How the burnout risk score is calculated

This checker uses a transparent point system. Each input becomes a 0–100 “risk component”. We average the components (with a slightly heavier weight on stress + symptoms), then clamp the final score to 0–100. The goal is clarity: you should be able to understand why your score is high.

• Hours risk: 0 at ≤35 hrs/week, 50 at 55 hrs, 100 at ≥75 hrs (linear in between).
• Sleep risk: 0 at ≥8 hrs/night, 50 at 6.5 hrs, 100 at ≤5 hrs (linear in between).
• Stress risk: stress(0–10) × 10.
• Low control risk: (10 − control) × 10 (because control protects you).
• Perfectionism risk: perfectionism(0–10) × 7 (scaled so it influences but doesn’t dominate).
• Breaks risk: from dropdown (0–1 breaks = 80, 2–3 = 60, 4–6 = 30, 7+ = 10).
• Weekend recovery risk: from dropdown (work weekends = 80, sort-of rest = 55, 1 day = 30, unplug = 10).
• Symptoms risk: from dropdown (rarely = 15, sometimes = 40, often = 70, constant = 90).

Stress and symptoms are the strongest “right now” signals, so we weight them slightly more. Everything else stays simple.

• Weights: stress × 1.2, symptoms × 1.2, all others × 1.0
• BurnoutScore = weightedAverage(all components), clamped to 0–100

If you work 60 hrs/week, sleep 6 hrs, stress 8/10, control 4/10, perfectionism 8/10, take 2–3 breaks, “sort-of” rest on weekends, and have symptoms “often”, your components are roughly: hours ~71, sleep ~70, stress 80, control 60, perfectionism 56, breaks 60, weekend 55, symptoms 70. With stress and symptoms weighted higher, you’ll land around the high 60s/low 70s — Orange Zone.

What burnout looks like (for overachievers)

Overachiever burnout often hides behind “productivity”. You might still be performing… but the cost keeps rising. This checker focuses on the most common early signals: sustained stress, decreasing recovery, and increasing symptoms.

• Sleep debt: the quiet multiplier (less sleep → more stress, worse focus, more errors).
• Low control: when everything feels urgent and you can’t choose what matters.
• Perfectionism: the “never done” loop — you can’t rest because you’re never finished.
• Recovery gaps: no breaks, no weekends, no off-switch.

• Green: protect your routines (sleep, breaks). Don’t “optimize” them away.
• Yellow: add recovery now so it doesn’t become Orange later (small fixes work here).
• Orange: cut load and increase recovery within 7–14 days.
• Red: treat it like an injury — rest, reduce commitments, and get support.

The most effective burnout prevention move is almost always: reduce demand and increase recovery at the same time. If you only do one, you’ll usually relapse.

Reset ideas that actually work

Pick one “load” change and one “recovery” change. Make them small enough that you’ll do them tomorrow.

• Drop 1 non-essential commitment for the next 14 days.
• Set a “good enough” finish line (define what done means).
• Batch messages: check email/DMs 2–3 times/day (not 50).

• Protect a fixed bedtime for 5 nights.
• Schedule 2 × 10-minute “brain off” breaks daily.
• Take a real day off (no “just one task”).

If your score is high, the goal is not to become lazy — it’s to become sustainable. Sustainable wins compound.

Frequently asked questions

• Is this medical or clinical? No. It’s a self-check tool. If you’re struggling, a professional can help you get the right support.
• Why do stress and symptoms count more? Because they reflect your current state. Hours alone don’t guarantee burnout — but high stress + symptoms often do.
• What if I’m in a temporary peak season? Peak seasons happen. The key is a defined end date + a recovery plan. If the peak never ends, it becomes your baseline.
• Can I be burned out even working “normal” hours? Yes. Low control, high perfectionism, and emotional load can create burnout even at 40–45 hours.
• How often should I re-check? Weekly during intense seasons, monthly otherwise. Watch trends, not one-off results.
• What’s the fastest way to lower the score? Sleep + boundaries. More sleep and fewer after-hours demands usually reduce stress within days.

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