Stepping off the treadmill: Real estate agents are questioning the always-on work culture, even as the pressure to stay available persists. Conceptual illustration generated with the help of AI.

Advocating for gruelling 80-to-100-hour work weeks, Elon Musk once famously posted on social media that “nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week.”

You’re not alone if that makes you feel like a slacker. It’s meant to, of course. It’s a prime example of the kind of thinking that’s fuelled toxic productivity for generations. In this new day of workplace ‘right-to-disconnect’ policies though, a comment like that is more likely to be met with eye rolling than thumbs up. 

Since the pandemic and the rise of remote work, a pronounced cultural shift has been taking root: a rejection of the rise-and-grind mindset. People are questioning how overworking has become so normalized, and why they’ve bought into it for so long.

Is the hustle culture on its way out?

“I don’t think ambition is dying. I think our willingness to sacrifice our health in the name of ambition is starting to die,” says Toronto-based holistic coach Annie Gaudreault, founder of Veev Health & Wellness. “For years we’ve glorified being busy, exhausted, and constantly available as evidence that we’re committed and successful. But there is nothing high-performing about being chronically depleted.”

Hard work isn’t the problem.

“It can be incredibly fulfilling,” notes Gaudreault. But the future needs to be about “how well we can perform without sacrificing our health to do it.”

Focusing on impossible productivity standards is an expressway to burnout. The work-till-you-drop mindset ignores the reality that productivity tends to decline sharply after long stretches of overwork. Eventually your body sends you the bill.

 

Expectations have changed

 

“Our clients’ expectations have changed, and so have ours,” says Kim Fairley, president of the Ontario Real Estate Association. Many people now “place more value on flexibility, mental health, family time, and experiences outside of work,” she continues.

“Answering every message immediately and never taking a day off shouldn’t be the definition of a successful Realtor.”

The rise of AI and other advances like e-signatures and virtual meetings has helped pave the road to new, more automated ways of handling transactions, she adds.

Don Kottick, president of Remax Canada, agrees that there appears to be a shift in how agents think about their work. While traditionally real estate has been an “always-on business,” the industry is evolving, he observes, with Realtors embracing tools that help them operate more efficiently, potentially opening up time for a better work-life balance.

“Technology can make a meaningful difference. AI can streamline day-to-day operations.”

 

A business, not a job

 

Corbin Chivers, with Stonehaus Realty in British Columbia, says he’s “never seen anything improve this fast” in his lifetime. He finds, though, that most agents haven’t learned how to use AI properly yet.

Between deep-diving into it himself and also building a team, he’s freed up a lot of time.

“But working less isn’t what excites me,” he says. “Building more is.”

Different strokes for different folks.

While Chivers is in awe of the revolutionary strides being made by AI and automation, he doesn’t feel that they’re really altering real estate’s grind culture at this point.

“I don’t see hard-working agents working any less than they did 10 years ago. This is a business, not a job with set hours. … At the start, you invest your time. Later the goal is to buy some of it back. That’s what I’m building for – freedom. Not a lifetime of doing every job myself.”

 

The grind isn’t dead yet

 

So it seems that although agents are increasingly shifting to more sustainable systems and prioritizing their mental health, the burnout culture isn’t dead yet.

“I’m seeing a mix,” says B.C.-based Remax agent and coach Juliana Vallee. “The conversation has changed faster than the behaviour.”

Part of the issue is that the industry still rewards the grind via production rankings and awards, all celebrating sales volumes, she notes. “Newer agents understandably assume that constant availability is the price of success.”

Awareness is her goal. “It’s about noticing when one area of your life is taking too much, and having the awareness to counter-balance.”

The most practical changes Vallee has seen with agents she coaches involve “time-blocking both work and personal life,” and setting firm boundaries and expectations with clients right out of the gate.

The current challenging market complicates the picture. “Nobody hands you a playbook for a market like this,” says Vallee.

“I don’t think there’s one simple answer. Almost every agent I talk to now says they want more balance, yet many are still answering texts at 10 pm and working through their kids’ sports games. They just feel guiltier about it than they used to.”