Burnout isn’t always caused by overwork. While long hours and relentless pressure often play a part, there’s another factor that quietly drains your energy and motivation: values misalignment. If you’re doing work or living in a way that contradicts your deepest values, you’re likely on the path to burnout, even if everything looks fine on the surface.
In this blog, I’ll explore what could be causing burnout, beyond the usual suspects. We’ll look at how misaligned values create stress, what signs to look for, and how coaching and hypnotherapy can help you realign with what truly matters.
Why Values Matter More Than You Think
Your values are the things that give your life meaning. They might include honesty, freedom, connection, creativity, or service to others. These values act as an internal compass, guiding your decisions, shaping your goals, and influencing your overall sense of fulfilment.
But when your day-to-day reality consistently conflicts with those values, it creates friction. You may feel like you’re constantly swimming upstream, making choices that satisfy others but leave you feeling hollow. Over time, that inner tension becomes emotional fatigue, disengagement, and eventually, full-blown burnout.
In fact, research shows that burnout is not just about workload but also about a mismatch between the individual and their environment. The World Health Organisation lists “values conflicts” as a contributing factor to burnout in the workplace.
“professional burnout is the sum total of hundreds and thousands of tiny betrayals of purpose, each one so minute that it hardly attracts notice.” Clinician-ethicist Richard Gunderman wrote in the Atlantic (2014), t.
What Could Be Causing Burnout? Values Misalignment Explained
So what could be causing burnout when your workload hasn’t changed dramatically? Often, it’s the invisible cost of doing things that feel wrong, even if they seem rational. Here are a few examples:
- You value creativity, but your job is highly structured and repetitive.
- You value family time, but your hours bleed into evenings and weekends.
- You value integrity, but your role forces you to stay silent about practices you disagree with.
- You value growth, but feel stuck in a role with no progression.
When your lifestyle or work environment contradicts your core values, your nervous system stays in a low-grade stress state. You may not even notice it at first, just a growing sense of disconnection, irritability, or apathy.
Over time, this can escalate to burnout.
Signs You Might Be Out of Alignment
Values misalignment can be subtle, especially if you’ve been ignoring your needs for a long time. Here are some common signs:
- You feel emotionally disconnected from your work, even if you’re outwardly successful
- You experience chronic guilt, frustration, or dread
- Achievements feel empty, like they’re never “enough”
- Decision-making becomes difficult because nothing feels truly right
- You’ve started fantasising about escaping or starting over
According to a recent report from Mental Health UK, one in five UK adults feels unable to manage the stress in their daily lives, and burnout is rising across all sectors.
Burnout Recovery Starts With Realignment
If values misalignment is what could be causing burnout for you, the good news is that recovery doesn’t always mean quitting your job or uprooting your life. It starts with reconnecting to what matters and making gradual but meaningful changes.
Coaching Can Help You:
- Clarify your core values
- Identify exactly where misalignment is occurring
- Create small, manageable shifts to bring your life back into alignment
- Build sustainable strategies that honour your wellbeing and your goals
Coaching is future-focused and solution-oriented, helping you take empowered steps in the right direction.
Hypnotherapy Can Help You:
- Calm a nervous system that’s stuck in fight-or-flight
- Reframe deep-rooted beliefs such as “I have no choice” or “I must keep everyone happy”
- Reinforce empowering, authentic narratives
- Heal emotional wounds that are fuelling burnout
Together, these approaches address burnout at both the conscious and subconscious level.
How to Start Your Own Burnout Recovery
Burnout recovery isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing differently. Here are a few actions you can take today:
- Reflect on your values. What matters most to you? Where in your life are those values being honoured, and where are they being compromised?
- Set boundaries. Start with just one. Perhaps it’s logging off work on time, saying no to a non-essential task, or carving out quiet time in your week.
- Practice nervous system regulation. This could include breathwork, grounding exercises, or structured techniques like Autogenic Training (see my free YouTube video on Progressive Muscle Relaxation).
- Reach out for support. A coach or hypnotherapist can help you see blind spots and guide you through your personal recovery plan.
What Could Be Causing Burnout Might Also Be the Catalyst for Change
Burnout is not a personal failure. It’s a wake-up call. And when it stems from values misalignment, it can be an incredibly powerful catalyst for change. Realigning with your core values isn’t just about feeling better, it’s about reclaiming a life that feels honest, energising, and fully yours.
If you’re wondering what could be causing burnout in your life, start by asking: Where am I out of sync with myself? Then begin to gently course-correct.
Ready to begin your burnout recovery journey?
Book a free consultation and take the first step toward realignment and renewal.