The WellnessPlanner Check In. Recharge. Lead Well.
You cannot pour from an empty cup.
This planner is not about performance. It is about you — how you are actually feeling today, not how you think you should be feeling. Burnout does not announce itself. It arrives quietly, disguised as tiredness, forgetfulness, irritability and a growing sense that you are always behind. The people who experience it most are often the last to recognise it — because they keep doing the doing.
This is your space to slow down, check in honestly, and notice what your mind and body are telling you.
① How Am I Feeling Right Now
Rate each honestly — 1 is very low, 10 is very good. There are no right answers.
EnergyPhysical vitality today
5
Mental clarityCan I think clearly?
5
Emotional steadinessHow settled do I feel?
5
MotivationDo I want to be here?
5
Sleep qualityLast night's rest
5
PatienceWith myself and others
5
FocusCan I complete tasks?
5
Sense of controlDo I feel on top of things?
5
Today's wellbeing score
40 / 80
Moderate — worth noticing
Some areas may need attention. Take a moment to acknowledge how you are feeling and use the Signs & Signals tab to check in further.
② How I Would Describe Today
Select all that resonate — be honest with yourself.
Calm
Focused
Grateful
Energised
Clear-headed
Motivated
Tired
Overwhelmed
Anxious
Irritable
Disconnected
Foggy
Forgetful
Flat
Firefighting
Behind
Can't switch off
Dreading the day
Running on empty
Going through motions
③ Three Honest Questions
What is weighing on me most right now?
What do I actually need today?
One small thing I will do for myself today
④ Routine Habits Check
When we are burning out, habitual tasks begin to feel harder. Tick any that feel difficult today.
${[
['Remembering KPIs and targets','Things I normally know automatically'],
['Following familiar processes','Steps that used to be second nature'],
['Making simple decisions','Small choices feel disproportionately hard'],
['Concentrating for more than 20 minutes','Mind keeps wandering'],
['Starting tasks','Procrastination where there normally isn\'t any'],
['Finishing tasks','Getting to the end feels impossible'],
['Recalling conversations or meetings','Memory gaps in things that happened recently'],
['Feeling present in meetings','Going through the motions'],
['Responding to emails promptly','Avoiding inbox or messages'],
['Being patient with my team','Reacting instead of responding']
].map(([t,d],i)=>`
${t}
${d}
`).join('')}
Burnout doesn't ask permission.
The most important thing to know about burnout is that the people experiencing it are often the last to see it. They are still functioning. Still showing up. Still doing the work — just with less of themselves available each day. By the time it becomes impossible to ignore, the tank has been empty for a long time.
These signs are not weakness. They are your nervous system asking for help. Read them slowly. Be honest. If several resonate, please speak to someone you trust.
Recognising the Signs of Burnout
Physical signs
Constant tiredness that sleep doesn't fix
Difficulty falling or staying asleep despite exhaustion
Frequent headaches, tension or muscle pain
Getting ill more often — reduced immunity
Changes in appetite — eating more, less or forgetting to eat
Heart racing or feeling physically tense without obvious cause
Mental & cognitive signs
Struggling to remember KPIs, targets or processes that were previously automatic
Difficulty concentrating or completing tasks that were once easy
Making more errors than usual
Mind going blank in meetings or conversations
Forgetting conversations, decisions or commitments made recently
Struggling to make simple decisions — everything feels high stakes
Emotional signs
Feeling detached, numb or disconnected from work and people
Irritability or short temper — reacting rather than responding
Increased anxiety or a constant sense of dread
Feeling like you are never doing enough — despite doing everything
Loss of satisfaction in work that previously felt meaningful
Feeling invisible, undervalued or like nothing you do matters
Behavioural signs
Constantly firefighting — never getting ahead of the workload
Avoiding inbox, messages or tasks you would normally address immediately
Working longer hours but achieving less
Withdrawing from colleagues, friends or family
Relying on caffeine, alcohol or other crutches more than usual
Unable to enjoy time off — work follows you everywhere
Burnout Self-Assessment — Check In Honestly
Tick any that have been true for you in the past two weeks. This is private — just for you.
Signs I have noticed in myself
${[
['I dread the start of the working day','Most mornings feel heavy before they begin'],
['I feel exhausted even after a full night\'s sleep','Rest is not restoring me'],
['I have been forgetting things that I normally remember easily','KPIs, processes, conversations, names'],
['I feel like I am constantly behind, no matter how much I do','The to-do list never gets shorter'],
['I have been more impatient or short-tempered than usual','With my team, my family or myself'],
['I struggle to switch off when I am not working','Work thoughts follow me into evenings and weekends'],
['I feel less connected to or interested in my work than I used to','Going through the motions'],
['I have been avoiding tasks or conversations I would normally handle','Procrastination that is out of character'],
['I feel like I am holding everything together for everyone else but not for myself','Pouring from an empty cup'],
['I have been struggling to sleep, even when I am exhausted','Mind too active to rest'],
['Small setbacks or problems feel disproportionately overwhelming','Things that would normally bounce off are hitting hard'],
['I feel like no one would notice or care if I disappeared for a day','Disconnection from my own value'],
].map(([sign,detail],i)=>`
${i+1}
${sign}${detail}
Yes
`).join('')}
Signs present
0 / 12
Doing well — keep checking in
No significant burnout signs at present. Continue your regular check-ins and protect your boundaries.
