Burnout and work · worksheet 97
Burnout isn’t just tiredness. It affects three areas: exhaustion, a distancing (or cynicism) towards work and the feeling of not being effective. Spotting them early helps you act before you sink.
Before you start
- What it is for: To recognise the signs of burnout, track how they change and act in time.
- About 5 minutes a week, for several weeks.
- Work burnout is recognised by three signs: tiredness that doesn’t go away, distance or cynicism about work, and the feeling of being no good.
- This worksheet doesn’t make a diagnosis. If all three signs are high for several weeks, talk to your doctor and your psychologist.
Prefer paper? Download the PDF to print (with a page for psychologists).
What to do with your results
If the ratings go up or stay high for several weeks, it is a sign to take seriously: talk to your doctor and to a psychologist.
If you find it hard
It is common to play it down (“everyone is tired”): look at the ratings more than your impression. If you have dark thoughts, seek help soon.
For psychologists
The PDF also includes a page for the psychologist: how to run the exercise in session, points to watch and scientific references. You are free to use it with your clients.
For psychologists: aim, audience and duration
Help the person recognise the signs of the three dimensions of burnout (exhaustion, distance or cynicism towards work, a sense of inefficacy) and track how they change.
Persistent work-related tiredness, loss of meaning, irritability, feeling of not coping. Duration: 15 min in session; weekly follow-up.
References
Maslach, C. & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.
World Health Organization (2019). Burn-out an « occupational phenomenon »: International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). WHO.
These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).
Free worksheet for non-commercial use: you may share it with credit to the author, without modifying it (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence).
