NST had its annual work retreat last weekend in Rosarito. The two-day meeting was filled with reflection on our mission, vision, values, internal processes, improvement areas and more. The retreat is also a chance to bond with coworkers outside the office, so a few stops in Valle de Guadalupe were also on the agenda.

Each company may have a different approach to how they regroup and refocus each year. Inc. magazine shared an article, “How to Plan Your Work Retreat”, which highlights the best ways to ensure your retreat will be successful.

NST follows many of the guidelines laid out in the article — we set goals, we stay on topic, we offer a safe place to openly discuss the company’s strengths and weakness, we set goals that inspire us in the following year and we use our time effectively.

Here are some of the other tips:

• Collaborate
• Make discussion introvert-friendly
• Encourage people to express themselves
• Combine team building with work
• Stay on topic
• Diverge, converge
• Document your next steps

The thing I always like most about our NST retreats are the unplanned moments. The time when you get to share a meal, talk openly with co-workers that you may not always get a chance to work with, find out about your co-workers’ interests or an evening wrap-up talk to solve the world’s problems. It’s important to share a few drinks, dance, play and just spend uninterrupted time together. Many of my best memories and funniest stories of NST come out of retreats. It is in this time that we bond and become more of a family. I think, if you don’t have a little fun, life would be all work.

And the one thing I know after 20 years at NST, we know how to balance work with fun.