The Future Proof You podcast

In this episode, I am chatting with Stephen Rutter from Sydney where he raises his 2 girls and 2 boys (age 4 to 17) while running his own innovation consultancy, The Scale Institute.

In our chat we touch on the following topics:

• Having the flexibility to be physically present with our kids when we run our own business with a focus on the family
• Changing priority from work to kids
• How parenting in your 20s is different from parenting in your 40s
• Balancing the needs of a modern, blended family

Join the Future Proof You tribe:

• Sign up to the Future Proof You Tribe to received tips from working dads for working dads. I also share my journey on building my business in harmony with my family https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads
• Continue the conversation on this podcast episode in the Future Proof You Facebook Group for working dads

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrutter/

In this episode, I am chatting with Michael Ray, who is a Solo dad to his daughter Charlie (8 y.o). Michael got Charlie at 49 and was 51 when he became a solo dad while in between being critically ill. What a start to parenthood! Michael shares how he balances life between Charlie, his personal training clients and his public speaking engagements.

In our chat we touch on the following topics:

• Breadwinner and nurturer no longer being two separate and distinct role for men and women
• The importance of trauma to help us realise we need to prioritise our kids
• Protecting your kids' self-esteem
• The new to reduced as working dad workload, enabled by being our own boss
• Time blocking for your kids
• Think about how you want to be remembered
• Charlie's day

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Join the Future Proof You tribe:

• Sign up to the newsletter where I go deep in tips for working dads: https://www.microskills.academy
• Continue the conversation on this podcast episode in the Future Proof You Facebook Group for working dads.

Join the upcoming chat on Solo Retreat and 12-Month Holistic Review on. Get your spot on https://www.microskills.academy

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Michael's website to access his writing or book him for a speech: https://michaelray.com.au/

You can connect with Michael Ray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ray-574079183/

This is a special episode!

I am recording this podcast from my 4th solo retreat! I am in Bingin Beach, Bali, Indonesia. I am recording this to raise awareness about the concept of a Solo Retreat.

When my wife took a holiday on her own in Vietnam 12 years ago, 3 months after getting married, I was shocked because it wasn't normal/accepted/in my nature/[fill in the blank].

Now as a Working Dad I strongly believe that it's the healthy thing to do to #FutureproofYou, your #Family and your #Career.

Learn how to do a 12 Month Holistic Review with a step-by-step course that you will access for free when you sign up for the FutureProofYou Tribe here: https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads

In this episode, I am chatting with Hugo Denat, a fellow French man who lives in San Diego California with his wife Sheri and their 5 -month old Lucas. Hugo is a consultant and coach on time management and productivity. He is a Freelancer by day and runs his side business by night.

In our chat we touch on the following topics:

• Hitting the reset button after getting close to a burnout
• Long-distance relationship
• The importance of routine
• Choosing our right priorities to be more productive
• And cheese and bread of course!

Hugo presents his online program where you can save 10-20 hours a week to focus on your kids or your side business. Stay tuned till the end to get an exclusive discount on his course! Register to the FREE TRAINING www.timeflies.us/register

Join the Future Proof You tribe:

• Connect with me on LinkedIn where I post daily quick tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchandjulien/
• Sign up to the newsletter where I go deep in tips for working dads: https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Book: The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman
• Book: Who moved my cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson
• Website: www.timeflies.us/register
• Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=najQ6D6BEhk

• You can connect with Hugo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugo-denat/

DISCOUNT CODE: WORKINGDAD20

This is a very special episode, very close to my heart. Asato Phillip Tanaka is the dad I aspire to be.

Both Saya (my daughter) and Kanga (Asato's son) suffer from Cerebral Palsy, brain damage that had an impact on cognitive and motricity functions.

I actually didn't want to share this episode too early as I want to resonate with as many dads as possible. I did share in episode #1 that my daughter dying at birth and coming back was one of my key triggers for prioritising my kids in my work-life balance. Asato shares a similar feeling: after Kanga's diagnosis, everything else (work, career, relationship..) went on the back burner and Kanga became priority #1.

If for us it's what it took to drastically work on our balance between work and fatherhood, that is not the message we want to share. What I am trying to do in this interview is to show other working dads that whatever happens in life, we can take it, juggle it (work, kids, wife, therapy…) and we can still prioritise our kids. However, Asato is not a superman, he simply breaks long after I do!

So with this interview, I am simply trying to inspire all dads that it is never too late to prioritise your kids. We talk about resilience, lack of sleep and more in this episode. Asato has started a Youtube channel on the art of making Japanese jewellery both in English and Japanese, check out the link below.

Asato's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQXikf5MC9hTzbJ74Y5Fnw

Today I am chatting with Liam Daley a contractor in an innovation organisation. He is the father of 2 girls: Carla (11) and Emily (9) and has been married for 10 years to Naomi!

You are in for a treat as Liam and I discuss the importance of having a balance between work and fatherhood in order to create a relationship with our kids since bonds start at an early age.

Liam shares how he keeps experimenting different tools. One of his top approaches is to model the behaviour he wants to develop in his girls. Check out how he does Daddy dates, a one-on-one experience to discover each other individuality. We touch on so many other secret weapons like make space for our kids (like transforming nightmarish mornings into enjoyable time for everyone), the importance of reading bedtime stories, releasing our kids' expectation and seeking feedback from our kids.

