Diary of an MDRT member: 5 things to do daily while at home

While we can’t go to the office to work, we can use our time at home well as our imagination and abilities allow.

Below are my daily productive and positive activities. And if you would like to do so, in the comment section below, share with other MDRT Blog readers your tips for your at-home environment.

From my daily schedule

1. Read a series of inspiring good books.
I spend two hours early in the morning reading, and I’m scheduled to finish reading six books in two weeks. The books I recommend are

• “The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life,” by Robin Sharma
• “It Can Only Get Better,” by Tony Gordon  
• “The Feldman Method,” by Andrew H. Thomson 

2. Create insurance business strategies
I recommend segmenting your clients in the following way: List your clients by name, occupation, income bracket, education, how well you work with them and if they are one of your centers of influence. Assign each of those areas points, from 1 to 5. Take a look at which clients provide you with both a good income and are enjoyable for you to work with. Then notice if those clients tend to be from one particular field. It will help you understand what type of clients you work best with and allow you to focus on the top 20% of clients who give you 80% of your sales.

3. Imagine and focus on your ideal client
After you have discovered the client sector that delivers your best results, go one step further and imagine your ideal client. List 10 to 20 characteristics you would like in a client. It could be about their hobbies, interests, disposition, values, career, income range and so forth. Then list where you can find these types of clients and how you can interact with them there. Once you have a plan, you can work on them when you’re free to work outside of your house.

4. Call 20 of your best clients to see how they are doing
I spend two to three hours daily making comfort calls. I ask clients to stay safe and have fun conversations with them to show I care.

For some clients, I suggest going a step further and sending them food to let them know you’re thinking of them. They will see your generosity and appreciate your friendship. Good karma will come around, and you will be rewarded in your business.

5. List what activities you’d like to do with your kids
The first thing my four kids — ages 12, 10, 8 and 5 — wanted was a television in the living room. They hadn’t had a TV in our house in four years, but I ordered one and it came the next day.

Next, they wanted to learn to play badminton, which I taught them on the front porch. They also wanted to make pizza, which we did. My children, however, were less enthusiastic about helping me clear the storage room.

Most importantly, take time to talk to all of your family and have deep conversations with them.

Lim Ren En, RFP, is an 11-year MDRT member and a Court of the Table qualifier from Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

For more ideas about working from home

• Read “7 ideas for insurance agents working from home”
• Read “How to be productive and creative when business pauses”