Returning to our true values at work
Twelve years ago, I walked away from a well-paid role in the City of London where I ran a design and publishing team. On paper, it look great, a design degree put to use, a leadership role, generous bonuses, an enviable pension, glamorous Christmas parties and luxury away days. I enjoyed the creativity, the buzz of leading a team, and I built lasting connections.
But beneath the surface, something was wrong. The job looked perfect, yet it left me feeling constrained, out of step with my own values, and slowly starved of purpose. With each promotion and pay rise, the misalignment grew sharper. I felt trapped.
The toll was heavy with anxiety, low mood, symptoms of depression and eventually complete exhaustion. Rest helped, but what I truly needed was realignment, a way to reconnect with my values and rediscover my enthusiasm.
So what did I do? I went on a silent meditation retreat in India for two weeks, giving myself space to sit with my feelings and reconnect with what mattered to me. When I flew back to London, I handed in my notice the very next day. Extreme, perhaps, but it was what I needed.
Why am I telling you this? Because misalignment of our values can cause burnout and serious mental health challenges.
What is misalignment burnout?
In the UK, burnout is widespread. Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report 2025 found that 91% of adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year, with younger workers the most affected (Mental Health UK, 2025). While workload is often blamed, research shows that misalignment can be just as damaging.
Misalignment burnout happens when the work we do no longer matches who we are. When our daily activities clash with our values and beliefs, we start to feel a profound disconnect between our professional identity and our true self.
A white paper by Workplace Options highlights values misalignment as one of the core drivers of burnout, alongside lack of belonging and unfairness (Workplace Options, 2023). Research in UK clinical settings also shows that employees thrive when their work feels meaningful, autonomous and aligned with their values (BMC Health Services Research, 2024). The message is clear: burnout isn’t only about doing too much, it’s about the cost of doing work that feels out of sync with who we are.
Instead of being guided by intrinsic motivation of curiosity, creativity and purpose, we become driven by external rewards such as salary, reputation, or the need to meet others’ expectations. At first, it may feel like a reasonable trade-off. But over time, the cost is steep, as I found. A slow erosion of energy, meaning and fulfilment.
I would go as far as to say misalignment was more corrosive in the long term for me than how we traditionally think about burnout of unmanageable pressures, lack of autonomy and poor working relationships.
How misalignment burnout shows up
It’s not about doing too much. It’s about doing the wrong things or doing the right things in the wrong environment.
Examples include:
A people-centred leader in an organisation that rewards only financial results.
A values-driven professional asked to cut ethical corners.
An introvert whose role demands constant networking and social performance.
A creative thinker stuck in a rigid, box-ticking culture.
Even if you’re “successful” on paper, the disconnect is exhausting. Misalignment eats away at motivation, leaving you cynical, detached and doubting your own abilities. Research published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology found that when employees feel they fit with their role and organisation, burnout rates fall sharply (Bakker et al., 2015). Fit really does matter.
The toll on wellbeing and performance
Misalignment burnout impacts more than job satisfaction. It ripples across every area of life:
Mental health: prolonged inner conflict can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, even panic attacks.
Physical health: chronic stress compromises the immune system and fuels fatigue, headaches and other health issues.
Work performance: creativity and problem-solving suffer, productivity drops, absenteeism rises, and collaboration weakens.
In other words: when we’re out of sync at work, we can’t simply “leave it at the office”. Misalignment follows us home.
Imposter syndrome and misalignment
When misalignment combines with imposter syndrome (feeling like you’re not as good as others think you are), the effect can be devastating. Instead of recognising that the environment is a poor fit, many people blame themselves: “Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m not good enough for this role.”
That self-doubt deepens the cycle of exhaustion, disconnection and diminished confidence.
For a more in depth understanding of imposter syndrome and work click here:
But there is hope
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle
Recovering from misalignment burnout doesn’t always mean going on a two-week silent meditation retreat in India or handing in your notice, like I did. Sometimes it does, but often it’s about finding ways to bring your work back into alignment with your values.
Here are some starting points:
Unplug and reconnect with yourself. Step back and reflect. What are your non-negotiable values? Where are you currently compromising? Even simple self-care like sleep, nutrition and rest can help you reset and reconnect.
Embrace your nature and purpose. Be ruthlessly honest about where you are now, where you want to be, and what choices will get you there. Ask yourself: What energises me? What drains me?
Seek micro-alignments. Even if you can’t change your role overnight, you can shift how you approach tasks or projects to bring them closer to your values. Small changes compound.
Focus on your circle of control. As Stephen Covey wrote, we feel more empowered when we direct energy to what we can influence, rather than battling what we cannot (Covey, 1989).
Practice mindfulness. As Dr Rick Hanson puts it, “You’re not stuck with the brain you were born with.” Mindfulness strengthens our ability to notice, pause and choose responses aligned with our deeper selves (Hanson, 2009).
Burnout isn’t always about the hours we work, autonomy or relationships. Sometimes it’s about the distance between our true selves and the work we’re doing.
Realigning doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with awareness, with honesty, and with small acts of courage. But each baby step towards alignment brings us closer to energy, fulfilment and purpose.