Physical and Mental Newsletter

Good Morning.

You don’t get fitter by training harder every single day. You get fitter by recovering and training smart.

The same goes for life. Just like athletes plan their seasons with structured periods of intensity, recovery, and variation… You can do the same with your energy, focus, and wellbeing.

This week’s topic is all about applying a proven performance method, periodisation, to your everyday life.

🔄🏃 Periodisation for Life: How Athletes Plan Recovery & Why You Should Too

Elite athletes don’t go all-out, all the time. They cycle through phases, pushing hard, tapering back, recovering, rebuilding. And while we might not all be training for the Olympics, many of us are pushing through life at full speed without stopping to catch our breath.

It’s no wonder burnout, fatigue, and stagnation sneak in.
So, what if you took a cue from sports and started living with a more intentional rhythm?

Here’s how:

1️⃣ Stop Waiting Until You Crash

You shouldn’t have to hit a wall before taking a break.
Athletes pre-plan recovery: easier weeks, sleep prioritisation, and active rest. It’s not a sign of weakness; it’s smart training.

✨ Try this: Look ahead in your calendar and pencil in low-demand days or “light-load” weeks after periods of intense work or life.

2️⃣ Your Workload Has Seasons, Honour Them

Instead of expecting yourself to operate at 100% every week, what if you planned periods of output and input?

✅ Use the “push-pull” mindset:

• Push = times of deep focus, creative effort, and big deadlines

• Pull = rest, learning, low-pressure weeks

This isn’t laziness. It’s longevity.

3️⃣ Recovery Is Where the Real Growth Happens

Athletes grow stronger between sessions. That’s when the body repairs and adapts.
Your mind is no different.
If you're always on, there's no time to reflect, recalibrate, or reconnect with purpose.

🧠 Make space for recovery, whether it’s a walk, a weekend off social media, or leaving the office on time, and you’ll return sharper, not slower.

🧠 Why It Matters

Burnout isn’t always caused by chaos. Often, it’s the result of prolonged over-effort without recalibration.
You can be doing all the “right” things, showing up, grinding, staying consistent, and still feel off.

Why? Because progress depends not just on effort, but on timing.
Athletes use periodisation, a planned approach that involves phases of effort, variety, and recovery, to grow stronger without burning out.
And it’s not just for pros. It’s for anyone who wants sustainable growth in their health, career, or creativity.

If you're going to do this for life, you need a structure that supports you through life.

🏋️‍♂️ The Skill Story: Don’t Mistake Fast Gains for Forever Gains

Think back to the first time you tried to learn something new:

• Olympic lifting: The form starts to click

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Judo: You stop getting swept every 20 seconds

• Running: You move from gasping at 2km to hitting 5km without stopping

In just 4-6 weeks, your progress feels unreal, and it’s addictive. You want more. You push harder.

But this is exactly the moment to pause and plan.

Because here’s the truth:
🚦 Initial progress is fast, and long-term growth is steady
When you chase every PB or roll or kilometre too soon, you burn out, plateau, or get injured.

What separates those who peak from those who build?
→ The ones who succeed over time stay in their lane, trust the process, and let the compounding take over.

This applies to everything. Business. Habits. Learning. Healing.
Don’t confuse speed with sustainability.

💡 Periodisation in Real Life: What It Can Look Like

✅ Push Weeks: Big meetings, launches, heavier workouts, longer days
✅ Pull Weeks: Lighter sessions, admin days, earlier finishes, creative play
✅ Off Weeks: Recovery, reflection, resets, slower pace

This doesn’t mean you’re slacking. It means you’re strategically building rhythms into your effort, so you can keep going long after others quit.

📝 ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

Last week, we unpacked the real story behind Stress and why it’s not always the enemy. We examined how short bursts of stress (known as eustress) can sharpen your mind, build resilience, and even fuel growth if you learn to utilise it, rather than run from it.
Missed it? Catch up now, your future self will thank you.

🎉Referral Reward + Next Giveaway🎉

Our Referral Rewards system kicked off, and the giveaway ends 31/07/25!
Only Physical & Mental Newsletter subscribers are in the running.
Start referring now and rack up your chances to win!

Already started referring? Huge thanks for helping us grow the movement. We see you, and we appreciate every share.

Let’s grow this community - one good human at a time. 💚

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📝 Featured Post Series

We’re back with this week’s Featured Post Series, where we explore the real stories, mindset shifts, and conversations that help make seeking support a strength, not a weakness.

This week, we’re looking at a simple question:
If you’d call a mechanic when your car breaks down, or a vet when your dog is unwell, why do we hesitate to get help when it’s our own health on the line?

From mental burnout to physical setbacks, we often try to tough it out alone, but true strength lies in knowing when to reach out for help. Whether it's a coach, psychologist, GP, or dietitian, seeking guidance is one of the most powerful steps you can take for long-term wellbeing.

This week’s Featured Post Series:
🛠️🏥 If You’d Call a Mechanic, Why Not a Health Professional?

👉 Read more here

💬 Watercooler Break

💬 Your Turn: When’s Your Next Planned Break?

🔥 Hit reply and let us know: Do you build recovery into your week, or only rest when it’s forced? What’s one area of your life that could benefit from pulling back a little this week? Or better yet, share this with a friend and hold each other accountable.

📢 Or share this with someone who needs this message? Forward it to a friend or post it on socials with your take.

📈 Takeaway: Rhythms Make Results

High performers in any field aren’t just intense, they’re intentional.
Periodisation isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing better by balancing intensity with recovery, focus with space, and effort with ease.

👉 Your health isn’t just built by how hard you work. It’s shaped by how well you pause.

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