Father's Day is this Sunday and what better time to discuss what it takes to be a great dad?!
Are you giving your children the best version of their father?
I was able to have Dezi Abeyta (@deziabeyta) on my podcast recently to discuss how fathers can reach peak performance mentally, physically, and most importantly, in our role as dads.
Being a father is one of life's greatest joys and privileges. But how do we fill this role in the most epic way possible?
If you are burnt out, sleep deprived, dehydrated, and out of shape, do you think you can give your children the attention and quality time they deserve? Absolutely not.
Dezi gave 3 tips to help reach peak performance that literally anyone can incorporate into their daily routine:
1: Track Your Sleep
We have been talking about sleep a lot lately. Most poor decisions in life are made when you are tired and hungry. I am all for hustle culture and working hard... but rest is required.
Just like a muscle needs rest to grow bigger and stronger, you sir, need your beauty sleep to ensure that you are giving your children your best.
Start small and create a better sleep environment. Wear blue-light glasses when the sun goes down. Make your room super dark and cold. Aim for a similar sleep and wake time each day.
When you want to get fancy you can invest in some wearable tech like an Oura Ring or Whoop.
2: Breath Work
The effectiveness of a deep breath is underrated. I am not super educated on this subject matter but I can tell you from personal experience, when I pay attention to my breath, I am more relaxed and less stressed.
Work is stressful. Finances are stressful. Parenthood and marriage can be stressful. Before it all boils over and you lose your temper, take some deep breaths and try to tell me it didn't at least keep you from blowing a gasket.
I have tried two methods: box breathing and the 20-sec breath cycle (I made this name up because I can't remember the real name but just go with it).
Box breathing: 4 second inhale-4 second hold-4 second exhale-4 second hold. Repeat this several times to get into "flow state."
The 20 sec Breath Cycle: 7 second inhale-5 second hold-8 second exhale. I like to do this while stretching or when I am having trouble falling asleep.
3: Gratitude Journal
Dezi uses the 5-minute journal. I'll be honest, this is something I need to start doing. When feeling beaten down by life, writing down a few things you are grateful for has a great way of flipping your perspective.
This is a great practice to get into with your kids. Each day on the way home from school, I will ask them about something that they are grateful for that day.
The Ultimate Dad "Hack"
Ben, how do sleeping, breathing, and gratitude make me a better father?
Listen, you need to be a finely tuned, athletic machine in order to be an alpha dad. Dezi and I agreed that one of the single greatest actions you can take as a father is to play with your children.
You need to be able to play tag, throw, run, wrestle, swim, carry, and play with your children in as many combinations and as often as possible.
You must be fit in order to do these things.
If you are neglecting your health, it is difficult to invest properly in your family. Invest in yourself, so you can better invest in them.
I am starting a new 14-day challenge to help you increase your health and wellness starting Monday 6/19. Pair that with a free 7-day trial to my daily workout plan and you will be cooking!
It doesn't have to be my plan. Just start making moves!
-Ben
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