treatment and prevention
To prevent athletes from experiencing burnout, it is recommended that the athlete:
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Monitor critical states in athletes - stress levels, stress sources (on and off field), training volumes, and recovery activities are involved with burnout and are important signs that athletes are getting burned out. Athletic trainers, sport psychologists, and other professionals should monitor these signs so they can identify who's at risk and provide assistance.
Communicate - communication, self-awareness and early prevention may be able to avoid burnout in the future. Being able to talk about how they feel and communicate these feelings will lead to less cases of burnout. Athletes should be in an environment where they can express feelings of nervousness, frustration, anxiety etc. and have the support/encouragement of their peers and training staff.
Set short-term goals - setting and accomplishing short-term goals provides positive feedback and enhances motivation. Completing short-term goals is an achievement, which can increase self-concept and self-worth. Implementing enjoyable goals and giving short rest breaks reduces monotony and can help reduce the development of burnout by decreasing staleness.
Take relaxation breaks - it is important for an athlete’s mental and physical health to take relaxation breaks from training and other stresses. Developing a training progression with scheduled tapering and rest days can help prevent and manage burnout.
Learn self-regulation skills - developing psychological skills like relaxation, goal setting, positive self-talk, and imagery can reduce a lot of the stress that contributes to burnout. By setting achievable goals and planning their time properly athletes have enough time for sport, exercise and other responsibilities, which will prevent burnout.
Keep a positive outlook - focus on the things that are in the athlete's control in order to improve and not dwell on unwarranted criticism. Seek people who provide social support.
Manage post-competition emotions - post-game emotions may intensify and athletes may become depressed or despondent. Strategies that can be performed to control the situation are offering a supportive environment after the competition, athletes should hang around with their teammates, provide an unemotional, realistic evaluation of each athlete’s performance.
Stay in good physical shape - Chronic stress negatively affects the body so it is important that athletes maintain their health with diet and exercise. Eating poorly, gaining unnecessary weight, or losing an excessive amount of weight leads to decreased self-confidence, self-worth, and can progress to burnout.
(Gould, 2011)
Communicate - communication, self-awareness and early prevention may be able to avoid burnout in the future. Being able to talk about how they feel and communicate these feelings will lead to less cases of burnout. Athletes should be in an environment where they can express feelings of nervousness, frustration, anxiety etc. and have the support/encouragement of their peers and training staff.
Set short-term goals - setting and accomplishing short-term goals provides positive feedback and enhances motivation. Completing short-term goals is an achievement, which can increase self-concept and self-worth. Implementing enjoyable goals and giving short rest breaks reduces monotony and can help reduce the development of burnout by decreasing staleness.
Take relaxation breaks - it is important for an athlete’s mental and physical health to take relaxation breaks from training and other stresses. Developing a training progression with scheduled tapering and rest days can help prevent and manage burnout.
Learn self-regulation skills - developing psychological skills like relaxation, goal setting, positive self-talk, and imagery can reduce a lot of the stress that contributes to burnout. By setting achievable goals and planning their time properly athletes have enough time for sport, exercise and other responsibilities, which will prevent burnout.
Keep a positive outlook - focus on the things that are in the athlete's control in order to improve and not dwell on unwarranted criticism. Seek people who provide social support.
Manage post-competition emotions - post-game emotions may intensify and athletes may become depressed or despondent. Strategies that can be performed to control the situation are offering a supportive environment after the competition, athletes should hang around with their teammates, provide an unemotional, realistic evaluation of each athlete’s performance.
Stay in good physical shape - Chronic stress negatively affects the body so it is important that athletes maintain their health with diet and exercise. Eating poorly, gaining unnecessary weight, or losing an excessive amount of weight leads to decreased self-confidence, self-worth, and can progress to burnout.
(Gould, 2011)