Five hours of sleep, too much caffeine, a never-ending to-do list, and a baby who won't go back to sleep.

Welcome to another episode of Dads in Real Life. ☕

Today, Travis and Robert are running on caffeine and dad energy. Between the heat, family responsibilities, and a serious lack of sleep, Travis is realizing that something needs to change.

He starts by sharing his experience with the Brick, a physical device designed to help limit distracting apps and social media.

After noticing that he reaches for his phone more often when he's tired or stressed, Travis decided to try something different. He shares the data from his first week using the Brick, why he chose it over other apps, and whether it's actually helping him break the habit of doomscrolling.

Robert shares why he uses the Brick too, along with an unexpected benefit he's discovered.

Then the conversation turns to something every parent wishes they had more of:

SLEEP. 😴

Travis has been averaging just five hours a night, so he asks Robert about his sleep habits and tracking.

They discuss:

• 📱 Why stress and exhaustion make bad habits harder to break

• 🧱 Using the Brick to manage social media and distractions

• 💤 The difference between consistent sleep and an unpredictable sleep schedule

• ⏰ How alarms and routines can help manage mornings

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The reality of trying to prioritize sleep while raising kids

And just when things seem to be getting productive, Travis introduces something he calls:

THE BAD LUCK TRAIN. 🚂

You know those days when one thing goes wrong, then another, and suddenly everything seems to be falling apart?

Travis shares a recent ride on the Bad Luck Train, while Robert adds a story involving a rushed afternoon and a diaper. Because nothing says parenting quite like being in a hurry when your kid has other plans.

The episode wraps up with a familiar dad-life moment: a crying baby, a missing pacifier, another interrupted night of sleep, and a little dad cuddling to save the day.

Sometimes being a dad isn't about having the perfect routine or getting everything right.

It's about finding better ways to manage the chaos, recognizing when something needs to change, and showing up for your family—even when you're running on five hours of sleep.

Question for our listeners: Have you ever been on the Bad Luck Train? Share your best story in the comments!

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Shout-outs:

Music produced by Trevor Gregory Follow @savten from @look.cypher

Today we pick up Part 2 of our conversation about protecting your time, attention, and mental space as a dad.

Or at least we try to.

First, there are Christopher Walken impressions. Then Travis needs to move some Magna-Tiles. Then there’s a crying child who needs help.

Basically, the perfect introduction to an episode about managing distractions and the never-ending responsibilities of being a parent. 😂

Eventually, Travis and Robert get back to where they left off and tackle something they call:

“Subscription Maintenance.”

These are the responsibilities that never really get checked off because eventually…they come back.

🧹 Daily & weekly: Cleaning bathrooms, dishes, laundry, groceries, yard work.

🛠️ Monthly & quarterly: Changing filters, maintaining the house, scheduling appointments, car maintenance.

💰 The expensive stuff: The responsibilities that are easy to forget—but can cost you financially or emotionally when you do.

Travis asks Robert a simple question:

How do you keep track of all this without allowing it to constantly take up space in your head?

Because as parents, we're not only managing our schedules. We're managing a household, kids, relationships, work, finances, maintenance, and dozens of little responsibilities that are constantly coming back around.

Robert and Travis share the systems, routines, reminders, and strategies they use to get those responsibilities out of their heads and into something they can actually manage.

The goal isn't to eliminate responsibility.

It's to create enough structure that you're not constantly reacting to life from your heels.

Instead, you're prepared, aware, and operating on your toes.

Because the dad to-do list may never actually be finished—and maybe that's the point.

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Shout-outs:

Music produced by Trevor Gregory Follow @savten from @look.cypher

Travis starts today’s episode where most dads probably start their day: with a list. Lists keep everything on track...or at least they’re supposed to.

But before getting into today’s topic, Travis has some BIG news.

He’s almost giddy trying to get Robert to guess what’s happening. How big is it? According to Travis, it ranks somewhere just below having a child.

Ten years ago, Travis said goodbye to something he loved—and next week, he’s finally saying hello to it again.

What is it? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Then Travis introduces the bigger question of the day:

How do you decide what deserves your attention?

As dads, there is a seemingly endless list of people and things competing for it—texts, social media, work, school, sports, coaches, teachers, other parents, household responsibilities, and everything else that comes with raising a family.

Travis and Robert talk about how they manage that noise while still protecting the things that matter most.

They get into boundaries, people pleasing, distractions, technology, and conserving your energy, with Robert sharing some of the frameworks he uses personally and teaches his kids:

Is this actually my problem to solve? Is this my responsibility—or someone else’s? Does this deserve my attention right now?

They also talk about navigating group politics at work, school, and youth sports; managing social media; and finding the balance between being part of a community without feeling responsible for everything happening within it.

And because this is our podcast, somehow we end up debating how to handle the salesperson who knocks on your door in the middle of the day. Let's just say Robert and Travis have very different approaches.

This is Part 1 of a bigger conversation about managing the mental load of dad life.

Next time, we’ll dig deeper into what actually belongs on your to-do list, how to prioritize it, managing social media, dealing with unavoidable time drains, staying ahead of recurring household responsibilities, and creating more mental space.

Because the goal isn't to somehow do everything.

It's knowing what deserves your attention—and getting better at letting go of what doesn't.

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Shout-outs:

Music produced by Trevor Gregory Follow @savten from @look.cypher