20 Minutes of Sanity: 24 Hours in the Life of a Dad-Scholar-Professional #10

French Fries for dinner, because, whatever at this point.

It's been a full first week of classes and a full week at work as we truly kick into campaign mode. My kids (and wife for that matter) all ate better than me and actually, what I ate was not great.

Yes, I was a rapper at one point in my life. Hence, my love for music and the work I do as the Director of Development at the National Museum of African American Music.

This week we are reading about systems change and the complexities that are apparent throughout our work addressing mostly wicked problems in philanthropy. I am beginning to wrap my head around the first assignment, a discussion post, that's due on Monday evening—like most of our assignments in the #PhilD. Only thing is, I'll be on 'vacation' and Monday is Labor Day. The mental block of getting around the fact that it's a holiday/vacation is something we as a cohort have discussed and know as adults and people at this point in their academic journey, that doesn't matter. The work, the studying, the musings has to happen. So here we are.

Once again, I'm writing and the smallest child is singing in the baby monitor. He loves to serenade daddy while I write. I'm pretty used to it at this point.

The readings for this course on Community Collaboration have already stacked up and are taking a great deal of time to get through. There are required and optional readings, so I'll do my best to get through as many as I can especially on this road trip to my hometown, Muskegon, MI. Alex and I are excited about the beach (Lake Michigan). I have to remind myself though to stay focused and carve out the time to digest my readings, draft notes as I go (in OneNote), complete the assignment, and eventually, respond (thoughtfully) to 1-2 classmates on Canvas.

A tool I mentioned before to increase productivity, specifically with readings, is Speechify. I wanted to mention it again and always share the best resources, because I know so many of the subscribers to this blog are also busy working professionals (whether pursuing higher education or not) and desire to consume information and learn in a more efficient and expedited manner. Speechify is it. Download, pay the fee (hit me up for the referral), and thank me later. It's a game changer for my productivity.

Last thing, I wanted to leave off with today was sharing/documenting my daily schedule. My 'how' do I do this with so many hats. I've been asked this over and again and started to share it yesterday, but couldn't fit it in the twenty minute mark. So here goes:

• 5 AM – At least three times a week, I'd like to do some form of wellness activity. My favorite is going to the YMCA for an hour-long workout. Some days, it's the stationary bike in our home, other days it's mindfulness meditation and breathwork. Some days when that little baby is on 10 or I just didn't get to bed at a decent hour, it's nothing.
• 6 AM – All systems go: Oatmeal, showers, kids are waking, teeth are being brushed, so many things are happening from now until 7:30 AM, I'm usually just herding cats—including my own self cat.
• 7:30 AM – we are out the house and headed to daycare. The beats are bumping. Some days the audiobooks win the aux battle.
• 8 AM – 4:30 PM – National Museum of African American Music. I'm all in one hundred ten.
• 5 PM – Pick up the boys and head to the house. Meet up with Alex and start the evening routine. I cook dinner about 70% of the time and Alex always leads breakfast. David is usually in mid-meltdown at this point. He is such a good boy, and he gets great remarks on his behavior at school, but I think he has to "put on" so much at school, that when he comes home to mom and dad, he's just tired, stressed, and just blah.. There may be a board meeting, exhibit opening, or donor dinner/event here and there in this window, but I try to bake most of my museum musings into my day. I'm the most coffee, tea, lunch, happy hour-ing-est person in Nashville. All before five though.
• 7 PM – And shout out to the daycare, because by 7 PM the children are done. All roads in our house lead to 8 PM. Every experience my children have will not pass the eight o'clock mark, because daddy is kissing you on the cheek and closing the door at 7:59 PM. Asleep or not. David has never had an issue sleeping. I won't see or hear from that kid again until 7 AM the next morning (and I have to wake him up!). His brother on the other hand—we're getting there. LOL.
• 8 PM – 11 PM – That is school time for the parents. Well, really daddy, because mom isn't really a during the week studier, but I am. I spend my time studying, listening to readings, washing clothes and cleaning post-dinner dishes, I avidly take notes while I'm listening to readings so I can refer to them later as study points and integrations into my assignments. I snack some or have a beer, and I shouldn't but oh well. I really get in my student mode.
• 11 PM – As smart as I claim to be, I crash like a dummy. And if I don't, the 5 AM flex isn't a thing.

Wow. That took a minute, but I wanted to get it out because I've been asked this more than anything else. How are you baking in so much into your day, everyday. This is it. It's not pretty, but most days it's definitely fun and worthwhile. I maximize every moment and try to be hyper present during each segment. Doing this benefits me and those that I'm around at that moment. Am I tired, yes and no. I'm honestly more resilient than anything.

Everything I do is bigger than me…and that's why I do it.

It's been almost 40 minutes! I had to crank that one out though--20(x2) I guess.

Chat soon.

Dex