Switch it Up: Breaking the Cycle of Burnout

I’ve been playing sports since elementary school, and I started lifting weights at 16. Over the last six years, I’ve tried almost every type of workout you can imagine: strength training, HIIT, CrossFit, hot yoga, and Pilates. I even trained for and ran a half marathon... You name it, I’ve probably done it. 

I say this not to prove how committed I am to fitness, but instead to highlight something I’ve learned throughout these years of making exercise a priority in my life: burnout is real, and one of the main reasons I’ve been able to overcome and avoid burnout is by switching up my routine. 

As humans, we thrive on routine. It’s easy, comfortable, and makes us feel productive. However, it is this monotonous repetition that often leads to us feeling stuck and uninspired. When your workout starts to feel like just another task to check off your to-do list because you have to, rather than something you get to do, this should be your first sign that you may need to switch up your routine. 

Signs you may need to switch it up:

1. You’re Feeling Uninspired or Bored

   I genuinely go to bed excited to go to the gym the next morning; that’s how much I love working out. However, as soon as I start to feel a sense of dread before my workouts, I take that as a sign that I may need to switch things up. The dopamine and serotonin release you get from exercise should have you excited before you even start. You don’t have to make a dramatic change–sometimes even just making a new gym playlist, switching the time of day you work out, or trying a new class can make a huge difference in bringing the spark back. 

2. Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

   A little over a year ago, I hurt my lower back from a combination of lifting heavy boxes at work and pushing myself too hard in the gym. I was in so much pain that I could barely get out of bed. I ended up at the chiropractor– and eventually the ER. 

   It was a challenging time for me, physically and mentally, as I had to put a halt to my strict lifting regimen. In hindsight, I’m grateful it happened. That injury forced me to rest, and in doing so, I discovered other ways to take care of my body. I implemented new stretching routines, physical therapy, sat in the jacuzzi, and used the sauna (which I ended up falling in love with). 

   Had I not been injured, I would’ve kept overtraining and potentially caused more serious damage. That unplanned break allowed me to recover fully, and when I was able to start lifting again, I felt even stronger than before. 

3. New Challenge = New Motivation

   One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to try a new kind of workout, so I signed up for a CorePower Yoga Sculpt Class. And honestly? One of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Yoga is no joke. That class had me sweating like never before, and I was sore EVERYWHERE the next day. However, I was so motivated to keep going because I could feel it targeting muscles I had neglected during my lifts. The cardio intervals also gave me such a rush of endorphins, and I felt inspired in a way I hadn’t in a long time. 

   Trying something new doesn’t just challenge your body–it resets your mindset, too. 

4. Life Changes, and So Should Your Routine

   I’ve made fitness an essential part of my life and daily routine, but there was a time I took it too far. I would cancel plans or skip social events just to squeeze in extra workouts. While I believe in discipline and commitment, I also believe that our happiness shouldn’t be sacrificed in the name of routine. 

   Now, I let my workouts adapt to my life–not the other way around. For example, one of my clinical rotations was scheduled at 6 a.m. on the weekends. I didn’t have the time or energy for long lifting sessions, so I made the weekends my rest days instead. 

   In a perfect world, I’d have two hours to stretch, lift, and end with cardio. As a full-time student with a part-time job, that’s not always realistic. Even if I can only make it to the gym for 30 minutes, that still counts–and I’ve learned to be proud of showing up for myself in whatever way I can. 

If you’re feeling stuck, tired, or unmotivated in your fitness journey—you’re not alone. The solution isn’t always to push harder, but instead to switch it up. Try something new, challenge yourself, and be flexible.

Movement is a privilege, not an obligation.

Let it be something you enjoy, not something you endure.

You’re allowed to evolve. So is your routine.