---
title: "Some Quiet Time at the Jersey Shore"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/b29bef57-9a6b-4cd7-bd91-80b126a1260d
published: 2025-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
stack: https://stacklist.com/stack/234803a1-3aaf-4c1e-8125-9a0a40d461ca
summary: "A reflection on a family vacation at the Jersey Shore emphasizes how taking time to recharge through vacations and family connection directly improves productivity and well-being. The author shares 35 years of prioritizing annual vacations as a fixed cost and using retreat time for personal reflection, family bonding, and pursuing passions alongside business interests."
tags: "work-life-balance, family-vacation, productivity, personal-growth, reflection, jersey-shore, marriage"
key_entities: "JoAnn (person), James (person), Jersey Shore (location), Jersey (location), work-life-balance (concept), meditation (concept), vYve community (organization), family vacation (event)"
classification: "memo"
content_hash: "sha256:0ed53fb4ffdc230a2bfa11467222fa142d07aa4fa52b8dd0d7953de9f42b1b5a"
acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 795
visibility: public
agent_accessible: true
status: "final"
---

# Some Quiet Time at the Jersey Shore

— > How vacation and family time is actually time invested in better productivity

I just returned from a lovely family vacation at the Jersey shore. We are 8 adults now that my children are grown. My wife and I are celebrating 35 years of marriage. I remember vividly when we first got married and were working on a household budget, I told JoAnn an annual vacation must be a fixed cost for us. Back then she said, “isn’t a vacation a nice to have and not a must have”? I replied, “In our house it will be a planned and fixed cost”. We simply work too hard not to recharge. We’ve lived that mantra. In the lean years it was one vacation close to home for a few days, in plentiful years it may be 2 or 3 a plane ride away. The fact is, for 35 years there has been at least 1.

Investing this time in yourself and now for me my family always pays off. From a business perspective, I reflect on accomplishments to date. That is, what I’ve done right and want to do more of in the remainder of the year. Conversely what could I have done better. With that, I try to show myself grace to position myself for a stronger return, rather than an attitude of defeat.

Business is my hobby, so I often read business books or listen to business podcasts on my vacation. I know that seems odd, but business and operations are not only my profession but a passion as well.

I typically start my day with meditation and prayer. This vacation I vowed to keep several friends and family members in prayer. I felt an obligation to action those words daily. We try to exercise as a family, usually walking sometimes 3 miles per day. We are encouraging ourselves to prioritize health (as a family) yep, everyone “up and at em” early before we start our day. We normally walk along the beach road where the mansions are. It’s a time for us to dream as a family. To aspire and stretch. To share our likes and dislikes. My mom would always say “James don’t be afraid to dream big dreams”. JoAnn reminds me when I allow her words to slip from my sight.

It’s a time for me and JoAnn to impart wisdom and counsel into our children. While we haven’t done everything right, we have experienced a lot in 35 years of marriage and 40 years of business careers. The extended two weeks gave each of our children and their significant others dedicated time. We covered work ambitions, wedding planning, home buying, friend relations, family planning and so much more.

Breaking bread together for every meal whether cooking at home or dining out is always an experience we cherish. Let’s face it, life is busy. Life for 8 adults living in different states and moving in different directions takes an effort to come together. JoAnn and I are thankful our family makes that effort. We don’t take it for granted and try hard to deliver love and value when we are blessed with that time. We often tell our vYve community you must absolutely fight for a balance in life. So much of what we do demands 100% of whom and what you are. Family, Work, Charities, Passions, Hobbies. You can have them all if you maintain balance. Keep the faith… you got this!

https://stacklist.com/card/49b4afbe-dc12-41fe-b9e0-22ae834b71a9