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Get up at 6am. Get kids ready for school. Help my wife with any chores around the house for a bit. Start working. Lift on my lunch break in my home gym. Bac

Get up at 6am. Get kids ready for school. Help my wife with any chores around the house for a bit. Start working. Lift on my lunch break in my home gym. Back to work. Kids come home. Feed them. Help with homework. Do something with them outside weather permitting. Put them to bed, read to/with them. Get lunches ready for tomorrow. Load the dishwasher. Load the laundry. My turn to walk the dog. Be mentally and physically drained. Hopefully this all gets down by 9:30 so I can get to bed before 10 and get enough sleep to start it all over again. Thank God I don’t commute. If you want to work after work - don’t have kids.

rco8786 3y ago
This is generally representative of my day also
strikelaserclaw 3y ago
The trick is to learn during your working hours. I generally subtract one hour each day from the time i do actual work for my company and put that time towards learning. You'd be surprised at how in the long run i'm actually doing much better than my peers. I think this is because fundamentally, there is a large percentage of work that is just muscle memory. I'm speaking as a senior software engineer but 30% of my work is design (this actually involves the most research and thought, i put 100% of my focus here), 50% is just coding (after many years on the job, if i design it correctly, it should mostly be muscle memory and coding from the design) and 20% meetings. That 50% of coding, that is where you can slack off and use that time for self improvement.
- wonderwonder 3y ago
  This really is it. Most knowledge / white collar / software developers (not all) have downtime during the day. We are posting on HN during work hours. Its within the realm of reality to pare off an hour 3x a week to learn. Now I generally spend that hour doom scrolling, but if I was dedicated I could absolutely study, thats on me.
CalRobert 3y ago
Same. Though at least biking the kids to school in a cargo bike helps with exercise (but not as good as lifting). I understand now how people stagnate in midlife.
- granshaw 3y ago
  Love ‘em or hate em, Kids suck up ALL of your time
- balaji1 3y ago
  > I understand now how people stagnate in midlife Only way to gain some advantage is to delegate/hire help. Which is beyond the reach for most ppl. At the same time, there is a lot more filler admin-work for adults. Wondering, are kids (after a certain age) more helpful around the house? So parents get back time?
pluijzer 3y ago
"Help with homework", I have seen this in movies. Is this a cultural thing? I don't know any parents that help there children with homework.
- teddyh 3y ago
  Culturally normalized cheating. Also gives advantage to those with rich parents who can afford the time.
  - consoomer 3y ago
    It's cheating to help a 7 year old understand how to do basic math? Because the alternative is them staring at a paper and writing random numbers down.
    - p1esk 3y ago
      So what do they do in school all day?
      - ghaff 3y ago
        Because everyone has personalized tutors at school.
        p1esk 3y ago
        I didn't have tutors or parents helping me with homework when I was in school. Also, bad grades were not tolerated in my household, so I had to keep up.
        blogornot 3y ago
        You had a household where bad grades were not tolerated, but no support in achieving better grades? Sounds like a crappy household/parenting. That doesn't mean everyone else should have a crappy household or parenting philosophy because you managed to get through it.
consoomer 3y ago
Here's mine: Wake up at 4AM. Stretch Achilles (gets stiff when I sleep), make a coffee and check emails/prep for the day in my notebook. From 4:20 to 5AM I run 5K and then shower. From about 5AM to 7AM I work on my own stuff/learn/whatever. At 7AM I wake up the wife and help get kids ready for school. I walk with the kids to school at 8AM. From 8:30 to 3PM I work on my stuff and have lunch somewhere in there. I walk to the kids' school and pick them up at 3PM. Work on my stuff until 5-6PM. Help out with dinner, kids, play, etc. Put kids to sleep around 9PM.
- Balgair 3y ago
  You get less than 7 hours of sleep a day?
  - consoomer 3y ago
    Yeah--- seven days a week. I do the same routine on the weekend.
- jebarker 3y ago
  Are you self-employed?
  - consoomer 3y ago
    I am, but that's irrelevant. I became self employed because of my lifestyle. I don't think I ever could have done it otherwise.
- stevofolife 3y ago
  "Work on my stuff until 5-6PM". Nice. Slim chance for me.
TiredGuy 3y ago
One thing I realize while reading this is that, having recently signed up for a local gym, I'll lose that "alone time in the home gym", where I would often listen to podcasts and watch videos while I lift. Sure, I can get some headphones and lug my phone around at the local gym, but it's certainly not as conducive to learning as having a screen set up that I can walk around and view as I work out.
pizzafeelsright 3y ago
Working in the office or home my daily schedule was: Wake 4:45am Breakfast Work Play with kids while (slowly) teaching, working side projects. Eat and Post dinner tasks (bedtime stuff) Learn/Build for 15-60 minutes during wind down. Bed at 10pm Learning is done while at work, during naps, weekends. Working after work is possible. Having kids brings clarity to our priorities. Mine at the moment is to maximize peace and stability.
- Transpire7487 3y ago
  How can you work on side projects while playing with your kids? My kids get 100% of my attention because otherwise it ends up more like being 0%. I can’t learn the next whiz-bang framework while inventing storylines for plying with Batman figures or playing hide and seek.
  - pizzafeelsright 3y ago
    Great question. I include them in the process. If I clean the garage I give them jobs. I was cleaning the workbench and provided a few boxes of random screws, nails, nuts, and bolts - had him sort them by size and shape. This teaches pattern recognition, sorting methods, names of objects, function of objects, and fine motor skills. If I ask for a 10mm socket the 3 year old can identify it including telling me it is used for tightening bolts.
nerdface 3y ago
Exactly this. I have three kids and a dog. There is zero spare time. I typically sit down for the first time at 9pm at which time I'm so exhausted that learning is not really possible. I may get to read for 30 mins to an hour before I crash.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

