Burnout test
A free burnout test based on the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. 13 questions, 3 minutes, no sign-up. Your result appears instantly and is never stored.
This is not a diagnosis
This test is a self-screening tool, not a medical assessment. The World Health Organization classifies burnout (ICD-11, code QD85) as an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition. Similar symptoms occur with depression, anxiety disorders, anaemia and thyroid problems. If your state is interfering with daily life, see a doctor or therapist.
What burnout actually is
Burnout is a state of exhaustion that develops from chronic stress that was never successfully managed. The key word is chronic: burnout does not appear after one hard week - it accumulates over months, while your energy consistently drains faster than it is restored.
The World Health Organization included burnout in ICD-11 as an occupational phenomenon and describes it through three features: feelings of exhaustion, mental distance from one's job (cynicism, indifference), and reduced professional efficacy. Notably, the WHO ties the concept specifically to the work context rather than to life in general.
The main trap of burnout is that it disguises itself as laziness or weak character. Research suggests the opposite: the people who burn out are often the engaged ones who care - those who run at their limit for a long time without lowering the bar.
The good news: burnout is reversible. But recovery does not come from a one-week holiday - it comes from changing the conditions that caused it: workload, boundaries, control over your work, and sleep quality.
How the result is calculated
The test is based on the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), a scale developed by Tage Kristensen and colleagues at the Danish National Institute of Occupational Health and published in Work & Stress in 2005. Unlike commercial questionnaires, the CBI is free to use and has been validated in studies across dozens of countries. Two subscales are used here: personal burnout (6 questions) and work-related burnout (7 questions). Each answer is worth 0 to 100 points, and each subscale score is the arithmetic mean. The level boundaries (25, 50, 75) follow the interpretation commonly used in research.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Yes, completely free and no sign-up required. We do not ask for your email or hide the result behind a subscription.
No. The test runs entirely in your browser: answers are never sent to a server or saved anywhere. Close the tab and nothing remains.
It is based on the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, a validated scientific scale used in research worldwide. But any self-report questionnaire measures how pronounced your symptoms are - it does not diagnose. Treat the result as a prompt to reflect, not as a medical verdict.
About 3 minutes. There are 13 questions with five answer options each.
Burnout is primarily tied to work and usually eases when conditions change. Depression affects every area of life and does not lift with a holiday. The symptoms overlap heavily, so with high scores it is worth seeing a professional - only a clinician can tell them apart.
Yes. It makes sense to revisit it every month or two: the trend tells you more than a single snapshot.
Best ideas, in your inbox
Once a week, 3-5 articles actually worth reading. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.


