After a long, mentally exhausting day, the thought of hitting the gym or doing a workout can feel overwhelming. This is especially true if you’re in a leadership position or have a high cognitive load in your daily routine. We all know that taking care of our health through exercise is crucial for overall well-being and longevity, but when your brain is drained, mustering the motivation to work out can feel nearly impossible. Decision fatigue—the exhaustion that comes from making too many choices—can sap your energy, making the idea of choosing exercises, sets, reps, and workout duration feel like too much.
Here are some practical strategies to help you push through that mental fatigue and make working out more manageable, even when your brain is fried.
Why Mental Fatigue Affects Workouts
As a business owner, I deal with the same challenges, and I’ve found a few strategies that can help make self care easier to keep up.
1. Use Apps to Simplify Your Workout
One of the easiest ways to eliminate decision fatigue when it comes to working out is to use a fitness app. There are many apps available that not only provide you with a workout but also show you how to perform the exercises through instructional videos. These apps handle all the details—exercise selection, sets, reps, and even timing—so you don’t have to think about it. All you need to do is show up and follow along.
Some popular workout apps also track your progress, which can be a motivating factor in itself. When you remove the burden of planning and decision-making, it becomes much easier to power through a workout.
2. Plan Your Workouts Ahead of Time
If looking at a phone during your workout isn’t your style, another effective strategy is to plan your workouts ahead of time. When you’re feeling motivated, take 20 to 30 minutes to sit down and plan out your entire week of workouts. For example:
- Monday: 20-minute run
- Wednesday: Shoulders and abs
- Friday: Full-body strength training
By mapping out your workout schedule in advance, you eliminate the need to make decisions in the moment. Even if you don’t stick to the plan 100%, having a rough outline of your week’s workouts can reduce the mental load and make it easier to follow through.
3. Consider Personal Training or Coach-Led Workouts
If decision fatigue and mental exhaustion are frequent challenges for you, investing in personal training or coach-led workouts can be a game-changer. When you work with a personal trainer or attend a class led by a coach, they take all the guesswork out of your workout. The trainer plans the session, guides you through each exercise, and ensures you’re using proper form, leaving you free to focus solely on your effort. This not only reduces the mental load but also maximizes the effectiveness of your workout. Plus, the accountability and motivation from a coach can help push you through even when you’re feeling tired. For many, having that extra support is the key to staying consistent and seeing results.
4. Try Something New and Fun
Sometimes the mental fatigue comes not just from a long day but from a lack of excitement or motivation to do your usual workout. If your routine feels stale, spice things up by trying something new. Novelty is a powerful tool to reignite your enthusiasm for exercise. Consider trying a new workout class, like kickboxing, yoga, or even something you’ve never considered before, like rock climbing.
New experiences can be energizing and may introduce you to a form of exercise that you enjoy more than your current routine. Even if it’s just a temporary change, trying new things can make working out feel less like a chore and more like an adventure.
5. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
When you’re mentally tired, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of doing a “perfect” workout. However, it’s important to remember that doing something is always better than doing nothing. On days when you’re feeling exhausted, allow yourself to do a shorter, lighter workout. The key is consistency, not perfection.
If you planned a 45-minute workout but can only manage 20 minutes, that’s okay. The important thing is that you showed up and did something. Over time, these small efforts add up and help you maintain a healthy habit, even on tough days.
6. Keep It Simple
If you’re too mentally drained to think about a complicated workout, keep it simple. Choose just one or two exercises that you enjoy or that target multiple muscle groups at once. For example, squats and push-ups are two effective, full-body movements that can give you a solid workout without requiring much mental energy to plan.
By simplifying your workout, you take away the overwhelming feeling that often comes with decision fatigue. Focusing on a couple of key movements can help you feel accomplished without burning yourself out.
Final Thoughts: Overcoming Mental Fatigue in Fitness
It’s completely normal to feel mentally tired and unmotivated to work out after a long day. The good news is that you don’t have to rely solely on willpower to get through your workouts. By using tools like workout apps, planning ahead, trying new activities, focusing on progress over perfection, and simplifying your routine, you can make it easier to stick to your fitness goals, even when your brain is exhausted.
The most important thing is to take action, no matter how small. Whether it’s a 10-minute workout or a full session, doing something to move your body will always leave you feeling better in the long run. So, next time you’re too mentally tired to work out, try one of these strategies to keep moving forward.
Thank you for reading!
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Ian Smith
Owner, Lead Trainer Mountain Speed Strength & Fitness
Evergreen, CO