Most people who are burning out do not realize it until they are already running on empty. The warning signs are easy to rationalize: the exhaustion is just a tough week, the irritability is just stress, the loss of interest in work that used to matter is just a phase. By the time it is impossible to ignore, months of damage have already been done.

This 12-question self-check was designed to help you catch those patterns early. It covers the six domains most consistently linked to workplace burnout: demands, control, support, engagement, recovery, and physical impact. It takes about 3 minutes and your responses never leave your browser.

This is a reflection tool, not a clinical assessment. If your results raise concerns, the most useful next step is a conversation with a therapist, counselor, or your primary care provider - not more self-diagnosis.

The WHO classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon (not a medical diagnosis) defined by three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from your job, and reduced professional efficacy. In plain terms: you are drained, you have mentally checked out, and you feel like you are not doing your job well even when you are working harder than ever.

What makes burnout hard to catch is that it builds slowly. A 2019 Gallup study of nearly 7,500 full-time workers found that 23% reported feeling burned out very often or always, while another 44% reported feeling burned out sometimes. That means roughly two-thirds of workers are experiencing meaningful burnout symptoms at any given time. The CDC notes that workplace stress is linked to cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and compromised immune function.

Burnout is not just about working too many hours. People in low-demand jobs can burn out from a chronic lack of control or recognition. People in high-passion roles burn out when the meaning of the work stops compensating for the toll it takes. This check looks at all of these dimensions, not just workload.

Research on occupational stress consistently points to six areas that predict burnout risk:

• Demands - workload, time pressure, the gap between what is expected and what is humanly possible
• Control - your ability to influence how and when your work gets done
• Support - feedback, recognition, and backup from managers and coworkers
• Engagement - connection to the meaning and purpose of your work
• Recovery - your ability to mentally detach from work during non-work hours
• Impact - whether work stress is spilling into your physical health and personal life

When multiple domains are strained simultaneously, the cumulative effect is what researchers and clinicians recognize as burnout risk. This check helps you see which dimensions are most affected so you can target your attention and conversations.