mental-reset-suite

Two-module mental health protocol covering burnout recovery and sleep overhaul. Module A: structured burnout recovery using the Maslach framework — identify your stage, install boundaries, rebuild energy. Module B: evidence-based sleep improvement in 14 days — sleep anchoring, wind-down rituals, caffeine timing, environment. Use when someone is burned out, exhausted, can't sleep, or needs a complete mental reset.

# Mental Reset Suite

Two linked protocols for the two most common mental health problems in post-white-collar survival: burnout and broken sleep. They feed each other — burnout destroys sleep, broken sleep accelerates burnout. Fix them together.

Module A is the flagship burnout protocol based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory framework. Module B is the evidence-based sleep overhaul. Both include agent-driven assessments, tracking, and automation triggers.

## Sources & Verification

**Burnout:**
- Maslach Burnout Inventory: Maslach, C. & Jackson, S.E., *Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual*, 4th ed., Mind Garden, 2016
- Three dimensions of burnout: Maslach, C. & Leiter, M.P., *The Truth About Burnout*, Jossey-Bass, 1997
- Exercise as burnout intervention: Gerber et al., *BMC Research Notes*, 2013 ([DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-78](https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-6-78))
- Lack of control as burnout predictor: Karasek, R., *Administrative Science Quarterly*, 1979
- Burnout and depression comorbidity: Bianchi et al., *Clinical Psychology Review*, 2015
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: [988lifeline.org](https://988lifeline.org/) — verified active March 2026
- Open Path Collective: [openpathcollective.org](https://openpathcollective.org) — verified active March 2026
- NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI — verified active March 2026

**Sleep:**
- Walker, M., *Why We Sleep*, Scribner, 2017
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Insomnia. aasm.org
- Edinger et al., "CBT for adults with insomnia," *Sleep*, 2021 ([DOI: 10.5664/jsl.8558](https://doi.org/10.5664/jsl.8558)) — CBT-I outperforms sleep medication long-term
- Czeisler, C.A., "Duration, timing and quality of sleep," *Sleep Health*, 2015 — consistent wake time as the strongest single lever
- Chang et al., "Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep," *PNAS*, 2015 ([DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1418490112](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1418490112)) — blue light suppresses melatonin
- Drake et al., "Caffeine effects on sleep," *Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine*, 2013 — caffeine 6 hours before bed cuts sleep by 1 hour
- National Sleep Foundation: sleepfoundation.org — verified active March 2026
- Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (CBT-I providers): behavioralsleep.org

## When to Use

**Module A (Burnout) — use when:**
- User says they're burned out, exhausted, or "running on empty"
- Can't stop thinking about work at night
- Feels cynical, detached, or like nothing they do matters
- Dreads Monday starting from Sunday morning
- Physical symptoms: insomnia, headaches, constant fatigue

**Module B (Sleep) — use when:**
- Takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep most nights
- Wakes multiple times during the night
- Wakes feeling unrefreshed even after 7-8 hours
- Relies on caffeine or willpower to function in the morning
- Wants to reduce reliance on melatonin, alcohol, or sleep aids
- Experiencing regular Sunday-night insomnia

**Both together — use when:**
- Burnout and sleep problems are clearly feeding each other
- User has tried one protocol and hasn't improved
- Starting fresh after a major breakdown or health crisis

---

# MODULE A: BURNOUT RECOVERY

## Instructions

### Step 1: Identify burnout stage

**Agent action**: Administer the assessment interactively — ask each question one at a time, record the score, and calculate totals. Store the scores and burnout stage in agent state.

```
BURNOUT ASSESSMENT (answer 1=never to 5=every day)

EXHAUSTION:
[ ] I feel emotionally drained by my work
[ ] I feel used up at the end of the day
[ ] I dread getting up to face another day
[ ] Working all day is really a strain

CYNICISM:
[ ] I've become more callous toward people since this job
[ ] I don't really care what happens to some people I work with
[ ] I feel like I'm just going through the motions
[ ] I doubt the significance of my work

INEFFICACY:
[ ] I can't deal with problems effectively anymore
[ ] I feel I'm not making a difference
[ ] I've accomplished less than I used to
[ ] I don't feel excited about my achievements

SCORING:
- 12-24: Mild burnout — prevention stage. Focus on boundaries.
- 25-40: Moderate burnout — active recovery needed.
- 41-60: Severe burnout — consider medical leave, therapy, or major life change.
```

### Step 2: Emergency stabilization (Week 1)

Do NOT try to fix everything at once. This week is about stopping the bleeding.

