The insurance business is a long, high‑intensity marathon, not a sprint. While it is one of the most lucrative and rewarding career paths, the constant pressure of sales cycles, regulatory shifts, and client demands can lead even the most seasoned agents toward burnout. To maintain a high-level “closing” mindset, you must treat your mental energy like a business asset. Especially in tough times, it is essential to remember the three Rs: refocus, refuel, and retool.
Refocus
In the heat of a busy season, it is easy to lose sight of the mission. When the “grind” starts to feel aimless, it is time to return to your main point of focus. You are more than an insurance agent; you are a trusted advisor for life and health risk management. It is very easy to get distracted from what really matters, especially when faced with adversity or worry. Remember why you started: maybe you saw a family suffer without financial protection, or you experienced a health event that exposed coverage gaps, or you wanted to provide more for your own family. That transformational moment is the work that matters. Recenter your conversations on outcomes and long-term security, not on quotas, and you will find follow-up becomes easier and renewals become more natural. High-performing agents don’t focus on the transaction; they focus on the transformation they provide for the client. When you refocus on the service, the sales will naturally follow.
Refuel
Burnout is more than feeling tired; it is a measurable physiological state. According to Western Governors University, burnout is a condition that affects nearly everyone at one point or another and can result in both physical and mental health issues. Burnout is caused by chronic stress, usually in the workplace, and is typically related to mental health conditions like depression. Elevated stress hormones such as cortisol reduce mental clarity and increase reactionary behavior, which in turn erodes selling effectiveness and client trust. For life and health agents, this shows up as slower follow-ups, poorer needs analysis, and a tendency to default to transactional pitches instead of advisory conversations. You may recognize the pattern as “seller’s breath,” the point where fatigue makes every call feel like a grind. Left unaddressed, it erodes selling effectiveness and client trust because the agent who is mentally taxed cannot perform the diagnostic work that creates long-term client value. That diagnostic work is the difference between a one-time sale and a lifetime client relationship. This is why self-care is so important. This isn’t just taking a break; it’s about disconnecting to allow your prefrontal cortex to reset. No one is meant to hold all the stress of a tough workday 24/7. Whether it’s high-intensity exercise, a total “digital sunset” after 7:00 PM, or spending time with family, refueling is a professional requirement, not a luxury. Play with your kids. Go see a movie. Run a hot bubble bath. Find something that takes your mind off of work and work on refueling at home to improve your health, productivity, and even your work-life balance. A well-rested agent is a more persuasive agent.
Retool
The tools that got you to six figures might not be the tools that get you to seven. If your current workflow feels messy, it’s a sign that your “operational toolbelt” needs an audit.
- Audit your Tech: List every app, portal, and workflow you touch in a typical sale. Eliminate duplicates, consolidate quoting and CRM steps, and automate handoffs where possible. Fewer clicks and fewer logins mean less context switching and more time for meaningful conversations.
- Audit your Time: Make time blocks for your day. Create protected blocks for prospecting, client follow-up, admin work, and learning. Add short buffer windows between blocks to reset cognitively and avoid back‑to‑back fatigue. Treat these rules as nonnegotiable operating procedures.
- Audit your Knowledge: Inventory the products you sell and the client problems they solve. Identify the top three products that drive the most lifetime value and sharpen your know-how around those solutions. This also means leveraging Empower University courses to master and learn new ways to cross-sell and provide additional value to your clients.
Create a physical inventory of every task and every tool at your disposal. Prioritize tasks by impact to sharpen focus, sustain momentum, and boost efficiency in your workday
The three Rs model was initially introduced to Empower Brokerage agents by David Russell, a former regional sales director with the organization. These are some great tips that can help you regain and maintain your energy and motivation during hard times.
Agents
We hope this information on using the three Rs is helpful to you.
Empower Brokerage is dedicated to helping you educate your clients on the insurance they need and staying on top of their health. Whether it’s through webinar training, one-on-one calls, seminars, or marketing plans. We want you to be successful. Give us a call if you have any questions at 888-539-1633.
Updated on 12/26/2025.
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