The Business of Being Dad with Rob Rohde
The Business of Being Dad podcast is the go-to resource for single fathers, seamlessly blending business and leadership principles with the emotional aspects of fatherhood.
Host and Single Father coach, Rob Rohde, empowers men to prioritize personal growth, build deeper connections, and find balance between personal success and family relationships.
Together, let's embark on a journey to create meaningful lives and create stronger bonds with our children, one episode at a time.
The Business of Being Dad with Rob Rohde
#034: Give Yourself the Gift of Peace
Feeling the post-holiday chaos? Join Rob Rohde in this episode as we uncover practical strategies to not just survive but thrive during this hectic time. Discover the secrets to post-holiday peace that every dad needs.
Overview:
Host Rob Rohde dives into the often-overlooked topic of post-holiday stress, unraveling the unique challenges faced by dads. From the aftermath of Christmas chaos to the sudden dip that follows, this episode explores practical strategies to ease the burden and bring back a sense of calm into your life.
Key Highlights:
- Understanding the unique fatigue that post-holiday stress brings and its impact on dads.
- Simple tips to optimize your surroundings: decluttering and simplifying your living spaces.
- Restoring order to your schedules: bringing back structure and routine to reduce chaos.
- Practical strategies for active de-stressing: deep breathing, mindful pauses, and expressive writing.
- Exploring the science-backed benefits of these relaxation techniques and their impact on stress reduction.
What to Expect:
After listening, expect to gain insights into the sources of post-holiday stress and practical strategies to reclaim your peace. Experiment with science-backed relaxation techniques to ease stress, not only for personal well-being but to model positive self-care practices for your children.
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You are listening to the business of being dad. Get ready as we delve into the world of fatherhood, leadership and legacy. I'm Rob Rodey, your humble host and fellow single father, and I'm so excited you're here to join us. This podcast was intentionally designed for you, men who believe they're destined for greatness, those who never settle for excuses but instead take meaningful action, and individuals who reject the notion of being ordinary. We're here for the ones who understand that being a phenomenal leader goes hand in hand with being an exceptional father. Why? Because we believe in you. We believe you hold the power to shape your identity as a man, a father and a leader. We believe you are the architect of your future and you get to determine the impact and legacy you'll leave behind. So get ready to explore the depths of personal growth, strengthen family bonds and create a legacy that resonates through time. Together, we'll rise, inspire and change. Let's get started. Well, hey there, dads, and welcome back to The Business of Being Dad.
Rob Rohde:I'm your host, Rob Rohde, and today we're diving into a topic that is especially important and relevant this time of year. We're going to talk about post-holiday stress, and, even though Christmas season is fun and exciting, you can't question the fact that it often leaves behind its whirlwind of chaos During Christmas season. There's a lack of schedules, there's some disorder and basically everybody's routines are all out of whack. And the effect of this on us as parents and fathers is that it can cause this stress and overwhelm to just sneak up on us, often without us even realizing it. Well, men, in today's episode we're going to address this topic head on and we're going to take a look at some practical strategies we can try to not just survive but thrive during this busy time of year. So are you ready? Let's go. You know, as a fellow dad myself, kind of trying to navigate this roller coaster of the holiday season, I get it. There is all this stuff we need to do leading up to Christmas. There's the build-up, the anticipation, the emotional highs and lows, followed by a two to three day period of non-stop activities, and then there's this sudden dip that takes place after it's all over. But the post-holiday stress hits us hard. It can leave us feeling exhausted, fatigued and drained, and it's a unique kind of fatigue that comes from this combination of physical exertion, emotional intensity and then just a sheer busyness that comes with being a dad during this time of year. So I'd like for us to talk about how we can ease that burden and bring back a sense of calm into our lives.
Rob Rohde:In a couple minutes, we're going to talk through some practical strategies you can implement to slow down, regain your calm and begin to de-stress. But before we do so, it's important to set the stage so we have the greatest chance of success. How are we going to do that? Well, I'm going to start by providing you with a couple of really simple tips that you can use to optimize your surroundings and just create a calming environment. And those tips are to declutter and simplify and to restore order to your schedule. So let's start with number one declutter and simplify.
Rob Rohde:Post-holidays, our living spaces tend to be a mess. There are decorations everywhere. There might be remnants of unwrapping gifts, bows, ribbons, wrapping paper kind of scattered about. We have the gifts that we've received kind of spread throughout the house, and so really it can just leave our minds and our bodies feeling kind of chaotic. So it's as simple as just taking a moment to declutter your surroundings. Maybe that means removing some of the decorations or excess items, but whatever it is, the idea is to create a clean and calm environment. A clutter-free space can have a positive impact on your mental state and it can lead to the sense of order and calm. So that is a very simple thing that we can do, that can take just a few minutes, or maybe like an hour, so that you can even have your kids chime in and help out, and it can make a big difference.
