--- type: protocol locale: en path: /en/protocol/understanding-your-result module: 1 title: Understanding Your Result --- ## Purpose of this module This module explains what your burnout assessment result indicates, and what it does not. Its role is interpretive. It does not prescribe actions or timelines. --- ## Result interpretation Only one of the following sections applies to you, based on your assessment result. --- ### Mild burnout A mild burnout result indicates early strain rather than collapse. Functioning is largely preserved, but recovery capacity is already reduced. Fatigue may appear situational, intermittent, or easy to rationalize. Common misinterpretations at this level include: - assuming the situation will self-correct without structural change - attributing fatigue solely to temporary workload - postponing recovery until performance is affected At this stage, recovery is still possible without major disruption. However, ignoring early signals often leads to cumulative overload. --- ### Moderate burnout A moderate burnout result indicates sustained overload with partial functional impact. Cognitive load is elevated, emotional detachment may be present, and rest no longer produces reliable recovery. Common patterns at this level include: - repeated attempts at self-correction that fail to hold - normalization of mental fatigue as a baseline state - increasing effort used to maintain previous output At this stage, recovery capacity is constrained. Unstructured attempts to “push through” often worsen depletion. --- ### High burnout A high burnout result indicates significant depletion across multiple domains. Mental fatigue is persistent, emotional detachment is pronounced, and recovery capacity may feel absent. Common experiences at this level include: - inability to restore energy through rest alone - reduced tolerance for cognitive or emotional demands - delayed or blunted response to recovery attempts At this stage, burnout is no longer self-correcting. Recovery requires structural protection of remaining capacity. --- ## Common cognitive distortions Across all burnout levels, sustained load alters self-perception. Common distortions include: - underestimating total cognitive load - confusing performance output with available capacity - interpreting emotional detachment as a personal failure These distortions are not character flaws. They are predictable effects of prolonged strain. --- ## Limits of self-assessment Under sustained load, intuition becomes unreliable. Burnout reduces: - signal clarity - feedback accuracy - recovery awareness This is why structured interpretation matters. It compensates for impaired self-calibration during overload. This protocol exists to provide that structure.