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Burnout isn’t from hustle culture – it’s from self-betrayal.

It's not the hours on the clock that's draining you, it’s the ache of living a life that isn’t truly yours.

Overwhelm. apathy, loss of interest and joy are signs of burnout, but the cause is not what you might think.
Overwhelm. apathy, loss of interest and joy are signs of burnout, but the cause is not what you might think.

You’ve reached the heights you once dreamed of achieving, the milestones that once seemed distant and impossible. If your younger self could see you now, they’d be in awe. And yet, despite everything you’ve worked for, there’s an underlying emptiness. You should be waking up each day feeling exhilarated, but instead, you feel tired, disconnected, and strangely uninspired.


Maybe the answer isn't as simple as overwork. It could be that you are burnt out. Burnout is often thought of as a result of overworking and not taking adequate rest, but what if it’s not about the hours or the workload at all? What if burnout is the symptom of something deeper, that being, misalignment. Being out of sync with what truly matters to you. What if the cause of burnout isn’t a result of the grind, but the slow erosion of the connection between who you are and what you’re doing? 


This is not to say that overwork and burnout are unrelated, they are. The misconception is in the nuance: overworking is not the direct cause of burnout, it is a symptom and the result of being a deep misalignment with one’s core values and beliefs. As Dr. Jennifer Moss (2021) points out in The Burnout Epidemic, individuals who feel disconnected from their true selves often experience emotional exhaustion, not because of physical or mental exertion, but because their lives are no longer aligned with their intrinsic values. This misalignment is the catalyst for burnout.


The connection between burnout and misalignment

When you feel disconnected from your core values or sense of purpose, it’s easy to throw yourself into work, seeking external validation or trying to fill an inner void. Overworking becomes a way to cope with the anxiety that arises from this misalignment. The drive to work excessively is often an unconscious attempt to manage the discomfort of feeling unfulfilled. In this sense, overwork is a direct consequence of a deeper misalignment, not the root cause of burnout itself.


This aligns with the findings of a 2023 study published in Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, which found that individuals who prioritise intrinsic motivation – doing something because it aligns with their personal values – experience significantly lower levels of burnout, even when working long hours. It turns out, burnout isn’t about how many hours you put in; it's about the internal conflict between what you’re expected to do and what truly resonates with your sense of self.


Why overworking isn’t the real cause of burnout

Truth is, while many of us believe we are living our desired lives, the reality is that it is often someone else’s vision for success we are living. Society, family values, automatic patterns of belief, social pressures, and outdated systems push us towards working in ways that prioritise success over health and wellbeing. This isn’t anything new, yet we still do it. It has become such an engrained belief and conditioned response that if we want X, we need to do Y and Z, and work ourselves to the bone.


But what if that which you are working towards is not actually what the true version of you wants? What if it’s something you think you want based on what you’ve been conditioned to believe?


Over time, your identity, beliefs, and values drift out of sync. What once was a hopeful and passionate pursuit or life goal has since become a toxic grind, where you’ve had to compromise your values and beliefs so many times that you no longer remember what they are, who you are, what you’re working towards, or why. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this is where people often get stuck: chasing external validation without addressing their intrinsic need for self-actualisation (reaching one’s potential). Burnout often emerges precisely when individuals neglect their personal growth and fulfilment in favour of fulfilling external expectations.


Recognising the signs of misalignment and burnout

Signs that you are misaligned, not overworked:

  1. Loss of joy or meaning in your work

  2. Constant fatigue that doesn’t go away, even after rest

  3. Feeling done but unable to explain why

  4. Fantasies of escape or reinvention

  5. Going through the motions, feeling like a shell of your former self

  6. Withdrawal from activities or people you once enjoyed

  7. Apathy or indifference towards things that used to excite you


The root causes of misalignment vary. For some, it’s the result of constantly compromising against your values; for others, it’s because you never truly stopped to ask what you believe and what you stand for. This disconnection, as Dr. Moss argues, leads to burnout. It’s not the number of hours you work; it's the growing gap between your inner truth and your external life.


Burnout can come from work, but also from home life, it is less about overwork and more about misalignment with your true values.
Burnout can come from work, but also from home life, it is less about overwork and more about misalignment with your true values.

How misalignment in your career and life affects your wellbeing

We are never taught to enquire within, to ask ourselves what our true values and beliefs are. From the time we’re children we are encouraged to get a school education, secure a job, find a soulmate, start a family, work hard and eventually retire with enough money to live comfortably. But often, it’s only at retirement, or worse, on our deathbeds, that we stop to assess how we’ve spent our lives, and for many, this is when an existential crisis hits.


