Ever heard of inauthenticity burnout?
Well, I hadn’t either until I experienced it myself and then made up a name for it because I couldn't find information about it anywhere else.
In today's fast-paced corporate world, burnout is a familiar concept. We often associate it with being overworked.
However, you could be experiencing a different type of burnout right now without even knowing it.
In 2019, I experienced burnout so bad that it forced me to leave my job abruptly with little to no plan. But the thing is, I was not overworked...
Little did I know at the time, I was experiencing inauthenticity burnout.
Inauthenticity burnout stems from presenting a facade of who you're not in the workplace.
When you're constantly forced to engage in tasks that don't align with your strengths, interests, personality, or values, it leads to a sense of disconnection from oneself and a decline in confidence.
It makes you think: "Is there something wrong with me? Why does this feel so hard?"
For instance, being asked to deliver an impromptu presentation to a senior director on a topic outside your expertise. For some, this could be an exciting challenge but for someone who is a planner and structured thinker, this could feel like hell on earth.
Another example could be being compelled to engage in activities that contradict your morals and values, such as deceit, manipulation or fakeness, can exacerbate feelings of inauthenticity.
While it's important to step out of your comfort zone and develop baseline skills in different areas, repeatedly engaging in tasks that don't resonate with your authentic self can take a toll.
Many individuals, particularly those early in their careers, may have a vague understanding of their natural strengths and personality types. Consequently, they may pursue roles or opportunities without considering whether it is the right thing to do for them.
The truth is that in today's corporate world, there is still little guidance for employees to understand how to thrive at work in a way that is authentic to them. Casual discussions with managers on goals or generic personal development exercises don’t exactly cut it.
Authenticity isn't just a buzzword - it's the key to unlocking fulfilment and well-being in the workplace.
Companies must foster a culture that not only values diversity but also equips employees with the tools and support to embrace their true selves - even if that means facing the hard reality that their current job/firm isn’t the right fit.
Professional success is not binary. It is easy to think that if you are not doing the things that 'successful' people you know are doing, you won't be successful.
The truth is you can only be truly successful (without burnout) when you learn to embrace and follow the path that is truly aligned with who you uniquely are.