**Agent action**: Set daily evening reminders for the screen cutoff time. Create a "Week 1 Priorities" note with only the user's top 3 must-do items. Schedule a check-in for end of Week 1.

**Sleep protocol:**
- Set a hard stop on screens at 10pm
- No work email after 7pm — delete the app from your phone if you have to
- If you can't sleep, write down every thought for 10 minutes, then close the notebook

**The "absolute minimum" exercise:**
- Identify the 3 things at work that MUST happen this week
- Everything else gets pushed, delegated, or dropped
- Write this and tape it to your monitor: "Good enough is good enough this week."

**One recovery activity per day:**
- Walk outside for 20 minutes (slow walk, not a power walk)
- Call one person you actually like talking to
- Do one thing that has nothing to do with productivity

### Step 3: Boundary installation (Weeks 2-3)

**Agent action**: Help the user customize each script below with their specific names, times, and situations. Save customized scripts to `~/documents/burnout-recovery/boundary-scripts.txt`. Track which boundaries have been set and enforced.

```
BOUNDARY SCRIPTS — copy and use as needed

DECLINING EXTRA WORK:
"I want to do a good job on what I already have. If I take this on,
something else will suffer. Can we talk about what to deprioritize?"

PROTECTING OFF-HOURS:
"I'm offline after [time]. If it's genuinely urgent, text me.
Otherwise I'll see it tomorrow morning."

SAYING NO TO MEETINGS:
"Can I get the summary notes instead? I want to protect my focus
time so I can deliver [specific thing] on time."

PUSHING BACK ON SCOPE:
"I can do A or B this week, not both. Which one matters more?"
```

### Step 4: Energy audit (Week 3-4)

Track every activity for one work week. Mark each as:
- **E** = Energizing (you feel better after)
- **N** = Neutral
- **D** = Draining (you feel worse after)

**Agent action**: Send a daily prompt at end of workday asking the user to rate their activities. Compile the week's data. Identify the top 3 drains and top 3 energizers.

```
ENERGY AUDIT TEMPLATE

PATTERNS TO IDENTIFY:
-> Which tasks drain you most? Can any be delegated?
-> Which people drain you most? Can you reduce contact?
-> When is your best energy? Protect those hours.
-> What energizes you that you've stopped doing?
```

### Step 5: Rebuild meaning (Month 2+)

**Agent action**: Guide the user through these reflection questions over several sessions. Record their answers and surface them during low moments.

Ask yourself:
1. "If money weren't an issue, what would I still want to do?"
2. "What was I doing the last time I felt genuinely proud of my work?"
3. "What part of my work actually helps someone?"

The goal isn't to love every minute. It's to have enough meaning to offset the hard parts.

### Step 6: Decide if the situation can change

After 4-6 weeks of active recovery, ask honestly:
- Are the conditions that caused burnout fixable?
- Is the organization willing to change?
- Have your boundaries been respected?

If no on 2+ of those: this isn't a recovery problem, it's an environment problem. Start planning your exit. See the layoff-72-hours and career-reinvention skills.

## Burnout: If This Fails

1. **Symptoms worsening after 4-6 weeks**: Burnout can coexist with clinical depression. Contact your primary care doctor. Many employers offer free EAP sessions — ask HR.
2. **Can't afford therapy**: Open Path Collective (openpathcollective.org) offers sessions for $30-80. NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI for free peer support.
3. **Boundaries not respe