rco8786 3y ago

This is generally representative of my day also

strikelaserclaw 3y ago

The trick is to learn during your working hours. I generally subtract one hour each day from the time i do actual work for my company and put that time towards learning. You'd be surprised at how in the long run i'm actually doing much better than my peers. I think this is because fundamentally, there is a large percentage of work that is just muscle memory. I'm speaking as a senior software engineer but 30% of my work is design (this actually involves the most research and thought, i put 100% of my focus here), 50% is just coding (after many years on the job, if i design it correctly, it should mostly be muscle memory and coding from the design) and 20% meetings. That 50% of coding, that is where you can slack off and use that time for self improvement.

wonderwonder 3y ago
This really is it. Most knowledge / white collar / software developers (not all) have downtime during the day. We are posting on HN during work hours. Its within the realm of reality to pare off an hour 3x a week to learn. Now I generally spend that hour doom scrolling, but if I was dedicated I could absolutely study, thats on me.

CalRobert 3y ago

Same. Though at least biking the kids to school in a cargo bike helps with exercise (but not as good as lifting). I understand now how people stagnate in midlife.

granshaw 3y ago
Love ‘em or hate em, Kids suck up ALL of your time
balaji1 3y ago
> I understand now how people stagnate in midlife Only way to gain some advantage is to delegate/hire help. Which is beyond the reach for most ppl. At the same time, there is a lot more filler admin-work for adults. Wondering, are kids (after a certain age) more helpful around the house? So parents get back time?

pluijzer 3y ago

"Help with homework", I have seen this in movies. Is this a cultural thing? I don't know any parents that help there children with homework.

teddyh 3y ago
Culturally normalized cheating. Also gives advantage to those with rich parents who can afford the time.
- consoomer 3y ago
  It's cheating to help a 7 year old understand how to do basic math? Because the alternative is them staring at a paper and writing random numbers down.
  - p1esk 3y ago
    So what do they do in school all day?
    - ghaff 3y ago
      Because everyone has personalized tutors at school.
      - p1esk 3y ago
        I didn't have tutors or parents helping me with homework when I was in school. Also, bad grades were not tolerated in my household, so I had to keep up.
        blogornot 3y ago
        You had a household where bad grades were not tolerated, but no support in achieving better grades? Sounds like a crappy household/parenting. That doesn't mean everyone else should have a crappy household or parenting philosophy because you managed to get through it.

consoomer 3y ago

Here's mine: Wake up at 4AM. Stretch Achilles (gets stiff when I sleep), make a coffee and check emails/prep for the day in my notebook. From 4:20 to 5AM I run 5K and then shower. From about 5AM to 7AM I work on my own stuff/learn/whatever. At 7AM I wake up the wife and help get kids ready for school. I walk with the kids to school at 8AM. From 8:30 to 3PM I work on my stuff and have lunch somewhere in there. I walk to the kids' school and pick them up at 3PM. Work on my stuff until 5-6PM. Help out with dinner, kids, play, etc. Put kids to sleep around 9PM.

Balgair 3y ago
You get less than 7 hours of sleep a day?
- consoomer 3y ago
  Yeah--- seven days a week. I do the same routine on the weekend.
jebarker 3y ago
Are you self-employed?
- consoomer 3y ago
  I am, but that's irrelevant. I became self employed because of my lifestyle. I don't think I ever could have done it otherwise.
stevofolife 3y ago
"Work on my stuff until 5-6PM". Nice. Slim chance for me.

TiredGuy 3y ago

One thing I realize while reading this is that, having recently signed up for a local gym, I'll lose that "alone time in the home gym", where I would often listen to podcasts and watch videos while I lift. Sure, I can get some headphones and lug my phone around at the local gym, but it's certainly not as conducive to learning as having a screen set up that I can walk around and view as I work out.

pizzafeelsright 3y ago

Working in the office or home my daily schedule was: Wake 4:45am Breakfast Work Play with kids while (slowly) teaching, working side projects. Eat and Post dinner tasks (bedtime stuff) Learn/Build for 15-60 minutes during wind down. Bed at 10pm Learning is done while at work, during naps, weekends. Working after work is possible. Having kids brings clarity to our priorities. Mine at the moment is to maximize peace and stability.

Transpire7487 3y ago
How can you work on side projects while playing with your kids? My kids get 100% of my attention because otherwise it ends up more like being 0%. I can’t learn the next whiz-bang framework while inventing storylines for plying with Batman figures or playing hide and seek.
- pizzafeelsright 3y ago
  Great question. I include them in the process. If I clean the garage I give them jobs. I was cleaning the workbench and provided a few boxes of random screws, nails, nuts, and bolts - had him sort them by size and shape. This teaches pattern recognition, sorting methods, names of objects, function of objects, and fine motor skills. If I ask for a 10mm socket the 3 year old can identify it including telling me it is used for tightening bolts.

nerdface 3y ago

Exactly this. I have three kids and a dog. There is zero spare time. I typically sit down for the first time at 9pm at which time I'm so exhausted that learning is not really possible. I may get to read for 30 mins to an hour before I crash.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]