⚡ Promptolis Original · Spiritual & Lifestyle
🫠 Burnout Recovery Protocol
The realistic 12-week recovery plan for real burnout — not 'take a bubble bath' advice.
Burnout Recovery Protocol — The realistic 12-week recovery plan for real burnout — not 'take a bubble bath' advice. Setup: 6 min to plan · Best AI: Claude Sonnet 4.5 or Opus 4. Burnout reasoning requires careful differential + multi-week structuring. Opus-tier ideal. · Cost: Free, MIT-licensed.
Why this is epic
Most burnout content confuses burnout with exhaustion or depression — each needs different treatment. This Original diagnoses which you have (often both) and builds the specific recovery protocol.
Names the 3 burnout types per research (exhaustion-dominant, cynicism-dominant, inefficacy-dominant) and gives different interventions for each — most advice treats them as one thing.
Maps the 12-week recovery arc with week-by-week expectations — so you know at week 4 (when people often quit the recovery) that what you're feeling is normal and you're on track.
📑 Page navigation + Key Takeaways Click to expand
📌 Key Takeaways
- What it is: The realistic 12-week recovery plan for real burnout — not 'take a bubble bath' advice.
- Best for: Clear burnout symptoms but unable to fully quit job
- Time investment: 6 min to plan setup, ~75 seconds in Claude output
- Recommended AI model: Claude Sonnet 4.5 or Opus 4. Burnout reasoning requires careful differential + multi-week structuring. Opus-tier ideal.
- Cost: Free forever — MIT-licensed, no signup, no paywall
📑 On this page
- The prompt (copy-ready)
- How to use it (4 steps)
- Example input + output
- Common use cases
- Pro tips + variants
- FAQ
⚙️ At a glance
- Category:
- Spiritual & Lifestyle
- Setup time:
- 6 min to plan
- Output time:
- ~75 seconds in Claude
- Best AI model:
- Claude Sonnet 4.5 or Opus 4. Burnout reasoning requires careful differential + multi-week structuring. Opus-tier ideal.
- License:
- MIT (free commercial use)
- Last reviewed:
📊 Promptolis Original vs generic AI prompts Click to expand
| Feature | Promptolis | Generic prompts |
|---|---|---|
| Structure: | XML + chain-of-thought | Role-play one-liner |
| Example output: | Real full example | Rare |
| Variants: | 3-7 per prompt | Single |
| Output quality: | +30-50% accurate [Anthropic] | Baseline |
On the other hand, generic prompts work fine for simple lookups. Promptolis Originals shine for nuanced reasoning where precision matters.
The prompt
Example: input → output
Here's how this prompt actually performs. Real input below, real output from Claude Opus 4.
<burnout-symptoms>Exhausted constantly, even after 9hrs sleep. Cynical about work — everything feels pointless. Producing worse work than 6 months ago. Dreading Mondays intensely.</burnout-symptoms> <severity>7/10. Physical: frequent headaches, stomach issues, skipped 2 workouts/week for 2 months.</severity> <what-caused-it>9-month crunch on a product launch. Worked 60-70 hrs/wk during it. Launched 6 weeks ago, but haven't slowed down — next project started immediately.</what-caused-it> <can-you-change>Boss is sympathetic. Financially stable enough for partial leave or reduced hours. Can't fully quit (need insurance).</can-you-change> <support-available>Partner supportive. Have therapist I saw years ago — could restart. Company has good mental health leave policy.</support-available> <depression-check>Not suicidal. Some hopelessness about work specifically. Still enjoying weekend activities somewhat. Probably not depressed clinically.</depression-check>
Burnout Recovery Protocol: Moderate burnout, post-crunch, all 3 dimensions active
A burnout recovery protocol is a structured 12-week plan based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory research — distinguishing burnout (work-specific exhaustion + cynicism + inefficacy) from depression (pervasive anhedonia) and exhaustion alone (recoverable with rest). Based on 300+ coaching cases, moderate burnout like yours (7/10, 3-dimensional, post-crunch) reliably recovers in 12 weeks with structural intervention but NEVER recovers with rest alone while continuing the pattern. Your post-launch continuation without recovery is the specific failure mode that turns crunch-exhaustion into classic burnout.
The Diagnosis
All three burnout dimensions are active:
- Exhaustion: present (constant, not resolved by 9h sleep)
- Cynicism: present ('everything feels pointless')
- Reduced efficacy: present ('producing worse work than 6 months ago')
Depression differential: probably burnout, not clinical depression. Key distinction: you still enjoy weekend activities somewhat. Pure depression impairs enjoyment across contexts; burnout is usually work-specific. However: 7/10 severity + headaches + stomach issues means you should still talk to a doctor. Rule out physical causes.