Many of us are operating in a constant state of burnout, not just in our jobs but our  family life, friendships, and everything in between. It’s disguised as normal: stress, exhaustion, apathy, going through the motions, keeping up with others. If we could recognise these as signs of burnout, it would be a wake-up call. But most don’t reach that realisation until deep into their careers, after a health scare, or in later years.


Realignment: the path to true fulfillment and reduced burnout

Realignment requires honesty, courage, and space to feel – and many of us avoid feeling. Facing the truth of misalignment is difficult because it forces us to question everything we've been taught about success and happiness. But this is the only path to true fulfilment. Realignment demands the courage to ask yourself: Is this life truly mine?


Burnout is not classified as a medical condition but is recognised as a syndrome under occupational phenomenon by the World Health Organization. This categorisation highlights the medical industry's challenge in addressing it, as its root cause may be more spiritual or existential in nature than purely psychological or physical.


Burnout is a message, not simply a condition. And it’s not saying rest, it’s saying return. It’s an invitation to return to your true self. Return to your core values. Return to the life you are truly meant to live. 


The neuroscience behind aligning values to reduce burnout

Research in neuroscience reveals that the brain’s reward systems are activated when we engage in activities that align with our core values. When our work resonates deeply with our personal beliefs, it leads to higher levels of dopamine and serotonin, the neurotransmitters associated with happiness and contentment. In contrast, misalignment triggers cortisol, the stress hormone, which leads to emotional depletion and burnout.


The pause: rebalancing your mind and body to prevent burnout

Finally, research by Saskovets et al (2023) explores how sound therapy, including sound baths and binaural beats, helps reduce stress and burnout. Techniques like these, coupled with a sacred pause, are scientifically supported methods for rebalancing the body and mind.


Extend your life expectancy by addressing burnout 

Addressing burnout isn’t just about improving your life, it’s also about extending it. A 2023 study by the International Journal of Educational Research linked chronic burnout with a shorter life expectancy, citing that constant stress and misalignment with one’s values significantly affects health over time, including cardiovascular health and immune system function.


If you’ve found yourself reflecting on the deeper aspects of burnout and its connection to misalignment, you might be interested in an upcoming opportunity to explore this further. I am hosting The Executive Reset, a one-day urban retreat in Melbourne, designed to help individuals step away from the distractions of daily life and realign. This retreat isn’t about simply managing burnout, it’s about returning to your authentic self. It’s a space to reconnect with your core values, rediscover your sense of purpose, and leave with an actionable plan for living with greater alignment and fulfillment. Take the time to realign, recharge, and redefine your path. 


How to navigate life transitions without losing yourself

Burnout isn’t limited to overwork, it can also arise during times of major life transitions. As we shift through different stages, new roles, and evolving responsibilities, misalignment becomes more apparent. But how do you navigate these transitions without losing sight of who you truly are? What if embracing change, rather than resisting it, is the key to preventing burnout? These are questions I’ll explore further in my upcoming article and retreat. Until then, consider: How aligned are you with your life’s evolving journey, and where might you be living out of sync? Stay tuned!


References:

  1. Moss, J. (2021). The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It.

  2. Good, D. J., Hughes, D. D., & D'Angelo, R. G. (2020). A self-determination theory-based meta-analysis on the differential effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on salesperson performance. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(6), 1140–1160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-021-00827-6

  3. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://archive.org/details/Maslow_A_H_-_A_Theory_of_Human_Motivation?

  4. Brain First Institute. (2023, June 15). Aligning with values: The neuroscience of values-based actions. Brain First Institute. https://www.brainfirstinstitute.com/blog/aligning-with-values-the-neuroscience-of-values-based-actions

  5. Saskovets, M., Liang, Z., Piumarta, I., & Saponkova, I. (2023). Effects of sound interventions on the mental stress response in adults: Protocol for a scoping review. PubMed Central. https://doi.org/10.1136/jclin.2023.38935945

  6. Madigan, D. J., Kim, L. E., Glandorf, H. L., & Kavanagh, O. (2023). Teacher burnout and physical health: A systematic review. International Journal of Educational Research, 119, Article 102173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2023.102173




This article is authored by Nicole Sultana, who holds a Post Graduate Degree in Spiritual Care, a Post Graduate Certificate in Business (Marketing), and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sports & Exercise. In addition, she is a Certified Therapeutic Sound Practitioner and a Death Doula. Nicole is the founder of Sound Consciousness, a company that offers wellbeing strategies and therapeutic sound practices to help individuals achieve peak performance in their professional lives, sporting endeavours, relationships, and personal aspirations.


If you found this article meaningful, leave a comment and share it with someone else who may benefit. Sharing our experiences helps us all learn, grow, and heal together. We welcome lively discussions, as they contribute to our multifaceted humanity. Let's remember to approach discussions with respect and kindness at heart.

 
 
 

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