Caregiver Burnout Check

You can't pour from an empty cup — and caregivers run theirs dry without noticing, because everyone else's needs feel louder. Checking your own gauge isn't selfish. A depleted caregiver helps no one, least of all the person they love.

My gauges

Be honest — no one's grading this.

My energy lately

Rate from 0 (Empty) to 10 (Full): ____

My patience lately

Rate from 0 (Threadbare) to 10 (Plenty): ____

How supported I feel

Rate from 0 (On my own) to 10 (Well supported): ____

The signs

Tick any that ring true.

• [ ] Resentment or numbness creeping in
• [ ] Shorter fuse than I'd like
• [ ] Dread about the day ahead
• [ ] Letting my own basics slide (food, sleep, doctor, friends)
• [ ] Guilt whenever I rest

Where it's coming from

What's draining me most right now

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Refill — realistically

Not a spa day you'll never take — something that actually fits your life.

One small, real way I could refill this week

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One thing I could hand off or ask for help with

______________________________________________

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Support is not failure: Needing help to care for someone doesn't mean you're failing them. It usually means you're carrying more than one person should. Reaching out — to people or a therapist — is part of the job, not a sign you can't do it.

Go deeper

Ready for more? These lessons pick up where this worksheet leaves off.

• Parenting Stress and Caregiver Burnout, from Parenting Autism. The load is real, refilling your cup isn't selfish, and asking for help halves it.
• For Supporters, from The Neurodivergent Brain. For partners, parents, and friends of neurodivergent people: the gap from your side, and what actually helps.