Join the Future Proof You tribe:

• Connect with me on LinkedIn where I post daily quick tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchandjulien/
• Sign up to the newsletter where I go deep in tips for working dads: https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

Book: Raising Girls in the 21st Century by Steve Biddulph https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Raising-Girls-in-the-21st-Century-Audiobook/176085204X?source_code=M2MORSH051016002X&ipRedirectOverride=true&gclid=CjwKCAiAluLvBRASEiwAAbX3GVh3t5IV9ym_CHzgTq37oFRmZzfQaC-WmyUGNXxCggY-R3Fp-LpNJRoC_joQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Book for kids

• Little Britain with David Walliams
• Stilton Geronimo

You can connect with Liam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daleyliam/

Today I am introducing you to Alex Holloway, former real estate agent who is now an early years teacher from England. He is the father of 3 boys: Koe (10), Dan (6) and Ken (3) and we share something in common, we both share our life with a Japanese wife! Tomoko, his wife, knows my wife Sachiko, that's how we ended up talking today in fact.

Alex is passionate about the development of young kids and self-development in general. We touch on a lot of these subjects, including the need to reach bottom in order to implement change, the need to model worklife balance to our kids, habits, constantly recalibrating what we do, taking regular dates with ourselves, yoga and chronotypes! Alex shares a lot of his reading too, so check out the links below.

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Join the Future Proof You tribe:

• Connect with me on LinkedIn where I post daily quick tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchandjulien/
• Sign up to the newsletter where I go deep in tips for working dads: https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Book: The Power of When by Michael Breus (https://www.amazon.com/Power-When-Discover-Chronotype-Lunch/dp/0316391263)
• • Take the quizz: https://thepowerofwhenquiz.com/
• Book: Game changer by Dave Aspray (https://www.amazon.com/Game-Changers-Leaders-Innovators-Mavericks-ebook/dp/B077XG39QR)
• Book : Why we sleep by Matthew Walker (https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144316)
• Yoga with Simon: https://simonborgolivier.com/
• Book: The Artist Way by Julia Cameron: https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary/dp/0143129252

You can connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-holloway-196b5a19/

Today I am having a chat with Daniel McKinnon who runs his own mobile software development company in regional Queensland, Australia. He is also the father of a nine-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl and husband of Nicole. During our catch-up, we talk about how they both run their own business and need to help each other, how they moved from Sydney to a regional area to have a better lifestyle, his focus on the 3 pillars of Learning, Self Motivation and being details focused. We also Discuss Deep Work end on the difficulty to implement self-development techniques as it is easier to stay trapped in being in motion.

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Join the Future Proof You tribe:

- Connect with me on LinkedIn where I post daily quick tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchandjulien/

- Sign up to the newsletter where I go deep in tips for working dads: https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

Sign up for the Deep Work 4 Deep Parenthood 21 Day challenge on https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

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Recommended resources

• Book: Deep Work by Carl Newport
• Book Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Ted Talk: Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change by Brené Brown
• Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/andy_puddicombe_all_it_takes_is_10_mindful_minutes?language=en

You can connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieljohnmckinnon/

This week I am having a chat with Yann who works in the wine industry. He is also the father of 2 girls, Mia (6) and Ann (1) and husband to Manna. During our catch-up, we talk about being back to sleepless nights, baby bottles, and nappies. We also chat about our traditional dads who focused on work, Yann working at night, and obviously the best wines to try for this season!

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Join the Future Proof You tribe:

- Connect with me on LinkedIn where I post daily quick tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchandjulien/

- Sign up to the newsletter where I go deep in tips for working dads: https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

Sign up for the Deep Work 4 Deep Parenthood 21 Day challenge on https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

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Recommended resources

• Book: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday: 365 Meditations
• Book The obstacle is the way by Ryan Holiday
• Audiobook: Meditation by Marcus Aurelius
• PDF: Tao of Seneca (Letter to Lucilius) on Tim Ferris' blog

You can connect with Yann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yann-audran-715a0ba7/

This week I am seating down with Marty, an awesome working dad who works in a managerial position in a not-for-profit. He is also the father of 2 girls, Aneka (7) and Coco (5) and husband to Micha. During our catch-up at a cafe in downtown Sydney, we talk paternity leave, working as a casual vs. employee, Annabel Crabb, progressive school, long commute, evening routine, the NZ Prime Minister, camping with other families and loving our work!

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Join the Future Proof You tribe:

- Connect with me on LinkedIn where I post daily quick tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchandjulien/

- Sign up to the newsletter where I go deep in tips for working dads: https://www.microskills.academy/workingdads/

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WHY THE WORKLIFE BALANCE IS IMPORTANT:

• Both my wife and I would like to be stay-at-home parents! We share responsibilities.
• There is this attitude in my workplace that family comes first. It's valued by people who apply to work there.
• I have 1.5 hours of commute each way but working from home doesn't work me. It's a conscious decision not to work at home.
• I work for a not-for-profit where I believe that the world should focus on environmental issues, for me and my kids.
• Work is my other identity which I love too

MARTY'S SECRET WEAPONS TO BALANCE WORK AND FATHERHOOD

• I have a long commute but I try to make the evening routine (bath/teeth/bed) FUN!
• Pick up mum at her office with the kids
• The progressive school was a conscious choice, we moved closer to it. The goal is to make our kids confident and happy.
• Men and work culture, in general, should adopt more of the feminine side: the nurturing and family aspect for instance.
• It's also the idea that we have to work 5 days a week. We are talking about our sharing the workload with my wife. We have 4 weeks holiday but 12 weeks of school holiday!
• I work during my commute
• We do as many outdoor activities as possible, to be connected with nature. My youngest was ready for camping at 2 month-old.

Recommended resources Annabel Crabb's September 2019 Quarterly Essay on Men at Work: https://www.quarterlyessay.com.au/essay/2019/09/men-at-work

You can connect with Marty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-middlebrook/