Today I want to tell you something about the concept of supercompensation. As a fitness professional, I teach people to get fitter, obviously. Most of the time, this involves high intensity exercise. This is where a bit of confusion arises. Let me explain.
When you exercise, you’re actually consuming your resources. Your body might feel fatigued and at limit. So you’re not getting fitter while you exercise. You’re getting fitter when you rest. When you’re taking a break, your body remembers the level of effort you had when you exercise and it starts to adjust, improving your fitness level.
So, you’re becoming fitter when you’re taking a break.
Now, I am workaholic and I tend to rush straight into burnout. I tend to give myself a break very far away in the future. For example, I started working really hard this year on the second of January and a week before the quarantine, I was so tired and said to myself “I just need to hold on until mid of June '', when I was supposed to take a week off and get back on track.
But yesterday, I just took some time out. Just like that. Without feeling guilty and without pushing myself. Finally, after so many years I relaxed and I didn’t feel like I was missing something, that I am supposed to work on something, I have to read or learn something, or, you know, anything regarding working toward your dreams. Of course I’ve done a few things, but with no stress and when I felt like it. The rest of the day I danced, I exercised, I laughed, talked with friends and family, I pampered myself and I watched Netflix (which normally makes me feel very guilty and that is a waste of time).
Guess what? Today I feel stronger, more relaxed and way clearer in my head. I felt energised and more motivated to work more. My anxiety and FOMO never made their presence felt.
I reminded myself that I am a normal human being and I can achieve what I want one day at a time and some days only by taking one step, not necessarily win the race that day.
That’s how taking a break usually works. So, when you feel like you can’t take it anymore, the best you can do is allow yourself to recover physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. So… take a deep breath, and go make yourself a cup of tea, sit down and enjoy it.