Cognitive Debt Assessment 🧠

Measure the hidden mental costs of corporate burnout

Just like technical debt slows down software, cognitive debt accumulates when workplace stress overwhelms your mental capacity. This assessment reveals the hidden costs: decreased creativity, decision fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and the compound interest of burnout.

🌟 Features

• 🧩 Multi-Dimensional Assessment: Cognitive load, emotional debt, creative depletion
• 📊 Burnout Scoring: Scientific metrics with actionable insights
• 🎯 Recovery Pathways: Personalized strategies for cognitive restoration
• 📈 Progress Tracking: Monitor your mental health over time
• 🔒 100% Private: All data stays in your browser
• 🎨 Thoughtful UX: Gentle, non-judgmental interface design

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

npm install @thegreenfieldoverride/cognitive-debt-assessment

React Component

import { CognitiveDebtAssessment } from '@thegreenfieldoverride/cognitive-debt-assessment/react';

function MyApp() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Check Your Mental Load</h1>
      <CognitiveDebtAssessment />
    </div>
  );
}

Vanilla JavaScript

<div id="cognitive-assessment"></div>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/@thegreenfieldoverride/cognitive-debt-assessment/vanilla"></script>
<script>
  new VanillaCognitiveAssessment({
    containerId: 'cognitive-assessment'
  });
</script>

Core Logic Only

import { assessCognitiveDebt } from '@thegreenfieldoverride/cognitive-debt-assessment/core';

const result = assessCognitiveDebt({
  cognitiveLoad: {
    mentalFatigue: 8,        // 1-10 scale
    decisionFatigue: 9,
    informationOverload: 7,
    multitaskingStrain: 8
  },
  emotionalDebt: {
    workStress: 9,
    interpersonalStrain: 6,
    imposterSyndrome: 7,
    workLifeBlur: 8
  },
  creativeDepletion: {
    problemSolvingEnergy: 3,  // 1-10 (inverted - lower is worse)
    innovationCapacity: 2,
    curiosityLevel: 4,
    learningMotivation: 3
  },
  physicalImpact: {
    sleepQuality: 4,
    energyLevels: 3,
    tensionHeadaches: 7,
    digestiveIssues: 6
  }
});

console.log(result.overallScore);     // "Severe Cognitive Debt (74/100)"
console.log(result.primaryConcerns);  // ["Decision Fatigue", "Creative Depletion"]
console.log(result.recoveryPlan);     // Personalized action steps

🔧 Assessment Dimensions

1. Cognitive Load

• Mental Fatigue: How mentally exhausted you feel
• Decision Fatigue: Difficulty making choices, even small ones
• Information Overload: Struggling to process incoming information
• Multitasking Strain: Cost of constant context switching

2. Emotional Debt

• Work Stress: Anxiety, pressure, overwhelm from job demands
• Interpersonal Strain: Draining interactions, office politics
• Imposter Syndrome: Self-doubt, feeling like a fraud
• Work-Life Blur: Inability to disconnect from work mentally

3. Creative Depletion

• Problem-Solving Energy: Capacity for complex thinking
• Innovation Capacity: Ability to generate new ideas
• Curiosity Level: Interest in learning and exploring
• Learning Motivation: Drive to grow and develop skills

4. Physical Impact

• Sleep Quality: Rest affected by work stress
• Energy Levels: Physical vitality and stamina
• Tension Symptoms: Headaches, neck pain, eye strain
• Digestive Health: Stress impact on eating and digestion

📊 Scoring & Interpretation

Cognitive Debt Levels

• 0-25: Optimal cognitive health
• 26-50: Manageable cognitive load
• 51-75: Concerning cognitive debt
• 76-100: Severe cognitive debt requiring intervention

Sample Results

{
  overallScore: 68,
  level: "Concerning Cognitive Debt",
  breakdown: {
    cognitiveLoad: 82,     // Critical
    emotionalDebt: 71,     // High  
    creativeDepletion: 45, // Moderate
    physicalImpact: 73     // High
  },
  primaryConcerns: [
    "Decision Fatigue",
    "Work-Life Boundary Erosion",
    "Sleep Disruption"
  ],
  recoveryPlan: [
    "Implement decision batching techniques",
    "Establish hard work cutoff times", 
    "Practice cognitive restoration exercises"
  ]
}

🛠️ Recovery Strategies

Immediate Relief (0-7 days)

• Cognitive Breaks: 5-minute mental resets every hour
• Decision Batching: Group similar decisions together
• Information Diet: Reduce news/social media consumption

Short-term Recovery (1-4 weeks)

• Boundary Setting: Clear work start/stop times
• Stress Reduction: Meditation, exercise, nature exposure
• Sleep Hygiene: Consistent sleep schedule and environment

Long-term Restoration (1-6 months)

• Role Redesign: Negotiate workload and responsibilities
• Skill Development: Learn stress management and productivity techniques
• Career Planning: Consider role changes or career transitions

🎯 Use Cases

• Personal Awareness: Understand your current mental state
• Team Health: Assess collective cognitive debt (anonymized)
• Role Evaluation: Is this job sustainable long-term?
• Recovery Planning: Track progress in cognitive restoration
• Prevention: Early warning system for burnout

🔬 Scientific Basis

This assessment is based on research in:

• Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988)
• Decision Fatigue (Baumeister et al., 1998)
• Burnout Research (Maslach & Leiter, 2016)
• Stress & Cognition (Lupien et al., 2009)
• Creative Cognition (Beaty et al., 2016)

🤝 Contributing

Mental health tools require extra care and sensitivity:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Test thoroughly (this affects people's wellbeing)
4. Ensure non-judgmental, supportive language
5. Submit a pull request

⚠️ Important Note

This tool is for educational and self-awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health assessment or treatment. If you're experiencing severe burnout or mental health concerns, please consult with a healthcare professional.

📄 License

Licensed under Liberation License v1.0 - ensuring these tools serve human liberation, not corporate exploitation.

"Your mind is not a machine. It needs rest, not more productivity hacks."