Dadvice Weekly #11 / Two Minute Wins

Stop putting off the small stuff!

I tend to get overwhelmed by mental clutter. I mean those little piddly things that don’t take a lot of time but quickly add up. Email inboxes, taking out the recycling, the text back I owe. By the end of the day my brain can feel fried, not from big projects but from dozens of small tasks I kept putting off.

The two-minute rule from David Allen’s Getting Things Done changed that. It’s my first line of defense in the struggle for productivity.

Here’s the rule: if doing something takes less than two minutes, I just do it instead of adding it to my to-do list for later.

At work, it’s knocking out quick emails before they pile up. At home, it’s putting the sippy cup in the dishwasher instead of leaving it on the counter. The trick is being honest about what actually takes two minutes—loading the dishwasher counts, reorganizing the garage does not. Leaning into this rule helps me clear out all the little things so I can focus on work that requires more time and thought.

We find that this week’s recos help us stay on top of the small things, making space for us to be more present dads. -KC

Zany Zoo

Our daughter is almost 11 months, and she’s officially on the move. Crawling everywhere, trying to stand up on anything she can reach. Brooke recently came home from a baby resale event with something called a Zany Zoo. I had never heard of it, but Mary Kate loved it immediately.

It’s a large wooden cube with something interesting on every side. The top is especially engaging, with bead mazes and little animal tracks that keep her attention. The height is perfect for her right now. She’s learning to stand with support, and this gives her something sturdy to hold onto while she plays.

I’m not sure how long babies use this kind of toy, but starting at 10 months, it’s been a great addition to our collection. She’s just beginning to explore it, and I already know we got something good. -SW

Workona Tab Organizer for Chrome

How many tabs do you have open right now? I’ve been using Workona for about three years to help me with tab management. Workona groups tabs into workspaces—I tried getting cute and making one for every project at first, but that lasted a week. Now I just keep three: work, personal, and ideas. Everything auto-saves, so when Chrome crashes or updates itself, all my tabs come back exactly where I left them. It also suspends inactive tabs so your computer doesn’t waste memory on what you’re not looking at. Here’s the weird part: I paid for a year subscription three years ago and they’ve never charged me since. No idea if that’s a glitch, but I’m not asking questions. If you’re drowning in tabs, give it a shot! -KC

80-Gallon Outdoor Storage Box for Cushions

There is a blurred line between Fall and Winter in Colorado. Some days in October and November are perfect with crisp air, sunny skies, and patio weather. Other days feel like January showed up early. One thing I’ve struggled with is what to do with our outdoor furniture cushions during this seasonal whiplash.

I know this makes me sound lazy, but I think it’ll resonate. I bought an outdoor storage box from Walmart specifically to store the cushions. It’s the 80-gallon resin deck box, and it was $16 off when I grabbed it. Setup was super easy, and now the cushions live right next to the furniture instead of scattered all over the garage.

This unlocks two things for me. First, when it snows, I have a permanent spot for the cushions. No more stuffing them into every nook of the garage until Spring. Second, on those surprisingly nice Fall and Spring days, I can pull the cushions out in seconds and enjoy the patio. Even if it’s just for a quick 30-minute work session or a Saturday afternoon game outside.

It’s not a flashy purchase, but it’s one of those small upgrades that makes life smoother. Definitely glad I grabbed it. -SW

Bottle Washing Machine

We made it through two newborns hand washing bottles every night, but with four kids now the Momcozy KleanPal Pro has been clutch. I was hesitant about the price ($299), but I find it’s worth it. It washes, sterilizes, dries, and stores bottles and pump parts. It has 26 spray jets that hit every corner, and you can choose different modes depending on how fast you need it done—quick wash runs in 19 minutes. The dual-layer design holds four bottles comfortably (but I’ve squeezed in up to seven when desperate), and it handles Dr. Brown bottles components just fine. The hepa filter can keep everything sterile for up to 72 hours! -KC

Just for Dad: Cuisinart Collapsible Bin

A friend had us over for dinner a few months ago and pulled out this collapsible bin that instantly caught my attention. It’s designed for marinating, seasoning, storing cooked meat, and even has a lid that doubles as a cutting board. I thought it was awesome.

One of my favorite things to do is brine meat before smoking or cooking it, but I’ve always struggled with what to put it in. Our giant salad bowl doesn’t fit in the fridge, and the next best option is too small for larger cuts. This tub solves that. It expands to hold big cuts of meat and brine, then collapses down to almost nothing when you’re done. It’s not bulky, which is a win for fridge space and cabinet storage.

Another use case I love: seasoning raw meat. I drop the meat in the tub, shake the rub on, and it keeps the mess contained. Way easier cleanup than seasoning on a cutting board.

I’ve been using it regularly and I’ll be using it for years. If you prep meat at home even semi-regularly, this thing is worth it. -SW

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Dadvice Weekly is Kyle and Skyler—two guys in their thirties, living in Colorado, settling into fatherhood and trying to stay sane. Every Tuesday we share what’s working in our homes: gear we use, routines we’ve tested, ideas we’re trying. It could be a recipe, a product that solved a problem, or just what we’re thinking about as dads.

If you have a tip, tried something we mentioned, or just want to say hi, reply to this email or message us on Substack. We read everything, and we’re always looking for what works. Glad you’re here.