Last fall, hurricanes Helene and Milton upended the work lives of mortgage lenders in the Southeast, particularly their operations teams. For weeks at a time, these teams stayed in crisis management mode — holding early-morning meetings, monitoring weather forecasts and Federal Emergency Management Agency reports, pausing mortgage closings during the storms and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
This was a herculean 24/7 effort that carried over into their home lives, too. Whether they were toiling till midnight or throughout the weekend, they still needed to be there for their children. How did they accomplish this? Many of them were already masters of “work-life harmony,” and they drew on all their best practices during these extreme circumstances.
Work-life harmony is different from the traditional concept of work-life balance. With work-life harmony, mortgage leaders find ways to give 100% both at work and at home, even when the unexpected happens. Loving both their professional and their personal roles, they commit to making everything work. They learn how to maximize every hour so they can be their most effective selves. Here are some strategies and tools from their playbooks.
Soul-enriching career
The mortgage profession is filled with individuals who get pulled in because it feeds their soul. For example, mortgage operations are fit perectly for those who enjoy a career that is never static. Constantly evolving regulations and market conditions, new technology implementations and unexpected deadlines keep operations professionals stretching and growing.
And whether they are in operations, underwriting or sales, many professionals simply love helping borrowers achieve the American dream of homeownership. Once people get attached to this profession, they never want to leave. That spurs them to find ways to make work-life harmony a reality.
When mortgage professionals who are also parents find leaders who believe in their potential, then they are even more determined to do it all. That’s especially true when their leaders also encourage them to step out for the most important moments in their children’s lives.
Conversely, when their leaders don’t foster a positive culture, then work/life harmony is much more elusive. According to a Society for Human Resource Management survey from a few years ago, “84 percent of U.S. workers say poorly trained managers create a lot of unnecessary work and stress.”
That stress can siphon away the energy mortgage professionals need to be their best selves. Those who take the time to research a corporate culture before moving to a new company spare themselves that angst, and position themselves for more rewarding work and personal lives.
A colleague shared the story of a mortgage entrepreneur who started a mortgage company to have more time with her adopted daughter. Determined to be fully responsive to every opportunity, she found herself committing to 15 events per week, losing big portions of her weekend and making too little money for all her efforts.
Once she found her true passion — helping veterans achieve home- ownership — she was able to reallocate her time, eliminate meetings and tasks that didn’t support her primary goal, build a seven-figure business and be present for her child. Others can follow her playbook.
Value of routines
It’s hard to overestimate the value of routines when mortgage professionals are juggling work and family life. For example, setting aside one weekend day for housecleaning, meal planning and grocery shopping, and the other for family time has multiple benefits.
It means that a “play day” is truly a family day. It also ensures that family members still feel nurtured, and parents can easily pivot when urgent work matters arise. Being able to offer their children a pre-made, home-cooked dinner when a crisis occurs shortly before they arrive home is very reassuring for parents. It lets them turn full force to the challenge at hand while taking care of their families.
When mortgage professionals are raising children while taking on increasingly demanding roles, an extra pair of hands at home always helps. For today’s parents, artificial intelligence, or AI, is becoming those virtual hands for meal planning, budgeting, party and family vacation planning. AI can also help draft thank you notes, develop math practice activities, and create workout routines. The more parents browse the internet and social media, compare notes with one another, or just experiment with the technology, they will discover more AI applications.
When mortgage professionals work partly or fully from home, setting rules for when children can walk into their office, and when office doors remain closed, is extremely valuable. It helps children learn to respect boundaries and empowers parents to meet deadlines so they can step away for championship games, concerts, or other can’t-miss events.
Expect the unexpected
When people enter the mortgage business, the unexpected is part of the picture. Last-minute closings, unanticipated appraisal issues, or sudden new-business opportunities can turn a routine day into a whirlwind. Successfully managing every twist and turn can be a confidence builder and a motivator to take on even more. When mortgage professionals have this positive outlook, their families feel it, too, and cheer them on.
Scheduled monthly dinners with close friends can be a wonderful release valve and source of fun when pressures do mount. After all, achieving work-life harmony doesn’t shield mortgage professionals from every stressor or feeling of doubt. Friends are irreplaceable as sounding boards or co-adventurers.
Mortgage professionals are incredibly lucky to be part of this industry. Although almost nothing surpasses the joy of a close family, the gratification of helping borrowers is also wonderful. The right strategies for harmonizing the two can lead to an amazing life.
