Quiz: How Burned Out Are You?

Getty/Jirapong Manustrong

Feeling low energy and like you can’t get a handle on life? Take our quiz to see how burned out you are—and learn what might help.

In Ayurveda, there is a concept called tejas. Tejas is the inner fire of our minds, and, like a fire in nature, it can provide clarity, illumination, and a sense of direction and purpose when it’s burning healthily. When tejas is strong, it helps us distinguish falsehood from truth, imagination from reality, and genuineness from fakeness.

When tejas burns brightly in our minds, we make good decisions, have good personal discipline, and feel like we’ve got a handle on the direction and choices of our lives. Healthy tejas also corresponds to being able to live aligned with our inner integrity.

But also like a fire in nature, sometimes the fire can burn out, a state of mind well known to many of us. This happens when we have put too much “wood” on ourselves too quickly: too much on our plates, too many unrealistic expectations, too many obligations, and not enough help. (Check out these five tips to move from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest.) Without the inner light of tejas to guide us, we become susceptible to manipulation, at which point we might be taking on projects that don’t fit our goals or ideas. We could even lose sight of what we want or where we’re going in life.

Take the quiz below to help get a handle on the state of your tejas.

Burnout Quiz

How well can you focus?
1. I turn off potential interruptions when I need to focus
2. I can focus for a period of time, but distractions slip in
3. I’m trying to multitask, but I keep dropping ball
4. All the balls have dropped, and I don’t care anymore
How well can you think and problem solve simultaneously?
1. I take the time and sort through all my potential options before deciding
2. I narrow down to two or three solutions and then just pick one
3. I only have time and energy for the easiest path forward
4. I don’t see any solutions right now
How is your emotional health?
1. I feel and process my emotions regularly
2. I can get overwhelmed from time to time, but I know how to calm myself down
3. I’m good for most of the day, but then one thing can set me off
4. I don’t feel anything; I’m shut down
How curious are you about learning new things?
1. I make a point to learn new things every day
2. I enjoy learning new things when I can find the time
3. I’ve got enough on my plate without adding more
4. I don’t feel curious about anything right now
Your self-care routines are…
1. A regular part of life
2. Squeezed in here and there
3. Few and far between
4. Non-existent
Do you experience meaning in your life?
1. I actively ascribe meaning to all the things I do
2. I’m too busy to think about it
3. My life feels filled with mundane busywork
4. I’ve lost my sense of meaning and purpose
How do you respond to an unexpected task?
1. If I decide the task is relevant and important, I’ll find time for it. Otherwise, I don’t mind saying no
2. If I have time, I’ll do it. If not, I’ll ask for help or delegate
3. I move everything around to squeeze it in; people expect this of me
4. I become hopeless and overwhelmed
When things don’t go as you planned, I…
1. Come up with a new strategy, like delegation, which maintains my wellbeing
2. Figure it out myself, even if I have to stay up all night
3. Give a half-hearted effort; it’s all I have left
4. I give up and/or feel like a failure
You spend time imagining, daydreaming, and storytelling…
1. Nearly every day, and I write my dreams down when I can
2. Sometimes, but if I catch myself daydreaming, I get back to work
3. Rarely. I don’t have time for things like that
4. Never. I can’t remember the last time I dreamed
I spend time with friends or doing leisure activities…
1. Often! I schedule this stuff in
2. Once a week; that’s about all I can manage
3. Occasionally, if I can find a way to get some productivity out of it
4. Never; I feel lonely and disconnected

Count your answers and then use the guide below to read more about the status of your inner fire.

The Results of Your Burnout Quiz

If You Got Mostly A's

You Are Radiant

Congratulations, you’ve got good strategies to help you avoid burnout and use your inner fire (discernment, wisdom, critical thinking, passion) to your advantage. Because of this, you’re less likely to get roped into things that don’t bring you joy or a sense of purpose. Keep shining!

If You Got Mostly B's

You're Playing With Fire

You’re making good decisions for your health and wellbeing most of the time, but you can also get caught up in the push-pull of a moment. Keep giving yourself those breaks and times to think so you can stay clear and energized.

If You Got Mostly C's

You're Having Hot Flashes

At this level, you’re pushing yourself too hard and are in danger of flaming out. Not only that, but at this level of burnout, you’re losing some ability to think clearly and make good decisions, which can lead to doing and saying things that don’t match who you are and what your purpose and values are. It’s time to let your body rest and digest.

If You Got Mostly D's

You're Flamed Out

Just because you’ve scored here doesn’t mean you’re stuck here. Cooling burnout begins with acknowledging it, then committing to a few simple steps to start regaining your clarity and sense of direction once again. Your favorite word for a while just might be “no.”

Try these five tips to move from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest.

Burnout Self-Care Inner Strength

About the Author

Keri Mangis is a CAP (Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner) and an E-RYT200 (yoga) who has studied, taught, and spoken on dozens of topics in the spiritual/personal growth and development areas. Her first book, Embodying...

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