Practitioner Burnout Warning Signs Self-Assessment

This self-assessment helps a professional identify their personal early indicators of burnout and.

The cumulative stress of your work often manifests in subtle ways long before burnout becomes a crisis. You might notice increased irritability, a sense of dread, or physical symptoms, but without a clear pattern, these signals are easily dismissed as a ‘bad week.’ These personal tells are the critical indicators that often go unidentified.

This self-assessment helps you codify your own unique warning signs. It produces a clear, personalized inventory of your earliest signals of compassion fatigue, providing a concrete reference for proactive adjustments to your practice and self-care.


Practitioner Burnout Warning Signs Self-Assessment

Complete the following assessment to identify your personal indicators of professional fatigue. For each item you recognize as a personal warning sign, check ‘Yes.’ In the next column, briefly describe your specific version of that sign. In the final column, rate its frequency over the last 30 days using the scale provided.

Scale: 0=Never, 1=Rarely, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often

IndicatorMy Early Sign (Yes/No)My Specific VersionFrequency (Last 30 Days)
Feeling emotionally drained by work
Cynicism or detachment from the work
A reduced sense of personal accomplishment
Sleep disturbances related to work
Increased irritability or impatience
Dread before starting the workday
Physical complaints (headaches, stomach issues)
Procrastinating on notes or client calls
Difficulty concentrating during meetings/sessions
Feeling numb or disconnected from clients
Intrusive thoughts about a client’s situation
Isolating yourself from colleagues or friends
Questioning your competence or effectiveness
A decreased ability to feel empathy
Using alcohol, food, or drugs to cope
Feeling you are not making a difference
Resentment toward client demands
Loss of enjoyment in non-work activities

Generated with Rapport7 — rapport7.com

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