Rob Rohde:Moving on to number two, restore order to your schedules. This is a big one for me, because the holidays tend to throw our routines all out of whack, and I know that's true for my routines and my schedules. So the goal here is to retake control by gradually restoring order to our schedules and reintroduce a sense of structure. You know and for me this doesn't just include being productive in my work or traditional forms of productivity. For me this might also include setting up my schedule so that I have time to recover and recuperate. It might mean, and it does mean, setting aside time to spend with my kids because they're out of school this time of year. But whatever that looks like, the point is that there's a schedule and a structure and some routine that begins to build back into our lives. Doing this can bring about this sense of normalcy and it can reduce the chaos that leads to post-holiday stress. So those are just a couple of steps that I have tried to incorporate over these past few years that's made a big difference in my life. Those two simple steps can help you create a more calm and relaxing environment as well, and in fact, implementing those steps alone will improve your post-holiday stress significantly. But now I'd like to shift our focus to some active de-stressing exercises, and while setting a kind of calm and serene environment helps us lay the foundation, engaging and relaxation techniques becomes the key to maintaining this sense of inner calm amidst the busyness. So let's explore three stress-busting strategies that will help empower you to navigate the post-holiday period with ease.
Rob Rohde:Stress-busting strategy number one deep breathing, or, as I like to call it, diaphragmatic breathing. So the key here is to find a quiet space, sit comfortably and close your eyes, and then the actual steps for this breathing technique is to inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your diaphragm to fully expand, hold your breath for a couple of seconds and then exhale slowly through your mouth. So again, inhale deeply through your nose, exhale slowly through your mouth. This technique engages your body's relaxation response and it actually activates the parasympathetic nervous system. So, as you breathe deeply, your heart rate begins to slow down, your blood pressure begins to decrease and stress hormones begin to diminish, and this trifecta brings about a sense of calm. Stress-busting strategy.
Rob Rohde:Number two the mindful pause. So this exercise involves taking a mindful pause in your day and finding a moment of stillness. And the actual steps for how to take a mindful pause. You need to begin by closing your eyes and focusing on your breath, and then you inhale slowly, filling the air, enter your nostrils and exhale, releasing the tension as you exhale. This mindful practice has been shown to reduce the production of cortisol, and cortisol is actually the stress hormone. So by releasing or reducing the production of cortisol, it promotes emotional regulation and this sense of calm.
Rob Rohde:Stress-busting technique. Number three expressive writing or journaling. For this exercise, I would suggest that you set aside a few minutes to jot down your thoughts and your feelings in a journal, and my suggestion is that you physically doing the act of writing by hand. This act of expressive writing serves as a cathartic release and it allows you to process your emotions and gain clarity. Scientifically, studies suggest that expressive writing can lower your cortisol levels as well, and it can decrease symptoms of anxiety and improve your overall psychological well-being. So those are the three simple stress-busting activities that I would suggest you try. But here's the thing is, every one of these activities is backed by science, and understanding the science behind these techniques helps reinforce their efficacy and stress reduction. By incorporating these practices into your routine, you're not only providing yourself with a mental breather, but you're also engaging physiological mechanisms that help promote your relaxation and lead to emotional balance. Your task for this week is simple Experiment with one of these three quick relaxation techniques. Leverage the science-backed benefits that they have to offer. So find a quiet moment, breathe deeply and witness the power of these practices.
Rob Rohde:As we navigate the post-holiday period, it's time for us to stop thinking about de-stressing as a luxury. De-stressing ourselves and finding ways of releasing our stress is a necessity, especially in the realm of fatherhood. By creating an environment that's calm and peaceful and engaging in these scientifically supported techniques, you're not just taking care of yourself, but you're also sitting in the foundation for being a more patient, engaged and present father. And I don't know about you, but those are things that I am chasing after every day. In the words of an ancient stoic philosopher, we cannot control the events around us, but we can control our reactions to them. This timeless insight reminds us of the power that we hold over our responses, and it's especially true during this time of year. When you intentionally choose responses that are grounded in peace and calm, not only do you benefit yourself personally, but you model positive self-care practices for your children to see.
Rob Rohde:As we wrap up this short episode, I just want to wish you a week that is filled with peace, with the peace of a stress-free environment. So until next time. This is Rob Rohde signing off. Hey, now you've got the tools, so go out there and reclaim your peace. Bye for now. Thank you for joining us for the Business of being Dad podcast. If you found value in today's episode, I encourage you to share it with a friend who could benefit from our discussions on fatherhood, leadership and legacy. Together, let's build a community of like-minded men who embrace ownership, commit to growth and make an impact. And now, before we go, remember greatness is within your reach, so stay strong, stay focused and create your legacy. I'm Rob Brody, and you've been listening to the Business of being Dad, where fatherhood meets success. See you in the next episode.