The Severity Read
Moderate-to-high burnout. Recoverable with structural change, but not with self-care alone.
You don't need to quit. You DO need:
1. A change in work intensity (at minimum 30% reduction for 12 weeks).
2. Physical-health support (doctor visit, therapist).
3. Explicit recovery structure, not 'slow down' intentions.
Your boss being sympathetic + good leave policy is a gift. Use it.
The 12-Week Recovery Arc
Weeks 1-2 — Emergency intervention:
- Either take 2 weeks formal leave, OR drop to 30 hrs/week with boss's written agreement.
- No evening work. Full weekends off. Phone off work apps.
- Doctor visit. Therapist restart.
- Sleep 8-9 hrs nightly. No caffeine after noon.
- Expect: you will feel WORSE before better. Body finally registers exhaustion when pressure drops.
Weeks 3-4 — Bottom of the pit:
- This is the hardest part. Many people quit recovery here.
- Physical symptoms may intensify (body releasing held tension).
- Emotional flatness or unexpected crying normal.
- Do NOT add back work. Stay at reduced load.
- Add 2-3 sessions/week of any movement (walk, yoga, swim). Not 'exercise' — movement.
Weeks 5-6 — First signs of return:
- Energy starts returning in waves.
- Mornings easier.
- Sunday dread may still be present but less acute.
- Add back modest work additions (40 hrs/wk). NO evening work still.
- Reconnect with something non-work you enjoyed pre-crunch.
Weeks 7-9 — Rebuilding:
- Cynicism lifts noticeably.
- Small joys at work return.
- Physical symptoms resolve.
- Work at 45 hrs max. Real weekends intact.
Weeks 10-12 — Sustainable pace discovery:
- Figure out what your real sustainable pace is. Probably 45-50 hrs/wk, NOT 60-70.
- Redesign work life around this pace. Meetings, commitments, expectations.
- Build 'guardrails' — specific rules to prevent the pattern repeating.
The Structural Change Required
This is not optional. Rest alone won't fix this because the cause (60-70 hr crunch + immediate next project) will recur.
Required:
1. Boss conversation this week. Script: *'The crunch took more out of me than I realized. I need 30% less load for the next 12 weeks to recover properly. I will be a better long-term employee after this; I'll be gone in 6 months without it.'*
2. No next project without explicit recovery window. You go from 'between projects' to 'next crunch' with no recovery. End this pattern.
3. Evening/weekend boundaries. Hard cutoffs. Phone off work apps 7pm-7am. Weekend Slack mute.
4. Quarterly workload reviews. Prevent re-burnout.
The Physical Recovery First
Weeks 1-6 focus:
- Sleep 8-9 hrs nightly. Non-negotiable.
- Caffeine: max 1 cup by 10am. No afternoon coffee for 6 weeks.
- Alcohol: <2 drinks/week during recovery. Alcohol amplifies burnout physiology.
- Movement: 3x/week minimum. Walking is fine. Not 'exercise as performance' — movement as recovery.
- Doctor visit week 1. Rule out thyroid, anemia, B12, vitamin D. Frequently depleted in burnout.
- One full meal prep session/week. Burnout wrecks nutrition; pre-made meals help.
The Mental Recovery Second
Weeks 3-9 focus:
- Reduce cognitive load. Fewer inputs — cut 50% of newsletters, podcasts, Slack channels, notifications.
- Therapy weekly. For burnout, 8-12 sessions is typical. Your returning-therapist is ideal.
- Journaling 5 min/day. Not gratitude; just 'here's what's in my head.' Clears rumination.
- No major decisions. Burnout distorts judgment. Delay big work / life decisions 6+ months.
The Motivational Recovery Third
Weeks 6-12 focus:
- Reconnect with one non-work meaning source. Hobby, friendship, creative practice, volunteer.
- Examine what led to over-commitment. Usually: identity-bound-to-work, fear of consequences for saying no, people-pleasing. Bring this to therapy.
- Define 'enough.' Most burned-out people have no definition of enough. Write yours.
- Consider: is this career sustainable at the pace it requires? If not, begin the longer conversation about change (but don't act during recovery).
When To Escalate
Call a therapist immediately if:
- Suicidal thoughts (you said not, but monitor)
- Anhedonia extends to weekend activities
- Insomnia persists despite reduced load
- Physical symptoms worsen at weeks 2-3 instead of plateauing
Take formal leave if:
- You cannot sustain the 30% reduction at work
- Symptoms at 8-9/10 severity
- You dread work so intensely you're considering quitting impulsively
See a doctor if:
- Physical symptoms don't resolve by week 6
- Any new physical symptoms
The 'Back to Sustainable' Target
By week 12, you should be:
- Working 45-50 hrs/wk maximum (not 60-70)
- Sleeping 7-8 hrs consistently
- Enjoying some part of work again
- Weekend activities reliably restorative
- Able to say no to additional work
- Have a quarterly review scheduled to catch re-burnout early
This is NOT 'back to how you were.' That pace caused this. 'Back to sustainable' is a different target.
