A 2023 survey reported that 59% of Americans are experiencing burnout, of which 71% are Gen Z and 65% are millennials. An alarming segment of youth is going through burnout—a state of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress.
Several things can cause burnout, including a colossal workload, unrealistic expectations and poor work-life balance. However, one cause that’s often overlooked is being in a prolonged state of misalignment.
Misalignment burnout happens when we constantly engage with environments and in activities that go against our innermost values and beliefs, leading to a disconnect between our true selves and professional identity. Our behavior may be driven by external rewards such as money, reputation and the need to live up to others’ expectations instead of intrinsic motivation and inner harmony between who we are and what we are doing.
Although we may initially rationalize these actions for short-term success, they can compromise our long-term goals and personal fulfillment overtime. This gradual shift can cause us to lose sight of why we chose our career path and lead to feelings of dissonance, emotional exhaustion and, inevitably, burnout.
How Misalignment Burnout Impacts Our Well-Being
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology found that when employees feel like they fit well with their organization and their specific role, they’re less likely to experience burnout.
Misalignment burnout is characterized by a conflict between personal values and organizational culture, and an individual’s personality and job demands. For instance, if you are an introvert but your job requires you to network, onboard and build customer relationships, you may experience long-term fatigue. Misalignment burnout can creep into and negatively affect multiple aspects of our lives:
- Mental health. Burnout can lead to depersonalization, where individuals become cynical and detached from their jobs. They also experience a loss of self-efficacy, characterized by feelings of ineffectiveness and a lack of accomplishment. This inner conflict can cause stress, anxiety, depression and panic attacks.
- Physical health. Prolonged stress and mental health issues can also affect physical health by compromising our immune system and causing symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, infections and gastrointestinal problems in the long term.
- Work performance. Misalignment burnout decreases organizational performance by reducing productivity, increasing absenteeism and turnover, diminishing creativity and problem-solving skills and adversely affecting team dynamics and collaboration. It also negatively influences work and personal relationships, decreasing job and life satisfaction.
Achieving true alignment requires intrinsic motivation and self-awareness. Here are two ways you can realign your work with your purpose:
1. Unplug And Reconnect With Yourself
The first step to recovering from misalignment burnout is acceptance—acknowledging that you are struggling and need help. Seek support from your loved ones and professionals. By nurturing yourself, you can begin the journey towards realignment and rediscover fulfillment in your personal and professional life.
Make your mental and physical health a priority. Take some time off from work and spend it getting reacquainted with yourself. To get back to your optimal state of being, practice self-care, which includes getting enough sleep, following a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise. It is the simple things that make a world difference.
Practice self-compassion through meditation and journaling. Be kind, and don’t blame yourself for the current circumstances. Reconnect with your inner self, be truthful and release all expectations for your life and career. We can redefine our lives and priorities by letting go and keeping our thoughts grounded.
2. Embrace Your Nature And Purpose
Take some time to reflect on what matters to you the most and align your behavior with your values. A lot of us go through life without a clear roadmap or a destination, feeling helpless and focusing on surviving each day with a vague goal of being happy and stable. However, we have no idea what happiness and stability mean to us.
Defining your priorities and replacing helplessness with clarity can help you identify a map to your purpose and passion. Here are three questions to ask yourself:
- Where are you currently? Be ruthlessly honest with yourself. Determine your current status physically, emotionally, financially, and relationship-wise. Crunch the numbers wherever possible and be as detailed as you can.
- Where do you want to be? Allow yourself to dream and imagine your life at its highest level of success. Setting goals is the key difference between those who live life with a purpose and those who do not.
- What choices do you need to make? To achieve your goals, you must make sacrifices that match your objectives. Plan the habits and behaviors that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. Then, break them down into small, daily steps and stick to them. You will realize soon enough that being successful through alignment is not only possible, but also much more satisfying and fulfilling than achieving goals that do not mean anything to you.
Armed with self-awareness and a drive to align your thoughts and beliefs with your actions, you are poised to reach new heights in your professional life. Alignment helps you hone your intuition and enhance your sense of purpose so you can live your life with intentionality and confidence.
Do you feel as if you’re living a life you don’t deserve? Take the Impostor Syndrome Scale to learn more.
