Under Pressure: The Mental Health Toll of Mortgage Compliance Stress
- Raymond Snytsheuvel
- Oct 9
- 6 min read
Sure, the mortgage industry is inherently stressful, but mortgage compliance stress is often unseen. In honor of World Mental Health Day (October 10), I decided to take the risk and talk about it.
Compliance professionals are trained to catch everything, anticipate risk, and stop problems before they impact the business. But behind the calm, capable exterior is often a different reality: Quiet vigilance. Constant pressure. The sinking feeling that doing your best still might not be enough.
I’ve had more than a few conversations lately that confirm what we all know but rarely say out loud: this job takes a toll, and it’s lonely. Let’s talk about why that stress is different—and why it’s not just part of the job. It’s becoming the job.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why Compliance Is Different
One compliance professional described it like this:
“When things go wrong, we’re in the crosshairs. When they go right, no one notices.”
Unlike sales or operations, where performance is tracked through clear metrics, success in compliance is often unseen—measured only by what doesn’t go wrong.
That makes it difficult to feel valued. You’re doing work that’s critical but hard to quantify. And in an industry where mistakes can mean seven-figure fines, reputational damage, or even job loss, the mental pressure can be immense.
What Compliance Stress Really Feels Like
Compliance isn’t just detail-heavy. It’s detail-drowning.
From loan-level accuracy to big-picture risk strategy, it feels like you’re juggling a thousand tasks with little room to pause. Add in manual systems or unclear rules, and it’s easy to feel like you’re always one missed detail away from disaster.
Plus:
You’re working under constant deadlines.
You’re expected to interpret complex laws, often without clear guidance.
You’re facing pressure from sales and leadership who may not fully understand the risks.
You’re solving problems the business doesn’t always know it has.
And over time, decision fatigue sets in. Burnout becomes a feature, not a bug.
“Sometimes you have to pull back the compliance lens and be okay with a little blur. But that goes against every instinct we have.”
It’s Not Just the Law You Fear
The fear that keeps people up at night isn’t always about regulations. It’s the fear of being wrong. Of missing something. Of losing your job or damaging your reputation—even when you think you did everything right.
“Credibility is really the only thing I bring to the table. If that is compromised, I lose my value to the company.”
Especially now, as federal enforcement becomes less predictable and state-level oversight increases, that fear only grows. You’re managing reputational risk and legal exposure in real time.
One officer put it like this:
“When I finally left my last job, the stress lifted overnight. But I still worried about what I left behind. That’s the job—it stays with you.”
The Burnout Loop
Compliance work is never done.
As soon as you finish one exam prep, a disclosure review pops up. Or a new state regulation. Or a vendor audit. You’re constantly shifting from one fire to the next with little time to breathe, reflect, or even recover.
If we continue to treat burnout as a badge of honor, we’ll lose the very people who protect the business.
Plus, this workforce is aging. If we don't start addressing the mental load now, can the next generation carry the same weight and still maintain the standards that protect the business?
6 Hard-Earned Tips for Managing Mortgage Compliance Stress
So, let’s shift gears. The pressure is real—but so is your ability to handle it with the right mindset, clear priorities, and practical support. This isn’t about wellness webinars or telling you to breathe more or walk it off. These are the shifts that have made the biggest difference for me.
1. Redefine what “success” means.
Compliance professionals are often tasked with more work than the available resources can reasonably support. Instead of holding yourself to an impossible standard, define success as doing the most good with what you’ve got.
Maybe your policies and procedures weren’t updated exactly on the 12-month mark—but you fixed the nagging problem of disclosures failing to go out within three business days. That’s a win.
2. Redefine what “failure” means.
I think compliance professionals tend to be their own harshest critics. If a state examiner notes a finding, it’s easy to take it as a personal failure. But a finding in a routine exam doesn’t mean you weren’t doing your job—it means your job is hard. Experience tells me that company leaders (especially the good ones) don’t expect perfection. Believe that and you’ll feel better.
