Burnout worksheets that start by taking something off the plate.
A burnout self-assessment, a four-week recovery plan, an energy audit and a compassion fatigue worksheet for helpers — built on the three dimensions of burnout and on research about what actually helps people recover.
Wheel of Life
Rate eight life areas and read the shape, not the scores
Career, money, health, family, romance, friends, growth, fun — rated 0–10 as they are right now. Surfaces imbalance instantly and points to the one area worth raising by a single point this month.
Boundaries Worksheet
Name the cost, hold the limit, write the script
A plain-language boundaries worksheet. Names what the situation is costing, the limit you want to hold, what you'll do if it's crossed, and a script in your own words — plus pushback and how you'll stay steady.
Self-Care Worksheet
Six domains, rated honestly, one action each
Self-care without the bubble-bath stereotype. Six domains — physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, practical — rated 0–10 with one small action per domain and a priority pick.
Burnout Recovery Worksheet
Rate the three components, shrink one demand, rebuild one resource
Burnout is exhaustion + cynicism + reduced efficacy. This sheet rates each component, maps demands that grew against resources that shrank, and lands on one demand to shrink and one resource to rebuild this week — the smallest changes that actually move the meter.
Burnout Self-Assessment Checklist
Rate the signs of exhaustion, cynicism and reduced efficacy
A 12-item reflection checklist organized around the three parts of burnout. Clients rate how often each sign has been true over the last month, total each area, and note which is loudest. Not a diagnostic test — a structured conversation starter.
Burnout Recovery Plan
Stop one thing, then build detachment, relaxation, mastery and control
A four-week recovery plan built on the four recovery experiences from occupational health research: psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery and control. Starts with what to stop, then adds a small weekly step and early warning signs.
Compassion Fatigue Worksheet
Separate compassion fatigue from burnout and plan for each
For therapists, healthcare workers, teachers and family caregivers. Rates compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction separately, then plans an end-of-day transition, support, one limit on caring and one ask of the system.
Energy Audit Worksheet
Map what drains and restores you, then rebalance one thing each
A one-week energy audit for work-life balance and burnout prevention. Lists drains and restores, compares hours, and lands on one drain to reduce, one restore to protect and the boundary that protects it.
What burnout is (and isn't)
The World Health Organization describes burnout as an occupational phenomenon with three dimensions: exhaustion, growing mental distance or cynicism about work, and reduced professional efficacy. It is not a medical diagnosis, and it isn't the same as being tired or depressed — though it often overlaps with both.
That's why these worksheets rate the three dimensions separately. Exhaustion, cynicism and efficacy respond to different changes, and a single 'stress' score hides which one to work on first.
A typical sequence
Start with the Burnout Self-Assessment Checklist to see which area is loudest. Use the Burnout Worksheet to map demands that grew against resources that shrank, then the Energy Audit to make one real week visible.
Move to the Burnout Recovery Plan once you know what to stop first. For therapists, healthcare workers and caregivers, add the Compassion Fatigue Worksheet — it separates the cost of caring from the cost of the conditions. Boundaries and self-care worksheets support the plan once there is room in the week.
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Free to print and send
Every burnout worksheet is a free printable PDF. From a TherapistAssist account you can also send it as a secure link, so clients fill it in on their phone and you see their answers and progress over time.
Frequently asked questions
What are the signs of burnout?+
Burnout has three core signs: exhaustion that rest doesn't fix, cynicism or emotional distance from work and the people in it, and a sense of being ineffective. Poor sleep, irritability, headaches and getting sick more often are common alongside them. The Burnout Self-Assessment Checklist turns these into twelve signs clients can rate.
Is there a free burnout test?+
The Burnout Self-Assessment Checklist here is a free reflection tool based on the three dimensions of burnout. It isn't a validated diagnostic instrument like the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and it doesn't diagnose burnout, but it shows which area is strongest and gives you a starting point for a plan.
How do you recover from burnout?+
Reduce the demands that caused it where you can, protect sleep and basic needs, and regularly build in four recovery experiences from occupational health research: detaching from work, relaxing, doing something that builds mastery, and having control over your time. The Burnout Recovery Plan walks through each one over four weeks.
Is burnout the same as depression?+
No, though they overlap. Burnout is tied to work or caregiving and often eases when those conditions change; depression tends to affect every area of life. When low mood shows up outside work too, screen for depression and consider a medical check.
What helps with therapist or caregiver burnout?+
Separating compassion fatigue (the cost of others' pain) from burnout (the cost of the conditions) helps, because they need different responses. The Compassion Fatigue Worksheet is built for therapists, healthcare workers and family caregivers, and works well in supervision.
Are these burnout worksheets free?+
Yes — free printable PDFs, and sendable as a secure client link from a TherapistAssist account so clients can fill them in on their phone.