Less Expected Causes of Burnout… and How to Realign.
Burnout & Values Misalignment
Burnout isn’t just about long hours or heavy workloads, it’s also about the psychological and emotional meaning of the work. If the environment, culture, or tasks conflict with your personal values, it can create chronic stress that can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced sense of accomplishment.
When your daily work clashes with what truly matters to you, stress builds up. It’s like swimming against the current, exhausting and unsustainable.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy teaches us that values are compass points. These values can help guide you toward the life you want to live.
Common ways conflicting values can create burnout:
Authenticity: Having to act in ways that go against this value of authenticity (e.g., pressured to cut corners, upsell unnecessarily, or prioritise profit over people).
Purpose: If the organisation’s goals don’t align with what feels meaningful to you, the work can feel empty and draining.
Kindness: For individuals who value kindness, working in an environment that upholds empathy and respect is important for to maintaining well-being.
Connection: For example, if you value family time but your workplace rewards constant availability, the conflict creates stress.
Flexibility: Too little autonomy or decision-making power. Feeling micromanaged or powerless increases stress.
Reward: Lack of recognition (financial, social, or intrinsic). When effort isn’t acknowledged, motivation fades.
Community: Poor relationships at work, social isolation, or toxic team dynamics. Supportive communities buffer stress, while conflict worsens it.
Fairness: Perceptions of inequity, bias, or favouritism in promotions, pay, or workload distribution. Injustice breeds cynicism.
When your surroundings and responsibilities reflect what truly matters to you, it supports mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall well-being. By identifying core values and integrating them into daily life, clients can create environments that foster growth, resilience, and a deeper sense of fulfilment.
Check ins:
What are some of your values?
Where might there be a misalignment in your work or personal life?
What small changes could you make to bring you closer to what matters?
Resources:
Read More on Your Values: https://www.actmindfully.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Values_Checklist_-_Russ_Harris.pdf
Understanding The 6 Stages of Burnout (Maslach): https://cliniclesalpes.com/blog/what-are-the-6-stages-of-burnout/
Caraiosa De Burca
Registered Psychologist