🔬 🇬🇧 the UK · OLBI & Maslach · WHO-recognised
Are you burned out?
16 clinically-grounded questions based on the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Find out where you are and what to do about it. Takes 3 minutes.
1 in 3
UK & Irish workers
report burnout symptoms
report burnout symptoms
ℹ️
Think about how you have felt at work over the past month. There are no right or wrong answers. Answer honestly for the most accurate result.
🔋 Exhaustion — 4 questions
Physical and emotional depletion. The core burnout symptom — feeling drained by the demands of work even after rest.
1
I feel emotionally drained by my work.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
2
After work, I have enough energy for leisure activities.
↩ This question scores in reverse
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
3
I feel burned out at the end of a working day.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
4
I can barely manage to make it through the working day.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
🔌 Disengagement — 4 questions
Psychological withdrawal from work. Growing distance from your job, colleagues and sense of purpose.
5
I always find new and interesting aspects in my work.
↩ This question scores in reverse
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
6
It happens more and more that I talk about my work in a negative way.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
7
I find my work to be a positive challenge.
↩ This question scores in reverse
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
8
I feel more and more disengaged from my work.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
🧠 Cognitive load — 4 questions
Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, and processing information. Often the first symptom people notice but the last they attribute to burnout.
9
I find it hard to concentrate on what I'm doing at work.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
10
My thinking feels sharp and clear during the working day.
↩ This question scores in reverse
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
11
I make more mistakes than usual because I can't focus.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
12
I struggle to make decisions that used to feel straightforward.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
💊 Physical & sleep — 4 questions
Burnout manifests physically. Sleep disturbance and somatic symptoms are strong indicators that the body is under chronic stress.
13
I wake up feeling rested and ready for a new day at work.
↩ This question scores in reverse
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
14
I experience physical symptoms I associate with work stress (headaches, tension, stomach issues).
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
15
My sleep has been affected by work-related thoughts or worries.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
16
I have been getting sick more frequently than usual over the past few months.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
Answer all 16 questions to see your full results.
Free: The Burnout Recovery Starter Kit
A practical, science-backed email guide — not generic wellness advice. We'll send you one email with everything that actually helps.
The 3 evidence-based burnout recovery stages and what to do in each
7 podcasts that specifically address burnout (not just "stress")
5 books that GPs and therapists actually recommend to burnout patients
The one question your GP needs to hear to take burnout seriously
A printable 2-week burnout recovery log to track your symptoms
Your rights at work in the UK: sick leave, fit notes and reasonable adjustments
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This assessment is for self-awareness only. It is not a clinical diagnosis. Burnout and work-related stress are serious conditions — if your symptoms are affecting your daily life or ability to work, speak with your GP. For emergencies, call 999 or go to A&E.
About burnout
Common questions
This assessment draws on two of the most widely used and validated burnout measurement tools in clinical and occupational health research. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), developed by Elena Demerouti, measures exhaustion and disengagement. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), developed by Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter, additionally captures reduced efficacy and depersonalisation. Together they give a multi-dimensional view of burnout rather than just measuring tiredness. The WHO formally classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon in the ICD-11 in 2019.
Stress is typically short-term and resolves when the pressure is removed. Burnout develops over months or years of chronic unmanaged stress and has three distinct dimensions: emotional and physical exhaustion, psychological withdrawal from work (disengagement), and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Depression is a clinical disorder that can co-occur with burnout but differs in that it extends beyond work into all areas of life and typically involves persistent low mood, anhedonia and altered cognition. If you are unsure whether you are experiencing burnout or depression, speaking with a GP is the right first step.
Yes. Burnout and work-related stress are recognised as valid medical reasons for sick leave in both UK and the UK. A GP can issue a sick certificate stating you are unfit for work due to stress, burnout or anxiety — without specifying your diagnosis to your employer. Sicknote.com can issue a sick note from a GMC-registered GP after a short online questionnaire, usually within a few hours. If your score on this quiz suggests moderate or severe burnout, you may be entitled to time off.
Recovery varies significantly by severity and circumstance. Research suggests mild burnout may resolve with adequate rest, boundary-setting and lifestyle changes within weeks to a few months. Moderate to severe burnout typically takes 3 to 12 months of sustained intervention. Recovery is not linear — most people experience improvement followed by setbacks when they return to stressful environments too quickly. The most evidence-supported recovery paths involve: reducing the source stressors (where possible), adequate sleep and rest, structured psychological support such as CBT, social connection, and sometimes a period of medical sick leave to allow genuine recovery without the pressure of performance.
It's a single email we send to anyone who requests it. It contains: the three clinical stages of burnout recovery and what to focus on in each, a curated list of podcasts and books specifically focused on burnout (reviewed for scientific credibility), a printable two-week symptom tracking log, a guide to your sick leave rights in UK and the UK, and practical advice on how to talk to your GP about burnout. No newsletter, no upsell — just one useful email.
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