One of the top regrets people (men especially) have before they die is "I wish I hadn't worked so hard."

I'm a hard worker and don't want that be a regret I take with me to my grave, so every now and then I take the afternoon off to do something fun. A couple of times a year I take the staff to the movies. In the spring, Karen and I will throw parties out on our lawn. And Lake Lanier is nearby - an afternoon of water sports can be a great way to get refreshed.

This past Friday I grabbed some of our apprentices and took off for the nearby mountains.

Hiking to Duke's Creek Falls: Emily, Amy, Jacinda, Heidi, Matt, Amy, Ryan, KK, & Leah.

At the falls, they posed for the requisite picture and tried to find my favorite tree in the world.

After the hike, I had three surprises for them. One was to get their favorite pastry at a German bakery.

The Alpine village of Helen is full of surprises.

I need to redefine how I look at productivity. Afternoons like this one help me properly align my life. I like the motto: "Work hard, play hard."

How's your work/play balance? When was the last time you took the afternoon off? What did you do?