No polish on this one. Construction noise in the background, both guys running on fumes, and a genuinely useful conversation about burnout that a lot of dads will recognize immediately.

What This Episode’s About

Adam and Ben get real about burnout, running a business and a family with zero buffer, and the lack of built-in family support nearby. They talk through how communicating with their wives about workout time turned into a game changer, plus updates on Dad Day’s new beach umbrella gear video and the Go West YouTube series.

The Big Takeaways

  • Stop waiting for a routine. There isn’t one. Ben’s line that landed for both of them: “No day is the same, and there’s no routine. It’s just being at peace that this is your life now.”
  • Communicate the need instead of assuming guilt. Ben used to think taking an hour to work out was selfish. The fix was simple: “We came up with a plan. Hey, you get your hour workout in, I’ll take care of the kid, and then I get my hour workout in.” One conversation with his wife changed everything.
  • Taking care of yourself isn’t optional. Adam’s take: “Taking care of yourself is numero uno on the list, because I don’t know how else you show up with a clear mind for your wife and your kid.”
  • You don’t have to do it alone, even when it feels like you should. Ben’s family drove out to help with food prep and yard work during a rough week. Reaching out wasn’t a failure, it was the move.
  • Outsourcing isn’t always the answer, but burnout catches up either way. Adam on running Dad Day solo while wearing every hat: “Sometimes it’s just better when you do it yourself… but it turns into wearing so many hats that you just hit this stage of, man, I am legitimately burnt out right now.”

Best Quote of the Episode

“It’s finding that balance of even communicating to my wife, like, hey, I wanna work harder for you guys. It’s not that I don’t wanna help out.” — Adam

Listen to Episode 12
Spotify | Apple

Related Reading

Figure Out What Works for You — Guys Being Dads Ep. 13
Best Beach Umbrellas for Keeping Your Kids in the Shade
Watch: Go West on YouTube

Join the Conversation
Dealing with burnout right now, or found a system that actually worked for splitting workout time with your partner? Drop it in the Dad Day Slack or call it in to 833-DAD-SHOW. We might play it on the next episode.