Why mortgage leaders need prevention, not just recovery, to avoid burnout
In high-performance environments like mortgage lending, pushing through stress is often seen as a badge of honour. But that same mindset is driving many top performers into burnout – especially those who care deeply about their work.
“This is something that a lot of leaders experience,” said Dr. Samra Zafar, keynote speaker at last week’s Women in Mortgage Summit Canada. “People who are driven, successful, and ambitious… pride themselves on their strength, on their ability to perform.”
That pride, she warned, becomes a liability when stress escalates from manageable to toxic. “Stress can be healthy in small doses. It can help you perform better,” she said. “The problem happens when stress becomes chronic. It turns into distress, and that’s where it becomes unhealthy – more than we can handle. Most people don’t know when they’ve crossed that line.”
Why mortgage professionals are especially vulnerable
The mortgage industry breeds burnout. Fast-paced, competitive, and constantly shifting, it demands immediate responsiveness and nonstop output. Dr. Zafar knows the toll first-hand.
“I’ve personally experienced burnout more than once,” she said. “Going from one project to another, one speech to another, one training to another – that constant speed catches up with you.”
One of the most harmful myths, she added, is that loving your job protects you from burning out. “That’s actually when you’re more susceptible,” she said. “You pour more emotional energy into your work, you tie your self-worth to performance – and when you don’t perform, you feel guilt.”
Dr. Zafar offered her own experience as a physician: “I want to be the best I can for my patients. When I don’t do as well, I feel more guilt. I feel like I can’t take time off because it wouldn’t be fair to them.”
What burnout does to the brain
The physiological effects of burnout go far beyond fatigue. “High levels of stress destroy neurons in the brain,” Dr. Zafar said. “Cortisol shrinks the brain’s memory centre. It sharpens sensory awareness but dulls rational thinking.”
She explained how the emotional brain – the limbic system – normally gives way to the rational brain. “When we’re at optimal performance, our rational brain is in the driver’s seat of our decision-making. But under prolonged and chronic stress, the rational brain starts shutting down. We stay stuck in fight-or-flight responses.”
That emotional hijacking makes leaders not just slower, but weak decision-makers. And contrary to popular belief, recovery isn’t a weekend away.
“No amount of spa days will fix burnout,” she said. “You can’t spa your way out of burnout.”
Proactive care, not reactive rescue
The key, Dr. Zafar emphasised, is prevention. “It’s important to be proactive about burnout – not reactive,” she said. “Think of self-care like a vaccine. It doesn’t mean you won’t get sick, but if you do, the symptoms are less severe.”
What that looks like varies by person. “Self-care is individual,” she said. “But it includes things like asking for help, setting boundaries, being able to say no, taking guilt-free time off, and even forgiving yourself for mistakes.”
Dr. Zafar encouraged leaders to identify not just their stress triggers but their “glimmers” – moments that spark joy. “For me, it’s cooking with my family. When I travel and can’t do that, I make time before or after the trip.”
Her final message is clear: treat mental health like dental health. “You wouldn’t wait for a tooth to fall out before brushing and flossing,” she said. “So don’t wait for burnout before taking care of your mental health.”
Even 10 minutes a day of joy or solitude, she noted, can build the reserves needed not just to perform – but to thrive.
