No Post This Week, and That’s the Point
A weekend of fatherhood, family, and fulfillment — and why stepping back is sometimes the most forward move you can make.
I’ve been in a good groove since March, writing weekly articles that seem to be resonating. That kind of streak can start to feel like pressure — it’s why apps like Duolingo have reminders and rewards for keeping your streak alive. Once we know someone is keeping score we like to see the count grow, not reset to zero.
Typically I chip away at an outline during the week, sometimes I get GPT assistance with expanding on an idea or structuring the thoughts into a logical order. Then the weekend comes and I write the thing.
But this weekend is Father’s Day and I make no apologies for that role being the most important one I will ever have. So this week — late on Sunday afternoon — I thought I would post something about balance, and the interplay of personal and professional roles.
When Keeping Score Stops Making Sense
Any adult, and particularly parents of young kids, knows the no-win situation weekends often present: you do the things you want to do or you do chores and either way it’s the wrong choice. Meaning — come Sunday night — you might regret working too much, or too little. And then start Monday carrying that stressful feeling into your work week.
So this weekend I decided to just focus on family and take a break from writing. No post this week, no big deal.
But after going back and forth a few times I landed on this — a hybrid, low-effort post that puts out into the world what is really happening in hopes it resonates with many who struggle with the same balance.
What I Did This Weekend (Instead of Writing)
So here’s how I chose to spend my weekend — one honest choice at a time without keeping score between work, chores, and personal fulfillment.
Friday evening: rush home from work to have a quick, healthy dinner before taking my daughter to a Glow Party at her school. Not an activity I was super thrilled about but one that meant a lot to her in her last year in elementary school.
Time is moving too fast, make long-lasting memories.
Saturday morning: make scrambled egg tacos with my son like we do most weekends, try a new variation and write down the recipe. Build raised beds for the dahlias we’ve been wanting to plant for years. Last year my wife’s parents sold their home, and the gorgeous dahlias her dad loved to grow are no more. Time to take over.
Carrying on traditions is a quiet act of appreciation and tribute.
Saturday afternoon: visit family for a cookout, catch up with the adults while the cousins run around. Play tickle monster, light a camp fire, burn sparklers. Get home late and wiped, try to watch a funny movie but both fall asleep on the couch.
Nothing is more important than family — really listen, connect and get those goodbye hugs.
Sunday morning: take the kids to help an elderly neighbor with some yard work. Someone in the neighborhood had the nerve to write them a note objecting to a broken sidewalk and some weeds. Bonus: we took home some day lilies to transplant.
Helping others for its own sake is obviously a nice thing to do, but people don’t talk enough about how good it is for your own mental health.
Sunday afternoon: play a card game with the fam, then take a walk to our neighborhood Indian spot for dinner. Walk home, have some chill time and a celebratory Father’s Day drink with my partner, go to bed with zero regrets. But I will need to mow the lawn Monday night.
Big trips or big gifts are great but there are chances almost every day to something little together, and those add up.
Why I’m Sharing This With You
So I’m not 100% sure who will care, but this post is meant to:
Highlight the importance of intentionally investing as much in your personal life as your career
Show how that investment can offer mental restoration that actually makes you more productive when you go in on Monday
Put some of my personal life “out there”, for readers to get a fuller picture of the person offering perspectives on growth
If you made it this far, thanks for indulging me and if any of this spoke to you, please send me a note on Substack or LinkedIn. I appreciate every reader and love to hear feedback.
Enjoyed this piece?
I write weekly articles for designers and design leaders who want to grow their impact, lead with clarity, and build careers that actually feel sustainable.