A few years ago, someone said something to me that really stuck.
They said: “Cyril, we only spend 19 years with each of our kids – 18 years from birth to 18… and then just one year spread out across the rest of our lives.”
No idea why, but that hit me hard.
In this video, I want to share three simple routines that have made a massive difference in my personal life.
I’m in an absolutely beautiful spot – the Ku-ring-gai National Park. Behind me is a peaceful stretch of water called Pittwater. We drove just 30 minutes from home, hopped on a 15-minute ferry, and now we’re spending the weekend in what feels like untouched nature. It’s like seeing Sydney as it might’ve looked 300 years ago.
There are barely any houses around – just bushland, wallabies, big goannas, snakes (we didn’t see any thankfully). And why are we here?
We organised a weekend getaway for my daughter Mirabelle’s 18th birthday. She brought a few friends, and we stayed in a youth hostel tucked away in the middle of nowhere. Honestly, we could’ve done the big party at home – but this felt way more meaningful.
This ties in perfectly with a session I’ve been running lately called Amplify Your Life.
In it, I talk about something that I think many of us miss: we put heaps of energy into planning our work lives… but hardly any into planning our personal lives.
So here are the three routines that have helped me shift that:
1. Dream Yearly
Once a year, my wife TK and I sit down and imagine what an amazing year could look like.
We talk about what matters most to us and what we want to create – like making Mirabelle’s 18th feel really special.
2. Think Quarterly
Every few months, we sit down and choose our “big rocks” – the big personal or family moments we want to prioritise that quarter.
Organising this trip for Mirabelle was one of those big rocks.
3. Plan Weekly
Every week, TK and I have what we call a Passion Planner meeting.
We sit down, chat, plan, and check in on what’s coming up – who needs to do what, what we want to prepare, and how to make space for the things that really matter.
Now, full credit – TK’s the real driver behind this. But discussing this project even just 30 minutes together each week made a big difference.
And here we are – just had an amazing weekend, perfect weather, and so many good memories made.
So, my question to you is: What’s your routine to make sure your personal life gets the same attention as your work life?
This is this week’s Work Smarter: Live Better tip.
Hope you have a lovely day!
A bientôt,
Cyril
