How to Handle Burnout as a Group Fitness Instructor

"May you awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence."

-John Odonohue, excerpt from Blessing for Presence 

Written by Amia Freeman, Power Music PRO: 

For the past six months I was in the process of relocating to a new city and that meant I would have to give up all of my classes where established relationships, rhythms, and recognizing each other's favorite song on that go-to playlist all came to a standstill.

I recently heard one of those songs, and it triggered the ugly cry in addition to something I hadn’t expected; a long exhale. It’s likely this was a long overdue exhale of release, one that perhaps I’d been holding since 2020. When emotions and demands were high, many of our pivots took us into places and spaces we didn't know we needed to be and we hadn’t realized that we get to be ‘off’. 

As a fitness instructor, I think you know what I mean. It’s a false perception that because we thoroughly enjoy what we do, it’s genuinely our get-to; that we’re always ON or, worse, need to be on. I didn’t think I had reached the point of burnout, or exhaustion, but after reading a recent definition, here I am. I’m drawn to the poem mentioned above, and another one of its lines reads: May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul. May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention. May you be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul. May you experience each day as a sacred gift, Woven around the heart of wonder.

I wonder, when we are on, and the speakers are in sync with our minds and bodies, and our commitments are bound to keep the crowd and momentum in peak performance, if giving up classes is a little more than bittersweet; if perhaps it’s like giving up a piece of yourself. 

According to a recent professional journal in the ACE Certified ^TM monthly newsletter; burnout is described by the World Health Organization as an “occupational phenomenon,” not a medical condition:

“Burnout is a syndrome characterized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
• Increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
• Reduced professional efficacy

Burnout refers specifically to a phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

If you are mindful of how you’re feeling about your workload and career at any given moment, you can develop an awareness of whether you’re starting to exhibit signs of impending burnout. [source: ACE Certified: June 2022 - Surviving or Thriving]

I initially thought this wasn’t burnout, that it’s just going to be a season of being really difficult to start over. Luckily, I was championed by one of my mentors with the reminder that I'm not actually starting over; I'm evolving and carrying the work with me wherever I go.  After saying my goodbyes, I packed up my playlist and reminded myself that I'm not done; I'm just in training season. I used to say that I'm not an athlete, but fitness is my sport, and like any other athlete, there's a playing season, and then there's a training season.  

I have decided while I am not actually in the classroom teaching, I get to, notice I didn't say have to, I get to be in the classroom learning and training.  In an effort to celebrate the quiet moments and maintain the symmetry of my soul, I’ve adopted a few rhythms to train my heart, my mind, and my body. 

As a healthy behaviors coach, I offer a few mindful principles with my clients that I call “the invitation to adjust your focus”.  I guess it’s worth saying, we get to practice what we preach. In my coaching practice, FOCUS is an acronym that invites us into a space of grace in order to FINISH OUR COMMITMENTS UNAPOLOGETICALLY STRONGER. Physically, mentally, financially, emotionally and relationally.

Here are a few FOCUS tools to help you whether you’re in an off season or a season that feels off: 

1. Make room: Practice the simple gift of weekly journaling. Journaling allows you to make room in your heart, mind, and body by releasing emotions, thoughts, and beliefs that could be limiting you from feeling your healthiest. A beautiful weekly journaling space can be found with the Kindred Journaling Cafe (kindredjournaling.com)
   
   
2. Daily meditation: Starting each day with a grateful heart may require a guided meditation that invites you to adjust your focus, take a mental and physical inventory of how you’re feeling, and fill your cup with a substance that’s both life-giving and truth-speaking. Daily guided meditations on the Abide, Shine & Ritual apps have provided spiritual, practical, and emotional support for me over the past several years, even in a season of great loss.
   
   
3. Daily spiritual devotional: A recalibration of my GPS and setting the intention for the day has come to help me not only know where I’ve been without judgment but also guide me onto the path ahead of me, even if I don’t know the exact location of my next step. Resources: How We Heal by Alex Elle, 100 Days of Believing Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels. These resources allow you to get honest with where small thinking and disappointment sneak in and rob us of hope.
   
   
4. Be a student: Stephen Covey refers to this as sharpening the saw. I committed in off-season to moving my body daily, so I joined a gym and joined an accountability group. The goal was to be a student and remain teachable to remind me why I said yes to teaching fitness and doing what I love most. My accountability group holds me to the commitment, offers encouragement on the days when I don’t want to show up and calls me up when I’ve gotten too quiet. 
   
   
5. Invest in your leadership potential: Monthly & Quarterly: Invested in a leadership cohort - within this group, we tackled the hard places of being a leader, the soft places where we get to land, and everything in between. I’ve been challenged, stretched, learned what true endurance feels like, and been given permission to rest when overworked. Sounds like a training plan to me. 

If we are not intentionally living mindfully, we will habitually begin living mindlessly.

Another tool that I’ve found helpful is the daily practice of journaling and meditation. I’d love for you to join me now for this Moment of Mindfulness.

About the Author: Amia Freeman is a leading expert in holistic group and personal fitness, nutritional & lifestyle modification, and spiritual growth coaching. She has been transforming lives for almost 20 years, teaching diverse health and fitness programs, keeping clients motivated, minimizing plateaus, and increasing spiritual, physical and mental strength.