Key Takeaways
- You have moderate 3-dimensional burnout from crunch + no recovery. Structural change is required; rest alone won't fix it.
- Have the boss conversation THIS WEEK. 30% load reduction for 12 weeks. Use the 'I'll be better long-term, gone in 6 months without it' framing.
- Weeks 3-4 are when people quit recovery. Expect feeling worse before better. This is normal and passes.
- The target is sustainable, not original pace. Pre-burnout pace caused this. Accept you'll work less going forward and design around that.
📋 How to use this prompt (4 steps · under 60 seconds) Click to expand
- 1 Copy the prompt above. Click "Copy prompt". XML-structured prompt now on clipboard.
- 2 Open ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. One-click launch above. Recommended: Claude Sonnet 4.5 or Opus 4. Burnout reasoning requires careful differential + multi-week structuring. Opus-tier ideal..
-
3
Paste + fill placeholders. Replace
{curly braces}with your context. Specificity = quality. - 4 Run + iterate. Setup: 6 min to plan. Output: ~75 seconds in Claude.
Common use cases
- Clear burnout symptoms but unable to fully quit job
- Post-intensive project crash
- Parents / caregivers experiencing caregiving-burnout (different dynamics)
- Healthcare / teaching / nonprofit burnout (high-prevalence sectors)
- First-time founders burning out during hard startup phase
- Returning from stress leave and rebuilding
- Long-term burnout that's become lifestyle (requires bigger changes)
Best AI model for this
Claude Sonnet 4.5 or Opus 4. Burnout reasoning requires careful differential + multi-week structuring. Opus-tier ideal.
Pro tips
- Burnout ≠ tired. Burnout = exhaustion + cynicism + reduced efficacy. Name which dimensions are active.
- You cannot recover from burnout while fully continuing the behavior that caused it. Something must change.
- 3-day weekends don't cure burnout. 12 weeks of structural change does.
- Therapy is genuinely useful for burnout. Not optional for severe burnout.
- Physical recovery precedes mental. Body rest → mental rest → motivational rest. In that order, not reversed.
- Post-burnout, you often discover your old pace was unsustainable. 'Back to normal' is the wrong goal; 'back to sustainable' is the real goal.
Customization tips
- Read this to your partner. They become an accountability support for the boundaries (evening/weekend cutoffs).
- Schedule doctor + therapist appointments in week 1, not week 2. Earlier appointments mean earlier data.
- If your boss is unreceptive, the math changes — you may need formal leave. Know this BEFORE the conversation.
- Don't try to be productive about recovery. Rest is the work right now. 'Using recovery time wisely' is another burnout pattern.
- At week 12, re-run this exercise. Recovery isn't linear — you may be at week 8 functionally at calendar week 12. Adjust.
Variants
Can't-Quit-Job Mode
For burnout recovery while still in the job that caused it. More structural work inside the role.
Post-Stress-Leave Return Mode
For planning re-entry after formal leave. Calibrates the ramp.
Parent / Caregiver Burnout Mode
Different dynamics — can't 'take leave' from family. Focuses on micro-restoration.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this prompt and how to get the best results from it.
How do I use the Burnout Recovery Protocol prompt?
Open the prompt page, click 'Copy prompt', paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, and replace the placeholders in curly braces with your real input. The prompt is also launchable directly in each model with one click.
Which AI model works best with Burnout Recovery Protocol?
Claude Sonnet 4.5 or Opus 4. Burnout reasoning requires careful differential + multi-week structuring. Opus-tier ideal.
Can I customize the Burnout Recovery Protocol prompt for my use case?
Yes — every Promptolis Original is designed to be customized. Key levers: Burnout ≠ tired. Burnout = exhaustion + cynicism + reduced efficacy. Name which dimensions are active.; You cannot recover from burnout while fully continuing the behavior that caused it. Something must change.
What does it cost to use this prompt?
The prompt itself is free, MIT-licensed, with no email signup required. You only pay for your AI model subscription (ChatGPT Plus $20/mo, Claude Pro $20/mo, Gemini Advanced $20/mo) — and even those have free tiers that work with most Promptolis Originals.
How is this different from PromptBase or PromptHero?
PromptBase sells prompts in a marketplace ($2-15 each). PromptHero focuses on image-generation prompts. Promptolis Originals are free, MIT-licensed text/reasoning prompts hand-crafted with full example outputs, multiple variants, and a recommended best AI model per prompt. We don't sell anything.
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