Fathers, picture yourselves as a football player working 2x a day during mid-summer and you are a third stringer… That is how I am feeling at the moment, grinding my ass off, yet wondering if I’ll be able to put on a helmet and knock the piss out of the ball carrier. Yes, I played defense, outside linebacker and fullback on offense, I love to hit!
“Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it.”
Brian Tracy
I am working 11-12 hours a day and what feels like a repetitive cycle of two steps forward and two steps back. At work I am trying to launch a new platform to replace the entire infrastructure of the contact centers, the tech is ancient and terrible, yet I am battling for what is common sense… And it just isn’t at work either, fathers I am sure you know what I mean.
This environment has put everyone on edge, at work we are diving in long hours to stay occupied. If you go out, you feel judged for trying to live (sorry I am not a caged animal who is okay looking out). That or kids are stressed because well this whole situation is causing them to retreat, losing social skills and acting out because it’s hard as hell on everyone, especially kids who don’t fully comprehend it all.
So I need some advice for myself and you all: What can we do to fight this? What can we do to give some semblance of normality? How do we allow our kids to socially develop? How do we ensure them it’s okay? How do we stay strong for our spouse? How do we know the truth from spin anymore? hell I don’t believe any news channel or politician…
For me, I am approaching life this way:
- Breathe, please just take a moment to breathe!
- Setting a barrier for work and off-work, 11-12 hours a day is not sustainable, believe me I know many who are struggling here.
- We are going out, but being smart. Try doing more outside activities, such as walks, fields, trails, the lake, ocean… We went to the Mountains and it was a blast and so relaxing, much needed break!
- We have setup a small group of my son’s preschool class, less than 5 kids, staying connected as a group and switching turns on educating and socializing. We are sticking small and with the same group so we are somewhat isolated but social.
- I tell my kids to stay positive, to be smart wash your hands, but have fun. I want them to live and not stress, it isn’t fair to add stress to the it is a lot already!
- My wife and I had an honest talk, we needed too, a barrier was growing between us. We both cared and loved each other, but started to not like each other and go through the motions, but we have decided we give a damn and we now focus on each other for at least 1 hour a night. Life saver!
- As far as news and politics, I will stay out of giving my candid feedback, but for me I need to just not focus on it as much.
Real Fatherhood 
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