Regular exercise isn’t just good for your body—it’s one of the best hobbies you can have for your mental health as well. However, doing the same kinds of workouts over and over can get stale after a while. How do you stay motivated to get up and move when the exercise itself sounds grueling and monotonous? You’ll need to change things up a bit. Here, we’ll look at what to do when your exercise bores you so that you can stay active without the hassle of forcing yourself.
Try a New Method
Doing the same workouts day after day can tire anyone out after enough time. Burnout is a very real thing when it comes to exercise. If your routine is draining you more than it’s making you feel good, you need to swap it out for something else. Consider taking a class you’ve never considered before or even playing fitness video games to change it up.
Get a Workout Buddy
Workout buddies are the perfect motivation to get yourself back in gear. Look for someone who enjoys the kind of exercise you do. Not only will you motivate one another, but you can also do new activities that you wouldn’t be able to do on your own. By doubling up the amount of motivation between you, at least one of you will always be able to get the other moving. But you don’t have to bring your buddy with you to workout to stay motivated. Research shows that even talking to others about an activity after it happens increases interest in the activity.
Switch up the Time
Sometimes, all you need to do when your exercise starts to bore you is change up when you’re working out. Do you typically work out right when you get off from work? Try to get up earlier and work out then so that it’s out of the way. Are you more of a night owl? Consider working out later in the evening when you have more energy to burn.
Get Some New Gear
Nothing will get you to the gym like some great new workout gear. The right athletic attire can give you the push you need to stay motivated due to the fact that clothing affects performance. You can also get wearable fitness trackers to keep you on track and cognizant of your vitals and progress If you’ve been working out regularly, reward yourself by getting something new to enhance your workout routine. It will add a new facet to your exercise and make it a little less boring.
Give Yourself a Break
Like we said above, burnout when working out is a real thing. Research has shown that negative emotions increase the likelihood of burnout. If you start to get down on yourself when you need to work out, it might be time for a small bit of respite before you continue. Your body and mind both need time to heal themselves, so give yourself that time. As long as you feel refreshed and ready to get back after it, that time will have been just as productive as working out.
As you can see, there are several things that you can do when exercise bores you. Awake your interest in working out by changing your routine and regular exercise time, getting a workout buddy, purchasing new gear, and taking a short break. In this manner, you remain active while having positive feelings about exercise.
