As an insurance broker, you know how vital your client relationships are to your business. Your clients are your bread and butter. And, your success hinges on keeping those clients happy and loyal.

But at what cost to you?

Of course you want to do all you can to provide the best customer service possible, and be reachable and available when needed. Unfortunately, however, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to know where and when to draw the line. It’s important to have clear work-life boundaries—and to make sure they intersect as little as possible.

Here are some tips for balancing your professional and personal lives:

1. Learn how to say no.
   Being a broker can require some wining and dining with clients. But, it really is ok to turn down an invite to that happy hour or that golf game on the weekend with a client. Granted, being social with clients is part of the “game,” but know your limits. If you accept every invite from every client, you’ll get burned out—and never have a chance to enjoy things you like to do that aren’t work-related.
   
   Be strategic about the invitations you accept—and be realistic with yourself about events you really can skip out on. Remember, you’re not obligated to say yes to everything. You’ll appreciate the extra time and not feel stretched too thin.
2. Leave work at work.
   This is especially difficult in this day in age, when everyone is so “plugged in.” From smartphones to tablets, many of us have our work emails linked to our devices, making us extremely available at all times. While convenient, it can also backfire. That’s because you’re unable to really be away from work when you’re away from work if you’re compulsively checking your phone and responding to emails or other messages.
   
   Leaving work at work takes discipline—but it can be done! At the end of your workday, shut down your computer, turn off your email notifications on your devices and resist the temptation to answer calls after hours. You know what? It really can wait until tomorrow. 
   
   
3. Manage your workload.
   Whether you own your own business or work at a brokerage firm, you may feel obligated to work extra long hours because, you know, there are just not enough hours in the day to get it all done. But keep in mind that working long hours can also indicate that you’re not working efficiently enough. It’s possible to make the most of the time you have in an eight hour (sometimes nine) work day and leave the rest for tomorrow!
   
   There are tons of time management tips out there, and you need to find what works best for you. But here are a few simple and innovative ones:
   
   -- Start each day by creating a time plan for what you’d like to accomplish…and stick to the plan.
   -- Block time on your calendar as “busy” or “away” to reduce interruptions so you can concentrate on work. Same goes for interoffice instant messaging; set yourself on “do not disturb.” 
   -- If you’re in the middle of a project and your phone rings—or an email comes through—you don’t have to give an immediate response. You can schedule times throughout your day to answer emails and return calls.