At Capacity

Burnout has become a common experience, especially among college students who are constantly balancing academic pressure, work, social expectations, and personal goals. Unlike short-term stress, burnout builds gradually and often goes unnoticed until it becomes overwhelming. This project explores that idea by turning mental and emotional load into something visible and interactive. At Capacity is an interactive visualization that represents the body as a kind of battery. Users can add different stressors, such as schoolwork, work, social obligations, or internal expectations, and watch how these pressures accumulate. As stress increases, the body begins to “drain,” shifting from green to red and visually signaling a loss of energy and balance. Stressors appear as floating elements that move toward the body, reinforcing the feeling of pressure building over time. The project also emphasizes recovery. Instead of simply removing stress, users must actively choose actions like resting, spending time with others, or engaging in hobbies. These actions gradually restore energy, highlighting that recovery is not automatic, it requires intention and effort. This project is not meant to solve burnout, but to make it visible. By combining a more literal body-based visualization with interactive elements, it encourages users to reflect on how much they are taking on and whether they are allowing themselves time to recharge. The goal is to create a small moment of awareness: to recognize personal limits and rethink how we balance productivity with well-being.