The key difference is context-specificity. Burnout tends to improve on weekends, holidays, or when you step away from the source of stress. Depression is pervasive and doesn't significantly improve with rest — you feel low even during leisure time or holiday. If you feel relatively better away from work, burnout is more likely. If you've lost interest in things that used to bring joy across all areas of life — not just work — and feel persistently hopeless, please consult a doctor. Both can coexist, and a professional can accurately distinguish them.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), developed by Dr Christina Maslach in 1981, is the most widely used and validated burnout assessment tool in clinical and occupational research. It measures three dimensions: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalisation (Cynicism), and Personal Accomplishment (Efficacy). The clinical MBI is a proprietary instrument. This free assessment is based on the same three-dimension framework with similar question types, intended for self-awareness only — not as a substitute for the validated clinical instrument or professional evaluation.

Several models describe burnout stages. Herbert Freudenberger's 12-stage model progresses from: (1) Compulsion to prove yourself → (2) Working harder → (3) Neglecting personal needs → (4) Displacing conflict → (5) Revising values → (6) Denying problems → (7) Withdrawal → (8) Obvious behavioural changes → (9) Depersonalisation → (10) Inner emptiness → (11) Depression → (12) Full burnout syndrome. The Maslach model tracks progression through worsening Exhaustion, then Cynicism, then loss of Efficacy. People in early stages (1–4) often recover with lifestyle changes alone. Stages 7–12 typically require professional support.

Burnout typically involves a history of high effort followed by depletion — you want to engage but physically and emotionally cannot. You feel guilty, frustrated, or inadequate about your reduced output. Laziness involves low motivation without prior depletion — there's no underlying drive that's been extinguished. Burnout is frequently accompanied by sleep disruption, emotional numbness, cynicism, and physical symptoms. If you are exhausted despite adequate sleep, find previously enjoyable activities draining, and have a history of overcommitment, burnout is far more likely than laziness.

An emotional exhaustion test measures the first and most prominent dimension of burnout — the depletion of your emotional resources. Questions assess how drained, used up, or fatigued you feel from your responsibilities, and how much you have left to give. In the MBI framework, Emotional Exhaustion is the core component of burnout — most people show EE symptoms before Cynicism or Efficacy changes appear. This assessment measures all three dimensions and identifies which is most significant for you, enabling more targeted recovery strategies.

Recovery depends heavily on which dimension is driving your burnout. For Exhaustion-led burnout: protect sleep, set firm boundaries, and reduce demands. For Cynicism-led burnout: reconnect with purpose and meaning, and address relationship dynamics. For Efficacy-led burnout: seek small wins, get feedback, and practice self-compassion. Universal strategies include: reducing demands, increasing control and autonomy, improving social support, regular exercise, consistent sleep, and — for moderate-to-severe burnout — professional support from a therapist or GP familiar with occupational stress.