Finding Success with Systems
If you're anything like me—trying to balance parenting, marriage, work, and training—you know the struggle of juggling these roles without dropping the ball. For years, I chased the illusion that I could give 100% to every area of my life at all times. Or worse, ignoring or underperforming in an area because I didn’t prioritize it highly enough. It wasn’t sustainable. Eventually, I realized that success isn’t about doing everything perfectly but about building systems that help me stay consistent, focused, and intentional. More than anything, systems allow me to simplify my life, minimizing the amount of decisions I need to make so I can focus on executing on my plan.
Let me share the weekly systems I've developed to create balance and succeed in these key areas of my life.
I should first caveat that I consider all of these systems to be works in progress, hence the inclusion of the word ‘journey’ in the title of this blog. I will continue to refine them over time as I find strategies and activities that work well and as my circumstances change.
1. Fatherhood: Being Present and Engaged
As a father, I've learned that presence matters more than perfection. Quality time with my kids outweighs the quantity of hours spent together. Here's how I make the most of my role as a dad:
Intentional Family Time: I schedule 2–3 family-centered activities each week, like game nights or weekend outings. I also carve out one-on-one time with each child to deepen our bond.
Morning & Evening Rituals: Consistent routines help my kids feel secure. Morning prep and bedtime stories are non-negotiable.
Active Participation: I invite my kids into my world—whether that’s involving them in workouts (stroller jogs or shared mobility sessions) or teaching them life skills through household tasks.
Flexible Engagement: Life with kids is unpredictable, so I build in buffer time for spontaneous play or emotional support when they need it most. That means turning notifications off on my phone for a couple hours after work and being fully present.
2. Marriage: Prioritizing My Partnership
Marriage is the foundation of my family’s well-being. It’s easy to let this relationship take a backseat, but I’ve learned to be intentional about nurturing it.
Weekly Relationship Check-In: My spouse and I set aside 30 minutes each week (usually Sundays) to align our schedules, share what went well in the previous week, lay out priorities for the upcoming week, and talk through challenges.
Scheduled Quality Time: We prioritize a bi-weekly date night and daily unplugged moments to connect without distractions. This doesn’t always have to be a reservation at a nice restaurant and a sitter, it can be a concerted effort to unplug and enjoy each other’s company at home too.
Shared Responsibilities: Dividing household duties eases the mental load and strengthens our partnership. This tends to happen naturally but sometimes needs to be revisited if one of us ends up with more work than anticipated.
Small Daily Gestures: Little acts of kindness—a thoughtful text or a warm hug—keep our connection strong.
3. Career: Staying Focused and Efficient
Balancing a demanding career requires strategic focus. In the past I prioritized responsiveness and putting in big hours. I’ve since learned that I can have a greater impact by being more intentional (and selfish) with my working hours. This is the system I’ve implemented to maximize my productivity without letting work overrun my life.
Weekly Work Planning: I dedicate time every Sunday evening to identify my top three work priorities and block out focused work sessions on the calendar.
Time Management Techniques: I’ve become very protective of my calendar and regularly pushback and decline meetings where I’m not needed - asking instead for meeting minutes. I only check email 3 times a day at predetermined intervals and I block my key working sessions on the calendar in advance. This can ruffle feathers at first, but if you can enroll your leadership team in this approach and demonstrate results, then it will dramatically increase your productivity and your mental health.
Boundary Setting: Clear work hours and communication boundaries help me stay productive and protect family time. I’m not so naive as to think everyone can be successful at work shutting their computer at 5pm. That being said, I’ve set clear expectations with my leadership team that I may not be immediately reachable from 5 - 7pm, but I check in after the kids are down in case anything urgent needs an immediate response.
Continuous Learning: I commit to 1–2 hours each week for professional development to keep growing in my role. Oftentimes I can combine training and work here by listening to an audiobook, podcast, or watching a webinar during an easy bike ride.
4. Athletic Goals: Training with Purpose
As an amateur triathlete striving to become competitive, I know that training smarter—not harder—is key. Here’s how I stay on track with my fitness goals:
Training Scheduling: I lock in my weekly schedule Sunday evening, review it with my wife, and adjust based on family and work demands.
Data-Driven Training: I track performance metrics to adapt my training intensity and volume. If I wake up and my metrics indicate my body isn’t ready to absorb the day’s training load, I’ll dial back the length or intensity of the workouts or replace them with easier ones and try to make them up later in the week. Preventing injury and illness are key to being successful long term.
Maximizing Working Hours: Whenever possible, I try to get some training done during the workday. This could be an easy ride during a big conference call, fitting in a quick run on lunch, or getting some mobility work done at my standing desk.
Family-Inclusive Workouts: Whenever possible, I involve my family in workouts, turning exercise into bonding time. This often means stroller jogs or strength/injury prevention sessions with my little guy shadowing my movements.
5. Personal Energy Management: Sustaining Momentum
Balancing these roles requires sustainable energy. I prioritize recovery and mental clarity to perform well in all areas.
Weekly Reflection & Adjustment: I reflect on wins and challenges each week and adjust accordingly.
Simplified Decision-Making: Automating small decisions (like meal prepping or setting out workout clothes) reduces mental fatigue.
Integration: Making It All Work
The truth is, balance isn’t about equal time but about aligning my systems with my values. By combining family, fitness, and personal growth whenever possible, I’ve built a rhythm that allows me to thrive in every role. I stay flexible, adapt when life throws curveballs, and focus on energy management to keep moving forward.
If you’re a father, husband, professional, and athlete struggling to balance it all, I hope these systems inspire you to build a life that works for you. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress.
Let’s keep showing up and leading by example. One system at a time.
