I feel guilty taking time for myself. Even just going to the gym for an hour feels selfish when I know there's laundry piling up or the house needs work. My therapist keeps saying I need to prioritize my own mental health but I don't know how to stop feeling like I'm failing if I'm not constantly doing something. How do other dads balance this?
The gym is literally my sanity check. After a week of work and parenting three kids, that hour is the only time I'm not responsible for anyone but myself. It's not selfish, it's survival.
I get this completely. Even sitting on the patio by myself for 20 minutes with coffee feels wrong. But you know what, my kids need a dad who isn't burnt out. Taking care of yourself isn't selfish, it's smart parenting.
This. I feel guilty leaving the house even just to grab coffee and be alone for an hour. But then I realized I'm a better parent when I've had that time to myself. You can't pour from an empty cup.
Sign in to join the conversation.
Going to the gym is not selfish, it's necessary. I tell myself that taking care of my mental and physical health IS taking care of my kids because I'm showing up as a better dad. Plus honestly an hour at the gym keeps me from losing it.