From Limos to Leadership: Unforgettable Advice on Work-Life Harmony

As an executive and business leader, maintaining a healthy work-life balance can often seem like a Herculean task. This week, I was reminded of just how vital it is to prioritize moments that matter. My daughter turned 13, and the celebration taught me a profound lesson in balance and the significance of creating lasting memories.

The Lesson from My 13th Birthday

To fully understand the gravity of the situation, let me take you back to my own 13th birthday. Growing up in sunny SoCal, my mom surprised me by renting a limo to take me and six friends to Six Flags Magic Mountain. It was an unforgettable experience that etched a permanent smile on my face and a lasting memory in my heart.

Planning My Daughter's 13th Birthday

Fast forward to this week, as I planned my daughter's 13th birthday, I wanted to create a similarly unforgettable experience. We decided on Disneyland, and I was knee-deep in planning every detail to ensure it was perfect. But one detail gnawed at me—I hadn't rented a limo. Feeling the pressure to outdo myself, I called my best friend, Damon, and shared my dilemma.

The Unforgettable Advice

Damon listened patiently as I recounted my 13th birthday and my mom's special gesture. Then he said something that struck a chord:

"Bunny, you will never remember the $500," he began. "But she will never forget the limo."

I took a deep breath as his words sank in. He continued, "You are still talking about your mom renting a limo for your 13th birthday, so it clearly made an impact."

He was right (he typically is, but don't tell him I said that). That limo ride was a small investment that created a priceless memory. Inspired by his advice, I decided to go for it and rented the limo for my daughter.

Creating Balance and Lasting Memories

This experience reinforced an essential principle for both personal life and the corporate world: investing in memorable experiences and prioritizing well-being are crucial. Just as my mom's gesture left a lasting impression on me, the efforts we put into meaningful experiences can significantly impact our teams and our own well-being at work.

Here are some effective work-life balance strategies that I’ve found beneficial:

Prioritize Time for Family and Personal Milestones: Just as I took the week off for my daughter's birthday, ensure you allocate time for personal milestones and family events. These moments are irreplaceable and foster deeper connections. Also, as a leader, remembering and prioritizing important moments for your team members leads to greater retention overall.

Delegate and Empower Your Team: Trust your team to handle responsibilities in your absence. Delegation not only eases your workload but also empowers your team and promotes growth.

Set Clear Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Turn off work notifications during family time to be fully present. If they know it is important to you, they can also help hold those boundaries for you. My team did a great job this week knowing that my daughter’s special day was important to me.

Incorporate Flexibility: Encourage flexible work arrangements that allow employees to balance their personal and professional lives effectively.

Invest in Memorable Team Experiences: Create memorable experiences for your team, whether through team-building activities or small gestures of appreciation. These moments strengthen team cohesion and morale.

As I reflect on my daughter's 13th birthday and the limo ride, I'm reminded that sometimes, it's the seemingly small investments that create the most lasting impacts. Let's strive to create those impactful moments, both at work and in our personal lives.

If you are curious about how to create more memorable experiences for your team and also engaging trainings to dive deeper into these topics, consider one of our POWER retreats at the ranch that incorporates horses and herds into team building or one of our popular workshops for your team.