How to Prevent and Manage Burnout as a Personal Trainer
When personal trainers spend the majority of their time training clients, a mental, physical and emotional breakout is not uncommon - constantly motivating others can take a toll on you. Here we cover tips to manage burnouts and the best ways to prevent it in the first place.
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Burnout happens when you’re physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted. Personal trainers are particularly at risk of this due to the long hours, early starts and people-oriented nature of their work.
Constantly motivating and guiding clients along their health journey can be incredibly rewarding. But it also demands a lot of energy and empathy, which can quickly lead to burnout if you don’t look after yourself and learn how to spot the signs.
Here, we're delving into what personal trainer burnout is, how it can affect you, and the crucial importance of not just managing it when it occurs, but taking proactive steps to prevent it from happening in the first place.
What we’ll cover
Tips for preventing burnout
Strive for work-life balance
Achieving work-life balance as a personal trainer requires thought and planning. Start by setting clear boundaries between work and personal time, so you know exactly when you can switch off and relax.
Prioritise scheduling regular breaks throughout your day to recharge and avoid overloading your schedule with back-to-back sessions. Be careful not to take on more hours than you can handle. Delegate tasks if you’re in a position to do this, such as admin duties, to free up more personal time.
And remember to make time for self-care practices like regular exercise, healthy eating and mindfulness to refill your energy levels and mental well-being. When we enjoy life outside of work, we tend to perform better at work, so it makes sense to ensure that part of our lives is as happy and healthy as possible.
Take your holidays
Everyone needs a nice getaway, or even a few days off to do absolutely nothing but lie on the sofa. Holidays provide a much-needed break, allowing personal trainers to recharge, gain fresh perspectives and return to work with renewed enthusiasm and creativity.
Plus, time away helps prevent the risk of overtraining and injuries, ensuring you stay healthy and at the top of your game. By prioritising regular holidays, personal trainers can sustain their passion for fitness, deliver better service to their clients and achieve a healthier work-life balance.
Group your clients
Grouping your clients is a great way to maximise efficiency. Where possible, try to organise group sessions or workshops so you aren’t working back-to-back one-to-ones all day. Group sessions can also foster a sense of community and motivation among clients, bringing something extra to their workout experience.
Not to mention, as a trainer, you can benefit from the energised atmosphere of group training, which can be more stimulating and less monotonous than repetitive one-on-one sessions.
As for the time you get back each day thanks to group sessions, you can use half a day for admin, planning sessions, working out, developing your marketing, or just resting. Either way, it’s the time that you have the luxury to decide what to do with it.
Stay organised
Being organised at work is essential to a calm mind and avoiding burnout. Other than being prepared for each client session, make sure you have efficient processes in place for billing, onboarding, off-boarding, and other administrative tasks. By establishing clear systems like these, you can save time, reduce errors and focus more on keeping your clients happy.
Another idea is having pre-designed programs for common fitness goals. This allows you to mix and match components to suit individual client needs, without starting from scratch each time.
If you don’t already, why not automate repetitive tasks, such as appointment scheduling, invoicing and follow-up emails? This takes the administrative burden away from you, streamlines operations for a more professional touch, and enhances the client experience.
Staying organised in your job not only improves your productivity but can help to maintain a balanced workload, reducing stress and increasing job satisfaction.
Have your own space
One of the reasons many people choose to become a personal trainer is the freedom and flexibility the role offers. So it’s time to take control of your schedule and your clients.
If you’re working at a commercial gym and the programmes aren’t intuitive to personal trainers, why not move to UNTIL?
You’ll have your own space that your clients will love – from treatment rooms to gym space, we have facilities in all shapes and sizes available to book by the hour using credits. Our gym spaces are fully equipped with premium types of equipment designed specifically for personal trainers. Think of UNTIL as a home for your business, where you’re in complete control of how you run your day-to-day schedule.
Don’t sleep on self-care
Self-care is vital for personal trainers, who often pour their energy into helping others achieve their fitness goals. Look after yourself by prioritising sufficient sleep, eating nutritious meals, managing stress, and engaging in activities you enjoy, whether that’s quiet downtime or intensive sports – whatever works for you.
Sleep is crucial for physical recovery and mental clarity, while a balanced diet helps to fuel your demanding schedule and support your overall health. Stress management techniques, such as mindfulness and regular physical activity, work to keep your mind healthy. Don’t forget to carve out time for hobbies and relaxation in a bid to recharge your passion and prevent burnout.
Start a hobby
Many personal trainers enter the profession because they love working out (sound familiar?). But when your passion becomes your livelihood, it can lead to exhaustion and diminished enthusiasm.
Finding alternative hobbies provide a necessary mental and physical break from work. Whether you’re reading a book (like one of our recommended reads for trainers), gardening or even taking someone else’s fitness class, doing something you enjoy is a great way to relax and rejuvenate. Hobbies help trainers disconnect from their professional responsibilities, reduce stress and foster a sense of fulfilment outside their career.
By diversifying your interests, you can sustain your passion for fitness while nurturing your overall well-being and enjoying life outside of work.
Make time to socialise
As adults, we realise all too quickly how busy life gets. And given the nature of the job, personal trainers often focus heavily on their clients' needs, which can be isolating and draining.
By engaging in social activities with friends, family and colleagues, trainers can unwind and recharge. Social interactions aren’t just fun, they provide emotional support, reduce stress, and offer a sense of belonging and community. Plus, socialising can spark new ideas and perspectives, enhancing your professional creativity and effectiveness without you even knowing it.
So make time to reach out to friends and family regularly, whether it’s to organise a big holiday or just catch up over a coffee in between client trainings.
Being able to prevent personal trainer burnout before it takes hold is one of the best tools you can have in your box. And knowing how to manage stress can help put you on the right path to recovery, without it impacting your clients.
If you’re ready to leave the gym and enjoy the freedom of your own space, apply for membership with UNTIL. We help freelance personal trainers grow faster and smarter by giving them flexible access to London’s best facilities, powerful growth services and a supportive community.
Join our community of 300+ practitioners, and see the difference that having your own space and managing your own schedule can make.
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