3. Prioritize based on risk.
Not all issues carry the same weight. When resources are tight, prioritization isn’t just smart—it’s essential. Focus on what presents the greatest risk of consumer harm, reputational damage, or regulatory fallout.
Also, consider that routine state examinations are generally a pass/fail situation. If you’re throwing all your time, emotion, and sanity at every issue just to achieve an A-plus result, it may be time to reconsider your approach.
State examiners are there to protect consumers, but they also understand that perfection isn’t realistic. Many findings are routine. That doesn’t mean they’re unimportant—but it does mean you shouldn’t burn yourself out trying to ace every minor detail.
Insider Perspective: Over time, I’ve developed a personal hierarchy of compliance priorities, starting with the highest: avoiding any actual consumer harm. If you’d like to compare your own list, feel free to get in touch with me.
4. Communicate your decisions.
Leadership doesn’t want to read multiple emails or six-paragraph summaries—but they do want to know where you’re focused and why. If you’ve decided to deprioritize a task to address a more urgent risk (for example, pushing back the update of the P&P beyond 12 months so you can address the disclosure-timing issue you have), tell them that.
I’ve found that a standing compliance meeting at least once a month with company leaders serves as an excellent opportunity to address compliance issues and priorities. Document key discussions to reduce future misalignment.
Check out our blog: Managing Up in Compliance: How to Speak So the C-Suite Listens
5. Have a strategy. Revisit it often.
Start by mapping out your mission and compliance goals.
Whiteboard every possible issue, cross off the low-risk or resolved ones, and prioritize the rest.
Turn that list into a 12-month roadmap. A long list is okay—just focus on the most critical issues.
Use a spreadsheet to track progress, close out resolved issues, and reprioritize as needed.
Don’t let overwhelm paralyze you. Progress—not perfection—is what counts.
6. Not everything is a thing.
Over the years, I’ve learned that the only way I stay sane is by getting very clear about what I can control—and what I can’t.
Let’s say you can’t conduct regular testing or assessments because leadership hasn’t allocated the resources. Then stop losing sleep over the testing. Leaders understand risk and, frankly, they often understand compliance better than we give them credit for. They have to make decisions based on factors you may not even be aware of.
That doesn’t mean you throw up your hands. But it does mean you don’t carry guilt for things outside your control.
Here’s how I handle it: I inform. I document. I keep the communication open.
One time, a compliance colleague called me and asked, “How do you make your execs finish their annual compliance training?” I told her, “I don’t.” I send them a few reminders, let them know it needs to get done, and that’s it. If they don’t complete it, that’s on them—and they know it.
We’re advisors, not enforcers. It’s our job to surface the risks, not solve every one of them personally. So when you feel overwhelmed by everything on your plate, ask yourself:
Is this in my control?
If not, have I clearly communicated the risk?
Have I documented my decisions?
If the answer is yes, then let it go. Move on. You did your part.
What This Work Really Requires
At the end of the day, this job isn’t about perfection. It’s about:
Clarity. Knowing what matters most.
Boundaries. Letting go of work that’s not valued.
Support. Having the right tools and backup.
Collaboration. Working with others, not against them.
Community. Being around people who get it.
Grace. You’re allowed to be human. You don’t need to cross every ‘t’ to do great work.
A Simple Reminder
To every compliance professional quietly holding up the weight of mortgage lending—your work matters. But you matter more.
Protect your peace.
Take care of your body.
Pause before you power through.
Even on the days when it feels messy or unfinished, you’re most likely doing enough. And if you need a little help believing that, remember what Stuart Smalley used to say on SNL:
“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”
When You’re Ready to Lighten the Load
If you’re carrying the weight of mortgage compliance alone, you don’t have to.
We see you, and we’re exploring ways to bring compliance professionals together in a safe and supportive environment. If you’re interested in a virtual roundtable or community discussion, we’d love to hear from you.
Ready to make compliance feel lighter? Contact us to schedule a free discovery call or join the conversation.
Comments