The first time my family and I disconnected for a full week, I was convinced everything would fall apart.
Four kids, a growing business, and clients who counted on us. The idea of going off the grid for seven straight days felt irresponsible, maybe even selfish.
My wife and I had made the commitment weeks earlier, during a planning conversation that started with a deceptively simple question: “What matters most to us?”
The answer was immediate. Family.
We both recognized something that’s easy to say and hard to act on: time, not money, is the most limited resource we have. And we could see how easily family connections were getting lost in the daily chaos of running a business, managing schedules, and keeping up with life’s constant demands.
So we made a decision that still raises eyebrows when I tell people about it. Every 90 days, almost without exception, our family disconnects completely for one week. We pack our bags, head to a new destination, and leave the technology behind.
What Happened When We Let Go
That first trip was terrifying. I checked my phone a dozen times before finally locking it in the hotel safe. I kept imagining emergencies that needed me specifically.
Instead, something unexpected happened. Not only did the business survive while I was off the grid, but I returned with clarity and energy I hadn’t felt in years. The distance gave me perspective that no amount of working-through-the-weekend ever had.
Several years and more than a dozen trips later, these technology-free family vacations have become the cornerstone of our lives.
We’ve climbed mountains in Argentina. Built sandcastles on Folly Beach. Spent hours in conversation that would have been impossible in the constant digital hum of normal life. I’ve been present to watch my children grow up. Teaching my youngest to swim. Having deep conversations with my teenagers about their dreams. Reconnecting with my wife over meals that lasted two hours because nobody was checking a screen.
Those moments are the entire point.
What It Took to Get Here
Making this commitment sustainable required deliberate financial planning.
We had to build systematic quarterly savings for these trips and create business systems that could function without my constant oversight. We invested in team members who share our values around work-life boundaries.
None of that happened by accident. It happened because we started with what mattered most and worked backward to the numbers. Not the other way around.
I’ve come to believe that financial planning, at its best, may help create conditions for what matters to thrive. The life the spreadsheet supports is what matters.
The Question I Keep Coming Back To
Since that first trip, I’ve noticed something about how we talk about money. Most conversations start with numbers. How much do I need to retire? Am I saving enough?
Those questions matter. But they’re second-order questions. The first-order question is the one my wife and I asked at the kitchen table years ago: What matters most?
When we answered that question honestly, every financial decision got clearer. The quarterly trips weren’t an extravagance. They were the thing we were building toward. The business systems weren’t overhead. They were the infrastructure that let me be present for my family.
To a larger degree than most of us would like to admit, the lives we lead are a product of the financial decisions we make. When those decisions are anchored in values, the alignment shows up everywhere. When they’re not, we end up building a life by default rather than by design.
Your Turn
I’m sharing this story because we’re launching a series called “Living with Lifeworks,” where members share how they’re building intentional lives through values-based financial planning. I wanted to go first.
Disclosure: Ron Bullis is the Founder and CEO of Lifeworks Advisors and has a material interest in the firm’s business. His experience may not be representative of other clients’ experiences. Financial planning does not guarantee specific life outcomes.
So here’s the question I’ll leave you with, and it’s the same one that started everything for us: Is there an essential value in your life that isn’t getting the time, energy, or resources it deserves?
If there’s a gap between what you say matters most and how you’re living, perhaps it’s worth reconsidering your calendar and your financial plan together. Sometimes the most meaningful financial adjustment has nothing to do with rates of return.
If you’d like to explore how any of this connects to your own financial picture, we’d be glad to talk.
Lifeworks is a registered investment advisor. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial advisor and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.