads to untold technological disasters. People often report significant increases in flight delays, technology breaks, and communication disasters. 

If you’re superstitious, you may wish to prepare for the potential challenges laying in wait. If you’re not, you can still benefit from the tips that follow. Sit tight to find out how to protect yourself against Mercury retrograde technology mishaps.

What Is Mercury Retrograde?

First, let’s talk about what Mercury being in retrograde actually means. Mercury retrograde has become a figurative boogeyman for modern astrologers. But it’s actually quite a simple concept.

Mercury retrograde occurs when Mercury (the planet) appears to move backward in its orbit around the sun. This is due to an optical illusion caused by individual orbits of interstellar travelers, both in our own solar system and beyond. 

Mercury’s proximity to Earth and its movement against a backdrop of other stars makes it appear as if it’s moving backwards. It’s almost as if a grand cosmic conspiracy is working behind the scenes to create a spectacular show only to leave us mesmerized.

Astrologists associate this with an increase of technological mishaps, miscommunications, and general chaos. If something “goes wrong”, you can blame it on Mercury being in retrograde. Of course, having a scapegoat doesn’t make it any less frustrating. 

When Is Mercury Retrograde In 2023?

Mercury goes into retrograde about 3 or 4 times every year. Most recently, it went into retrograde on December 22, 2022 and ended on January 18, 2023. The next occurrence will be from April 21 to May 14, and then from August 23 to September 14. The last time Mercury will be retrograde in 2023 will be from December 13 to January 1, 2024. 

How Does Mercury Retrograde Affect Technology?

So, what does Mercury retrograde mean for technology? Astrologists believe that during Mercury retrograde, technology can face unique challenges. For example, software can be prone to failure or devices can get stuck in endless update loops. You may also be more inclined to lose or break your devices, or they may just stop working for no apparent reason.

Then you have the communication issues to deal with. This means messages not going through, typo madness, and sending messages to the wrong people. Of course, no one said tech life was a breeze, but it’s especially frustrating when dealing with the complexities of a retrograde. While Mercury retrograde doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in for trouble, it pays to prepare. 

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How to Protect Your Technology During Mercury Retrograde

When I heard about Mercury retrograde technology disasters, I wondered whether it had been that way my whole life. Indeed, for some of us, these technological mishaps are an everyday reality, not just an astrological oddity. 

So, whether you’re superstitious or just plain unlucky with tech, these tips can help you avoid things getting out of hand. 

Backup Your Files

This should go without saying, but if you don’t have backups for your important files, you’re asking for trouble. If you only have files stored in one place, you risk losing them forever if anything happens to that storage mode. Phones can disappear and die, hard drives can shut down for no good reason, and Google Drive could be hacked any time. 

So, what’s the golden rule of backups? I couldn’t tell you, but I would recommend having your most important files stored in at least three different places. Here’s a list of ways to back up your files:

• Use an external hard drive or USB
• Have several Google Drive accounts
• Back up your files on Dropbox

For an extra security shield for your most important files, encrypt your cloud storage so not even celestial attacks can penetrate them.

Carry a Power Bank

Batteries dying suddenly is one of the Mercury retrograde technology issues people complain about most. Of course, this is pretty easy to defend against — use a trusty power bank. If you don’t have one yet, they are really worth the investment. 

Be Extra Careful With Devices

This may sound obvious, but I know from firsthand experience how easy it is to forget I’m carrying my whole life in my pocket. It’s so normal, we tend to downplay the consequences of losing or breaking phones. In reality, it’s a logistical nightmare. 

Things can become especially sticky if you use multi-factor authentication on your accounts. Losing your phone effectively blocks you from accessing anything. 

I’ve met people who never managed to get back into email accounts due to losing their authentication device. It’s worth having another cheap phone to use as your main security device. Just leave it in a safe place at home to use when you need it!

Don’t know how to transfer data between phones? Read our guides on how to do it on Android and iPhone. We also have a complete guide on how to move data from Android to iPhone.

Be Careful What You Click On

Cyber threats aren’t just a problem during Mercury retrograde, and they can be real party-poopers. Digital literacy is more important than ever, and one thing you should do is be careful what you click on. Try to avoid clicking on links sent by people you don’t know. 

If somebody you do know sends you a strange-looking link, double-check with them before opening it. Someone may have hacked their account to spread malware. 

While using a VPN can’t do much to protect you from links you click on willingly, it can protect you from attacks on public Wi-Fi networks. It does this by creating a securely encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet. This keeps anyone from being able to intercept your traffic on public networks. 

Reduce “Digital Anxiety”

Mercury retrograde issues aren’t confined to technology – astrologists also believe it affects mental health. While science doesn’t necessarily support this, taking extra steps to safeguard your psychological health is always helpful. 

Digital anxiety is any stress that stems from digital causes. On its own, social media can be enough to provoke intense digital anxiety. Instagram might light up reward signals in your brain when you get likes or other notifications, but it’s not all peaches and cream. 

When you look at filtered videos and pictures of how other people want you to view their lives, you can feel unworthy or unhappy by comparison. It can be tough to remember that what you see probably bears little resemblance to reality.

The best way to combat digital anxiety is to step away from your device regularly. If you’re at your computer for an hour, get up and move for five minutes. Don’t forget to take a break from social media.

You may also wish to take extra care when posting online. Since Mercury retrograde is thought to evoke miscommunications, you don’t want people to misinterpret your meaning. 

How Does VPN Keep You Safe Online?

It’s a good idea to have a VPN during this quirky astrological period. VPNs protect your online identity and web history from sneaky peakers by encrypting your traffic and hiding your IP address. They also keep the prying eyes of online snoopers off your data. Websites or apps you use won’t be visible to others while hiding your IP address. 

VPNs give you a new IP address from a server in another location. This creates a disconnect between your activity and your device location, making it harder to link your activity back to you. If you’re connected to a public or shared Wi-Fi network, you’re at risk of man-in-the-middle attacks and DDos attacks. When you connect to a VPN, you mitigate this risk. 

Stay Prepared for Mercury Retrograde

Perhaps it’s overly superstitious, or perhaps it carries a mysterious truth, but Mercury retrograde seems to be associated with plenty of technology-related complaints. Whether you’re into astrology or you’re unlucky with technology year-round, preparing yourself for a stroke of bad luck only leaves you at an advantage. 

To avoid getting stuck without a phone battery or losing precious files, make sure you’ve always got a backup plan. Get a power bank, backup your files, and add a VPN to your digital toolkit. CyberGhost VPN offers world-class protection against a range of cyber threats and lets you enjoy hassle-free browsing and streaming. 

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