The development of burnout occurs gradually instead of appearing suddenly. The gradual depletion of your energy occurs unnoticed until you suddenly find ordinary responsibilities overwhelming. The usual advice? Rest. Take time off. Moving serves as a better method of recharging instead of simply resting.
Movement as Medicine, Not Another Obligation
I get it. Exercise seems like an impossible task for someone who is already exhausted. Who has the energy for that?
The act of moving through the world generates new energy reserves instead of using up existing ones. I doubted it first until I experienced it first-hand. The initial steps require a force comparable to moving through muddy terrain before something inside your body creates a change. The human body carries a deep memory of its natural movement capabilities.
The science backs this up. Exercise stimulates brain chemicals associated with positivity and simultaneously decreases stress hormones in the body. Regular practice of movement will become possible over time since real life does not offer immediate solutions.
The key lies in understanding exercise is not a task to complete but a natural way to become more energized. Instead, think of it as fuel. A reset button. Exercise functions as a resource that returns value exceeding what it consumes.
The Five-Minute Method
My neighbor Mark noticed my exhausted appearance following an intense work week. He suggested: “Move for just five minutes today.” No expectations beyond that initial commitment. Just begin.
So I tried it. Walking around my apartment felt pointless initially, yet after completing those five minutes, I continued moving. Not from obligation—but from genuine desire.
This represents the effectiveness of the Five-Minute Method. It bypasses your mental resistance by lowering the barrier to entry.
Consider these simple approaches:
- Walk outside to the end of your street
- Stretch your arms upward while standing
- Move freely to a favorite song
- Practice a gentle forward bend while seated
I’ve used this five-minute approach on days when even opening my laptop seemed overwhelming. Sometimes, five minutes expanded into twenty. On other days, I stopped at exactly five. Both outcomes represent success.
Read The Book: The Anti-Anxiety Formula
Finding What Works For You
A method that benefits one individual produces anxiety in others. Group fitness classes energize my friend because she stays motivated by the class atmosphere. These activities drive me to seek shelter in a small, confined space.
Ask yourself:
- During childhood, what activities did you truly love?
- Do members of your social circle create positive energy within you, or do they exhaust your personal energy?
- Morning person or night owl?
- Indoor cat or outdoor dog?
Your answers matter. Working with people throughout your day might exhaust introverted individuals, but solo hiking can bring them back to balance.
Spending time with spreadsheets alone demands a balance, which you could achieve through dance class activities.
My love for swimming came back to me when I recalled my youthful enthusiasm for swimming before life became complicated as an adult. I have made the swimming pool into my private retreat. The space offers only physical exercise and respiratory activities without any phone use or dialogue. Your personal outlet could be totally unrelated to others.
Small Steps, Big Impact
Movement cannot transform a harmful work environment nor eliminate unreasonable deadlines from existence. Those need addressing, too.
Physical movement generates a vital substance known as resilience. You will regain your strength more quickly. To feel human again.
Start here:
- Select only a single type of movement that attracts you
- Schedule three 5-minute sessions this week through your calendar (add them to your schedule)
- Check your feelings after the session without expressing any negative thoughts
- Make changes according to your new understanding
The desire to move will not always be present. You will only manage five minutes of movement on certain days. And that’s enough. The essence of this approach goes beyond additional movement because it enables different types of movement.
My first step involved walking around my apartment for those minimal five-minute periods. Movement serves as my sanity lifeline during busy periods at work. The change becomes noticeable to me despite my lack of discipline.
The transformation from burnout to energy follows a complex path instead of a direct one. It’s messy. Inconsistent. Some days, you’ll crush it. Others you’ll barely manage. That’s not failure—that’s being human.
Just keep showing up, five minutes at a time.