Turn back the clock a couple of decades, and ‘burnout’ was a term that was more accustomed to the motor industry.
Well, times have changed, and it’s worked its way into our vocabulary for the topic of looking after our bodies. It is defined as a psychological issue that prompts many people to take action due to the serious knock-on effects it can have on your overall health.
As the title may have given away, your exercise regime is one area of your life that burnout might affect. We are now going to take a look at some ways in which you can stop burnout in its tracks.
Set realistic expectations of yourself
It’s great to be ambitious and have high goals, but if you’re not realistic about what you can achieve, you’re going to be setting yourself up for disappointment – and potentially burnout.
If you’re a beginner, don’t expect to be able to run a marathon after a few weeks of training. And if you’ve been working out regularly for years, don’t expect to see results overnight if you make a few changes to your routine.
There is a right and a wrong way to set goals; if you fall into the latter category and start raising the bar too much, burnout can quickly occur.
It’s also important to have balance in your life.
Again, this is something that is often easier said than done. Many of us tend to focus all our energy on one area of our lives, be it our job, family, or fitness routine.
While it’s great to be dedicated and passionate about something, it’s essential to make time for other things too. This will help to keep you grounded and stop you from feeling overwhelmed.
Are you the ultimate fitness enthusiast? Great! However, you need to ensure that there are other pillars in your life as well. If you invest too much time into exercise and experience burnout, the problem will only intensify if there is nothing else to temporarily fill the void. One of the most recommended solutions to tackle burnout is to take a break, but, if you were to take one, do you have other things to occupy your time with that feels as meaningful?
Listen to your body
This is probably the most crucial point of all. If you’re feeling run down, overworked and stressed, your body is trying to tell you something.
It might be time to take a step back, reduce the intensity of your workouts or even take a break.
It’s not always easy to listen to our bodies, but this is one of the first ‘symptoms’ you will experience as burnout beckons. Let’s not forget that this is a psychological issue; it doesn’t have the joint pains or the bruises which accompany most sporting injuries—as such, looking out for the psychological impact yourself is key.