Latest / The Burnout Podcast with Fexingo: Workplace Exhaustion, Recovery, and Sustainable Careers / How Burnout Changes Your Relationship with Exercise
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this paradox that I keep running into — literally and figuratively — when I talk to people who are burned out. They know exercise helps. They've read the studies. They've felt it themselves, back when they had the energy. But when burnout hits, the last thing they want to do is move. Luna: Right. It's like the body is screaming for rest, but also for movement. And those two signals get tangled. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just a feeling. There's actual data showing that burned-out employees exercise significantly less. A 2023 study in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that people reporting high burnout levels exercised 47 percent less than their peers. Luna: Forty-seven percent — that's huge. So it's not just a motivational slump; it's a measurable behavioral shift. Lucas: Yeah. And the researchers linked it to something called 'effort-reward imbalance.' When you're burned out, your brain's reward system is basically flatlined. The dopamine hit you used to get from a run just isn't there anymore. Luna: So it's not laziness. It's neurochemistry. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what I want to unpack today — not how to force yourself to exercise, but how to rebuild a relationship with movement that actually works with burnout, not against it. Luna: I've got a term for that. Sports psychologist Dr. Kate Hays calls them 'movement snacks.' Small, non-intimidating doses of physical activity scattered through the day. Lucas: Movement snacks — I love that. And it's the opposite of the 'no pain, no gain' mentality that often makes things worse. When you're burned out, the last thing you need is another source of pain. Luna: So what does a movement snack look like in practice? For someone who can barely get off the couch after work? Lucas: I'd say start with two minutes of stretching. Not a full yoga sequence. Just stand up, reach your arms overhead, maybe a gentle side bend. That's it. Two minutes. Luna: Two minutes feels doable. No gym clothes required. Lucas: Right. And the key is to do it at the same time every day, so it becomes a cue-based habit. Like right after you pour your morning coffee, or before you open your laptop. The bar is so low that you can't fail. Luna: I've also read that even a one-minute walk can shift your cortisol levels. There's a study from the University of Essex where participants who walked for five minutes in nature reported lower stress. And that's only five minutes. Lucas: And the nature component is interesting, because burnout also reshapes your relationship with nature — we did an episode on that. But the point is, movement doesn't have to be a workout. It can be a walk around the block, a few stretches, even just standing up and sitting back down a few times. Luna: That almost sounds too easy. But I think that's the point — we've been conditioned to believe that exercise only counts if it's 30 minutes of high intensity. Lucas: Exactly. And that conditioning becomes a barrier. If you can't do the 'right' kind of exercise, you do nothing. But the research on 'microbursts' of activity shows that even small doses have real physiological benefits. Luna: So let's talk about the physiology. What's actually happening in a burned-out body when you move? Lucas: One of the biggest things is cortisol regulation. Burnout is characterized by chronically elevated cortisol. And moderate exercise helps bring it down — but only if it's moderate. If you push too hard, you spike cortisol instead. Luna: So there's a sweet spot. Too little doesn't help, too much makes it worse. Lucas: Exactly. And the sweet spot is different for everyone. For someone in deep burnout, it might be a five-minute walk. For someone in early recovery, it might be 20 minutes of yoga. The key is to listen to your body, not to a fitness app. Luna: Which brings me to another point — the shame spiral. When you're burned out and you see all these people on Instagram doing intense workouts, it can make you feel worse. Lucas: Absolutely. Comparison is a huge driver of burnout in general. And in fitness, it's especially toxic. So one of the things I recommend is to completely unfollow any fitness influencer who makes you feel inadequate. Replace them with accounts that talk about gentle movement or recovery. Luna: That's a practical step. What about tracking? Should you track your movement snacks? Lucas: I'd say no, at least not at first. Tracking can turn into another metric to fail at. Better to just do it and notice how you feel. The goal is to rebuild interoception — that internal sense of what your body needs. Luna: Interoception — that's a word I don't hear often in fitness conversations. But it's crucial for burnout recovery, because burnout often numbs you to your own body signals. Lucas: Exactly. So I'd rather someone do two minutes of stretching and notice that their shoulders feel looser, than do a 30-minute workout and feel worse afterward. Luna: So the metric isn't calories burned or steps taken. It's 'do I feel a little better than before?' Lucas: Yes. And that's a completely valid way to measure success. I've been experimenting with this myself — I do a three-minute desk yoga routine every afternoon. And some days, that's all I do. And it's enough. Luna: It's interesting — you mentioned earlier that the reward system is flatlined in burnout. So how do you get the reward back without pushing through? Lucas: You have to start with very low doses and let the reward come naturally. The brain needs to relearn that movement feels good. And that takes time — sometimes weeks of just tiny doses before you get a genuine dopamine hit. Luna: So patience is part of it. And self-compassion. Lucas: Huge part. One of the reasons this show exists — and why we don't run ads on it — is because we think conversations like this deserve a space that isn't trying to sell you something. If you find value in that, and you want to support keeping it ad-free, you can do that at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just an option for those who want to. Luna: Yeah, it's a small way to keep this resource available to anyone who needs it. Lucas: So back to movement — I think the most important takeaway is that any movement is better than none, but not all movement is good for burnout. The goal is to find the type, duration, and intensity that leaves you feeling slightly better, not worse. Luna: And that might change day to day. Some days a walk is perfect, other days you can only manage stretching. Lucas: Exactly. Flexibility is part of recovery. The relationship you're rebuilding is with your own body, not with a routine. Luna: So if someone listening is in the thick of burnout and hasn't exercised in months, what's the one thing you'd tell them? Lucas: Start with one minute of stretching tomorrow morning. Just one minute. And then see how you feel. That's it. Luna: I think that's doable for anyone. Lucas: And if you do that one minute, you've already broken the cycle of doing nothing. That's a win.