
Productivity hacks of a startup dad - logicman
http://sahilparikh.com/post/51539972450/productivity-hacks-of-a-startup-dad#.UaRBy2RRlfQ
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Tyrannosaurs
What I really like about this is it doesn't focus on hacks around the kids.

I'm sceptical about the idea you could hack being a parent and if you want to
you should probably think about whether parenting is something you really want
to do.

If you choose to bring someone else into this world, you owe it to them to
give being their mum or dad your absolute best shot and not try and cut
corners. As Jeff Atwood said of Steve Jobs around the time he quit Stack
Overflow "if you're going to f __k something up, f __k up the iPad, don't f
__k up your kids".

Obviously there are things you can do (usually around having an understanding
partner who will put in the time you can't if that has to happen) but don't
fool yourself it's the same as allof you spending quality time as a family.

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chetan51
The part I found most useful:

Recently, I have been practicing a new time management technique and I am
calling it the “Minimum Viable Daily Tasks”. Here is how it works: Choose the
minimum amount of work that needs to be done everyday so that you have a big
smile on your face when you are heading home in the evening. If you accomplish
anything more then it is a bonus.

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obviouslygreen
It's hard to call that bad advice... it most certainly is great, until you
have nothing left to do that makes you happy. At that point you might either
consider yourself a failure or realize that this just is not realistic.

Jobs have ups and downs, and no situation is perfect for anything, whether
it's raising kids or maintaining your own particular sanity. Expecting a
prescription for "being happy while doing thing x I have not done" to work for
you is setting yourself up for failure.

Normally I'd say this is likely to help many people a bit along the way, but
raising kids might be the only thing too personal and individual to warrant
any kind of "well hey this worked for entrepreneur X in The Ess Vee so it
should work for me."

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dasil003
I think the point was that setting a goal and accomplishing it puts a smile on
your face, not that the particulars were enjoyable per se.

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hrayr
I wish there was a guide for dads (or moms) for balancing a one year old
running around the house, running a software consultancy, an early stage
startup and an MS degree on the side, all from home.

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junto
Your child is only a toddler once. Blink and you might miss it. You'll regret
it later on if you neglect the opportunity to watch your child grow.

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Tyrannosaurs
It's an amazing age too - they're doing new, great stuff all the time.

I say great, it's great if they're your children. If they're someone else's
it's obviously dull as dishwater.

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junto
Indeed. Amazing to watch them discover the world around them!

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harel
He's quite right. I never equate hours in front of a screen to productivity.
Its wrong. I am (for the last 8 years) a dad to 2 boys and have worked in
start ups for the last 16 years or so. Sometimes I have to leave early,
sometimes I start later, most of the time I drop them off at school, etc. The
last thing I want is to come home late to see two sleeping kids and then leave
early the next day.

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k__
Are kids and a family really a big thing before your thirties in the US?

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Tyrannosaurs
The idea of waiting until you're 30 to have kids is a common one but is less
simple than most people think.

If you're with someone in your 20s and you both agree to it then it's great,
but if you aren't then the whole timing thing is a long way from simple.
You're talking about finding someone, checking they're the right someone,
settling down, marriage, kids etc. is a pretty long and complex chain to just
assume will happen, and you're up against either your or your partners ticking
biological clock (fertility decreasing as you get older and dropping off
pretty sharply in your 30s).

It's all doable but I would say if your plan is to be having kids in your
early 30s, that's a plan that you need to start acting on in your mid 20s
rather than finding yourself single at the age of 30 and having to start
there.

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10dpd
These tips are great because they are not just for parents with kids but for
anyone who wants to be more productive.

I especially like the tip around writing down a plan for the next day the
night before - I've started doing this recently and it enables me to offload
thoughts and worries about the next day and focus on getting a good night
sleep.

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huhtenberg

      Oxymoron (ox·y·mo·ron) is a combination of contradictory
      or incongruous words. For example:
      
          Early in the morning when everyone is asleep
    

Between our friends and family I am aware of exactly one toddler that sleeps
until 8 in the morning and she is widely regarded as a miracle child for just
that reason.

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rnernento
Simple, well written, and useful. I think these apply to everyone (with or
without kids, startup or not).

+1

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wittysense
Put magnets overtop your prefrontal cortex to increase your potential for
Flow.

