Welcome to the Daily Dad podcast where we provide one lesson every day to help you with your

most important job being a dad. These are lessons inspired by ancient philosophy, by practical

wisdom, and insights from dads all over the world.

Thank you for listening, and we hope this helps.

You need to take this time.

Certainly, someone would have needed him for something, his wife,

one of his 13 kids, the pressing business of state. But for a few minutes to an hour, sometimes in the

morning, sometimes in the evening, Marcus Aurelius was unreachable. This was too important.

The 20th century American philosopher Brand Blanchard marvels at what Marcus

accomplished there in the midnight dimness, alone with his journal and his thoughts. It didn't matter

where he was or what was happening. Marcus stole the time to sit and to think and to write. Do you? Do you make this

time? James Clear, author of the wonderful bestseller

Atomic Habits, told us over at the Daily Stoic podcast that since becoming a father, he has carved

out two sacred hours in the morning to do his writing. Sometimes he gets more, but nevertheless.

Those two hours determine whether he had a good day or a wasted day,

whether he was productive in making progress, or whether he was slacking. A few minutes or a few

hours in the morning at night or in the middle of the day, this idea of sacred time is important.

You have to carve it out. You have to stick to it like clockwork, protect it like you would, a doctor's

appointment or a big meeting. You need to use the stillness to be active. You need to focus, lock it in,

to do your philosophy, to do your work, to do your self-examination. And of course, this isn't the only time

you need. It is just a minimum. So make sure you give it to or take it for yourself. You'll marvel at what you can accomplish in those few sacred minutes. And of course, this is what I talk about in stillness is the key, which I hope you check out. It debuted at number one on the New York Times with a seller list. I try to have my stillness in the morning. Try to have a little in the evening too.

But if you're not making time for stillness in your life, I don't think you're being the parent that you can be. So check it out. You're listening to a daily dad podcast. One meditation a day

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