It’s that time of year when things just start getting hard. January seemed to last an eternity, February has flown by, and if you’re in the middle part of the country, the sky has been grey for 84 years. Mornings are still cold and getting out of bed to a dark sky and sub-freezing temps is just not ideal. Do you find yourself longing for warmer days and actually feeling motivated to go to the gym? I know I am. What you’re feeling right now is burn out and there is a full supply of it this time of year. If you aren’t careful, burn out can create some detrimental habits in your life. Here are our top tips on what to do when you’re burned out.
What to Do When You’re Burned Out
Get out of Dodge
Sometimes what we need most when we’re feeling burned out is simply to get out of our normal environment. Whether that is taking a beach vacation or just taking a day/weekend trip to a new city, a change of pace can be exactly what we need to wake us up out of a rut. I recently went to Florida after a really tough season of life had me dragging. The trip was exactly what I needed to motivate myself to get back on my routine. Plus a couple days of sunshine never hurt when you’re in the thick of a freezing cold Midwest winter!
Find New Recipes and…TRY THEM!
It can get boring eating the same chili, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, and stir fry that you’ve been eating for the last couple months. Spice it up in your kitchen by researching some new recipes and prepping them for the week ahead. What haven’t you eaten a lot of recently? Mediterranean? Italian? Asian Fusion? Find some recipes and try them out with your loved ones. Not only does it keep your palette excited, but it’s great quality time to spend with the people you love. If you’ve found yourself burned out on cooking and have been relying on the sushi joint down the street for your meals lately, invest in an InstantPot. Believe me, they are worth it. You may not want to spend time cooking on Sunday, but the InstantPot makes it so easy! Throw all your ingredients in the pot and go do your other chores. By the time you’re done, your food will be, too.
Try a New Workout
We’ve all been there. Sometimes going to the gym each and every day, doing the same style of workout all the time, even just seeing the same building day in and day out can burn you out. If you’re struggling to find the motivation to get in the gym or get through your workout once you’re there, it may be time to switch it up. If you’re always doing bootcamp training at your local gym, try going to yoga or Orange Theory for a change of pace. If you’re sick of doing machines at LA Fitness, try out your local CrossFit box and see if that might be your new jam. Just because you are trying something new, doesn’t mean your committing to sticking with it. Apps like Class Pass are great because they allow you to experiment with different types of classes without buying a $100+ monthly package at a bunch of different places.
Journal it Out
If you’re feeling burned out and don’t know why, try journaling about it. Make a list, write out what’s been going on in your life, and try to figure out what exactly is causing you the most stress or what is draining you most. It could be a lot of things bringing you down, but finding the main one or two and start with those. And with all things, start small. Taking on a big project while you’re burned out can only make matters worse. So start with something small and as you start feeling more engaged, move on to the next area!
You can’t always control your motivation level. Sometimes life just lags. The weather can be dumpy. You can get bored with your routine. But all that being said, just because you experience burn out doesn’t mean you have to stay in that frame of mind! Let us know if you decide to hop a plane to the Caribbean! I may just have to join you!
