In the Boat With Ben

Due to some recent and significant changes to seanwes, In the Boat With Ben will no longer be a part of the seanwes network. It was a difficult decision among many, but ultimately made the most sense for the sustainability and direction of the seanwes brand.

So Rachel and I were left with the decision: do we continue doing the podcast on our own? Do we put it on hiatus? Do we cancel it altogether?

If the title wasn't a giveaway, we are going to continue producing a weekly podcast geared toward families. In this episode, Rachel and I get into the details behind the decision and some realizations that could lead to some exciting things in the future.

1 hour, 0 minutes

One of the most difficult tasks when it comes to raising children is teaching responsibility. We eventually want our children to have autonomy and the freedom to make decisions for themselves in most situations, but the road there can be pretty frustrating.

Sometimes bestowing certain privileges is a no-brainer, while other times it may seem like your child might never be able to handle the responsibilities of being an adult.

In this episode we will share from our experiences, successes, and failures when it comes to granting privileges and teaching responsibility. We will share a valuable focal point that will help you as you try to hold a balance between privileges and responsibility.

55 minutes

Even as adults, it's difficult sometimes to pinpoint where our stress is coming from. Most, or maybe just some of the time, we're at least capable of using healthy outlets to express our feelings and relieve stress.

Our kids face different, but significant, stresses daily. Their disadvantage comes when they lack the tools and the practice to identify what is causing their stress and to know how to release that stress.

In this episode we will share approaches you can take with your kids to help them identify the source of their stress and techniques you can use to teach them how to release their stress. Bonus: these things work for grown ups too.

1 hour, 1 minute

Running a business and running a family have similarities. Both have a lot of moving parts, can require you to wear several different hats, and can be simultaneously exciting and frustrating. Unfortunately, you can't fire family members.

Keeping a household in order can be very challenging and overwhelming at times. It can feel like you're taking on water and working desperately to scoop buckets of ocean out of your boat.

In this episode, we want to talk about borrowing ideas from business that can help patch the holes in your boat and get your family sailing smoothly.

54 minutes

Exercise is a major component of taking care of yourself. It influences our energy level, ability to focus, quality of sleep, and most importantly, our long term ability to be up to the challenge of the work and circumstances life has in store for us.

Many of us, especially parents, have difficulty making time or, at worst, feeling like we can justify the time we spend on exercise.

In this episode we will make a quick and simple case for exercise and share some ideas for making exercise a part of your daily experience, even while the kids are around.

1 hour, 8 minutes

Whether you yourself, or your child struggles with getting a good night's sleep, you know how difficult poor sleep can make every other area of your life. When Rachel and I were getting ready to welcome our first child into the world, we did some research and learned what we could about babies and sleep.

We have been very fortunate to have good sleepers, but the first six weeks were always a struggle, so we are very aware of how lack of sleep can kill your productivity, diminish your health, and make you feel a little crazy.

We have come to learn that good sleep is a cornerstone to health in every other area of our lives, but it also has a symbiotic relationship with other practices and disciplines. In this episode we'll share things you can do during your day that will lead to better sleep at night.

54 minutes

When it comes to making more time for the things we love, it often comes down to how much our time is worth. If we're able to make more money in a given amount of time, we can spend less time working to cover our bills, be more selective about the things we choose to do with our time, and, essentially, have more freedom. But how do we measure the value of our time? How do you determine how much your time is really worth?

Today we are going to dive into this question and talk about it from several different angles. Is the value of your time simply monetary? Is it intangible? Is it found in the things you don't have time for? Is it immeasurable?

Our goal with this episode is to get people thinking differently about their time and to help them understand how truly valuable it is.

1 hour, 3 minutes

Focus is one of the most valuable assets when it comes to making meaningful progress on your work. When your focus is challenged, it can cost you a lot of time due to the fact that you're simply not able to work as efficiently.

People who understand the power of focus go to great lengths to ensure their focus is protected by making sure their work environment is as distraction free as possible. But what about when you work from home where distractions abound?

In this episode we're going to talk about some best practices for finding focus and some strategies you can use to combat distractions at home so you can do your best work.

1 hour, 10 minutes

Have you ever set a big goal for yourself that you secretly thought was ridiculous? I have. I've had a goal so big that when I would try to think about it or come up with a strategy, I would experience crippling anxiety.

I'm a pretty confident person and I know that I'm capable of reaching big goals, but for some reason I was experiencing fear. As I pondered why this was, I stumbled upon some great insights for myself and started to feel more equipped to fight and overcome the fears that come between me and my goals.

In this episode we're talking about the possible roots of our anxiety when it comes to pursuing big goals, and some truths that can help us see our fears in a new light.

1 hour, 8 minutes

When I think about the main categories into which our lives are broken up, I generally think in terms of work, relationships, and self care. The health of each of the categories depends on the health of the others.

In the "work" category, I include things you would expect like a day-job, building your own business, artistic pursuits, and such. This category also includes things like getting groceries, cleaning the house, and getting the kids ready for school.

As your family grows and with it your responsibilities, the work can start to become all consuming at the expense of your relationships and personal well being.

In this episode we will talk about the importance of asking for the help you need, where you can get it, and how you can build a solid support system that will serve your work in the long term.