I missed my kid’s art show

While I'm usually pretty good at work-life balance, there was a season recently where I got caught up in a particularly busy stretch.

I was chasing a few big Realtor relationships, had a packed pipeline, and started saying yes to everything.

Over the course of about 6 weeks, I'd missed a few small things - a bedtime here, a weekend morning there.

Nothing crazy, but enough that the pattern was starting to show.

Then came the art show...

My daughter's preschool had an art show on a random Wednesday afternoon at 2pm.

My wife texted me that morning:

"Don't forget - art show today at 2."

Of course, I had a loan consultation scheduled at 2:30pm with a referral from a Realtor I'd been trying to work with for months.

I texted back: "I have a consult at 2:30. I'll try to make it but probably can't."

It’s just an art show on a random Wednesday, I didn’t think it was that big a deal.

She didn't respond to my text either, so I really thought nothing of it.

I went to my consultation, closed the deal, felt good about it.

When I got home that night, my daughter was already asleep.

My wife was in the kitchen, and the vibe was... icy lol.

"How was the art show?" I asked.

She looked at me and said: "She kept asking where you were. I told her you were working. She got really upset, took me a minute to calm her down."

That image hit me like a truck.

I tried to justify it: "Babe, she won't even remember this in a year."

My wife said: "You're right. She won't remember this one. But she'll remember the pattern."

Damn. 😅😅😅 That one HURT.

That conversation changed everything for me because I realized I was optimizing for the wrong thing.

I was optimizing for closing every deal, taking every meeting, saying yes to every opportunity.

But I wasn't optimizing for being present.

So I had to recommit to the things I’d already established a while ago (but it’s always nice to have an intentional refresher):

Rule #1: Family events go on my calendar FIRST, and work gets scheduled around them, not the other way around.

Preschool art shows, bedtime routines, weekend plans - those are blocked out before I book any consultations or meetings.

Rule #2: I set "non-negotiable" hours. No calls after 6pm, no work on Sundays, no "quick emails" during dinner.

If a client or Realtor can't respect that, they're not the right fit for my business.

Rule #3: I do a weekly 'presence check.' Every Sunday night, I ask myself: Did I show up for my family this week the way I wanted to?

If the answer is no twice in a row, that's my red flag to pump the brakes.

After that wake-up call, I refocused on showing up for the little moments - art shows, bedtimes, weekend breakfasts…

And guess what happened?

My business didn't suffer at all.

In fact, it got better because I was more focused during my work hours and less burned out.

The issue is, most LOs think they have to choose between building a successful business and being present for their family.

But that's false.

You can have both, but only if you're intentional about it.

Here's what I want you to do this week:

Look at your calendar and ask yourself: am I scheduling my life around my work, or my work around my life?

If it's the former, flip it.

Block out family time first.

Set boundaries.

Catch the slip before it becomes a pattern.

Because here's the truth: your kids won't remember how many deals you closed in 2026.

But they'll remember whether you showed up.

Let's GO! ❤️

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help you!

1. Book a call to speak with one of our advisors about joining the Growth Only Community.
2. Join our Facebook group for Top Producing Modern Loan Officers.
3. Connect with me on social.