Burnout

Burnout Self Test

The Sydney Burnout Measure (SBM) is a validated 34-item single scale measure of burnout, with sub-scales of exhaustion, cognitive symptoms, loss of empathy, withdrawal and insularity, impaired work performance, and unsettled mood. It was developed by Professor Gordon Parker, the founder of the Black Dog Institute.

Note: These screening questionnaires do not provide a comprehensive clinical assessment or a diagnosis of a mental disorder. If you are concerned about your symptoms, please seek help from your doctor or a mental health professional. You can also access one-on-one clinical care, with up to five free telehealth sessions with a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist through Black Dog Institute’s TEN Clinic.

Instructions:
Read each statement and tick the extent to which you are currently experiencing the features and symptoms.

Not true

Slightly

Moderately

Distinctly
I wake up feeling tired
I lack energy across the day
I have a loss of energy which makes it hard for me to get going in the morning
I constantly feel tired and fatigued
I feel worn out
I am not refreshed by my sleep
My attention is less focused
I cannot concentrate or register new information because of foggy thinking
I find it hard to concentrate on the task at hand
I take longer to finish tasks at work
I feel slowed down mentally (e.g., hard to find words, slowed thoughts)
My capacity to remember things is not as good as usual
I have to re-read things because I was not concentrating the first time
I struggle to understand the feelings of colleagues, customers and/or recipients of my care
I care less about people with whom I work (e.g., colleagues, customers, recipients of my care)
I am less empathetic
I feel less empathy and sympathy towards people in general
I withdraw from family and friends
I keep to myself
I do not look forward to spending time with family and friends anymore
I no longer look forward to things that would normally give me pleasure
I cannot get pleasure out of my work
I no longer feel as driven to meet my responsibilities
I feel like I am contributing less at work
My work performance has declined
I am less productive at work
The quality of my work output is poorer
I feel emotionally drained and exhausted
I spend much of my day worrying
I feel self-critical and am hard on myself
I feel I am stagnating and that life is passing me by
I find little things and chores frustrating
I feel sad, empty and hopeless
I find it more difficult to take life as it comes

 
 

If you have been experiencing stress for a prolonged period of time you should consider seeking professional help.

Score:

According to the responses that you have provided, it is likely that you are:

If you have been experiencing symptoms consistent with burnout, check-out the Blackdog Institute Navigating Burnout module.

You can read more about burnout here.