What to Do When You Notice the Signs
◈
Name it first
Burnout loses some of its power when you say it out loud. You are not weak. You are depleted. There is a difference. Acknowledging what is happening is the first act of recovery — not the last.
◈
Tell someone you trust
A manager, a peer, a partner, a friend. You do not need to have all the answers before you speak. Saying "I'm not okay" is enough. Isolation makes burnout worse. Connection is part of the medicine.
◈
Reduce before you add
Your instinct may be to push harder or add more self-improvement habits. Instead, look at what you can remove. What meetings can be cancelled? What can wait? What can be delegated? Space is where recovery begins.
◈
Rest is not a reward
You do not need to earn rest. Sleep, stillness, doing nothing — these are not lazy. They are essential. If you cannot switch off, that is a symptom, not a personal failing. Start with 20 minutes of nothing.
◈
Be patient with your recovery
If you have been running on empty for months, you will not recover in a weekend. Burnout recovery is measured in weeks and months, not days. Progress is not always linear. Small improvements are still improvements.
◈
Seek professional support
A GP, therapist or occupational health professional can offer support you cannot give yourself. Asking for professional help is not a last resort — it is a responsible act of leadership. You would say the same to anyone on your team.
Week of
Weekly Wellbeing Self-Assessment
Overall energy this weekPhysical and mental
Stress level this week1 = very low, 5 = very high
Quality of sleepAcross the week
Connection with my teamPresent and engaged
Time for myselfRest, recovery, things I enjoy
Weekly Wellbeing Reflection
What depleted me most this week
What restored me this week
A moment I felt like myself
What I am carrying that isn't mine to carry
One boundary I need to set or strengthen
How I will protect my energy next week
My Support & Recovery Plan
Who I can talk to
What helps me most when I am struggling
One commitment to myself this week
The Recovery Toolkit
These are not quick fixes. They are practices that build resilience over time. Choose one. Start small. Be kind to yourself.
◈ Sleep first
Everything else is harder without sleep. Prioritise 7–8 hours before optimising anything else. A cool, dark room. No screens for 30 minutes before bed. A consistent sleep and wake time — even on weekends. Sleep is not a luxury. It is the foundation.
Tonight: Set a consistent bedtime and protect it
◈ The two-minute rule for overwhelm
When everything feels urgent and you can't start, pick one task that takes two minutes and do only that. Your nervous system needs a win. Not a big one — just proof that you can complete something. Then pick the next smallest thing.
Now: Write one two-minute task and do it immediately
◈ Protect one hour daily
Block one hour in your calendar every day that is yours. Not for meetings. Not for email. For thinking, walking, resting, or doing whatever restores you. Defend it as you would defend a board meeting. Your restoration is as important as anyone else's agenda.
Today: Block one hour in your calendar — right now
◈ Write it down to let it go
When your mind won't stop — the mental loops, the what-ifs, the unfinished thoughts — write them down. All of them. Not to solve them. Just to get them out of your head and onto paper. The brain registers written thoughts as handled. It quietens.
Tonight: 10 minutes of brain dump before sleep
◈ Move your body gently
You do not need to train hard. A 20-minute walk outside is one of the most effective tools for anxiety, cognitive fog and low mood. Natural light. Movement. A change of environment. No podcast or phone — just walking. Do this before you conclude you are too tired.
Tomorrow morning: 20-minute walk before work
◈ Say no — and mean it
Every yes is a no to something else — often to yourself. Practice a new sentence: "I don't have capacity for that right now." You do not owe an explanation. You do not need to justify protecting your energy. No is a complete sentence. Start using it.
This week: Decline one thing you would normally say yes to
◈ One thing at a time
Burnout thrives in multitasking. Close everything except the one thing you are working on. Phone face down. Email closed. One tab open. Give yourself full permission to do one thing and only that thing for 25 minutes. The rest can wait. You will get more done, not less.
Next task: Close everything else. 25 minutes. One thing.
◈ Talk to someone — today
Not next week. Today. A friend, a colleague, a partner, a GP, a therapist. You do not need to arrive with answers or a clear explanation. Saying "I'm not doing well" to someone who cares is one of the most powerful acts of recovery available to you. Start there.
Today: Send one message to someone you trust
My Personal Recovery Notes
What I know helps me recover
What I will do differently going forward
Something kind I want to say to myself
If you are struggling and need support now
Please reach out. You do not have to be in crisis to deserve support. If you are feeling overwhelmed, unable to cope, or you are concerned about your mental health, speak to your GP as a first step. The following organisations can also help:
Mind — mind.org.uk · 0300 123 3393 · Mental health support and information for everyone
Samaritans — samaritans.org · 116 123 (free, 24/7) · For when you need to talk to someone right now
Shout — Text SHOUT to 85258 · Free, confidential 24/7 text support
CALM — thecalmzone.net · 0800 58 58 58 · Supporting people who are struggling or in crisis
Your GP — Always your first port of call for ongoing mental health support. You deserve that appointment.