The Mitten Dad Show

You shut the laptop. The screen goes black. But the meeting is still running in the back of your head, talking to nobody. If you’ve ever sat down to dinner still inside the workday, answered your kids in the polite, distracted voice you’ve been using on adults since 8 a.m., or snapped at someone over a dish in the sink and wondered where that came from, this episode is for you. In this short episo...

You've seen the four-circle ikigai diagram everywhere — on LinkedIn, in self-help books, in productivity courses. What you probably haven't heard is that it has almost nothing to do with the original Japanese concept. In this episode, Matt Tilmann breaks down what ikigai actually meant to the Okinawan elders who inspired the global bestseller, and why the version most creators are using is pointin...

Your brain isn’t broken. It’s just doing a job it was never designed for. In this episode of The Mitten Dad Show, I walk through Calm Infrastructure: a 4-step system for getting mental clutter out of your head and into a structure that actually holds it. Capture, Reduce, Schedule, Protect. There’s also a free Weekly Reset Template in the show notes if you want to run the 20-minute version tonight....

You muted the group text but kept mentally checking it. You accepted a calendar invite two months ago because Future You seemed capable.  Now it's Friday, and your brain still has 37 tabs open. That's mental clutter — the invisible kind. You can't donate it or shove it in a closet. And it's exhausting, even when it looks completely normal from the outside. In this episode, I walk through Calm...

We got back from Chicago earlier this month , and I couldn't shake a feeling I didn't expect: clarity. Not about the trip. About my regular life. In this episode, I talk about why travel feels so alive, why most of us let that feeling disappear by Monday, and three questions that can turn any trip into something more useful than a photo album. If you've ever come home and felt that quiet deflation...

Travel isn’t just about seeing new places — it’s about experiencing a different version of yourself.  In this episode, Matt explores how travel temporarily clears mental clutter and reveals what we’re missing in daily life, offering practical questions to carry insights from trips into everyday routines. Key topics: The science behind the “vacation effect”: reducing cognitive load, digital in...

If your days feel chaotic, it might not be a discipline problem — it might be an infrastructure problem. In this episode, we break down why chaos is really a systems failure, and what it takes to build calm back into your workflow. Key Topics Why context switching costs more than you think (40% of productive time lost; 23 minutes to recover from a single interruption) The Calm Infrastructure Stack...

Feeling like your career path looks like it was designed by someone with career ADHD?  You're not alone—and you're definitely not broken. In this episode, we dive deep into why nonlinear careers are actually MORE valuable in 2025, not less.  We'll explore why traditional "pick a lane and stick with it" advice was designed for a world that no longer exists, and how your scattered resume i...

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Everyone’s talking about mental health—but who’s actually doing the work? In today’s fast-paced episode, I’m breaking down 5 big stories that go beyond awareness and into real action: ✈️ Delta Airlines faces backlash after a woman is removed mid-panic attack 🧠 UCLA students launch a peer support movement that’s changing campus culture 🏈 The NFL puts real money behind therapy and addiction recove...

Episode Summary: Ever had those nights when you finally sit down to work on your passion project, only to feel completely drained? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Mitten Dad Show , host Matt Tilmann dives into the realities of creativity when exhaustion takes over. From the late-night battles with your inner critic to finding small sparks that keep you going, Matt shares honest reflection...

Imagine taking the words you write and transforming them into auditory learning experiences—seamlessly.  That’s exactly what Google’s ⁠NotebookLM⁠ is doing, and it’s rapidly changing how we consume and interact with written content. Recently, I shared 40 quotes that I found inspirational to ⁠celebrate my 40th birthday⁠.  So with that, I decided to test this new AI technology by taking the text tha...

Welcome back to another episode of The Mitten Dad Show! Imagine taking the words you write and transforming them into auditory learning experiences—seamlessly.  That’s exactly what Google’s ⁠NotebookLM⁠ is doing, and it’s rapidly changing how we consume and interact with written content. For my birthday, I recently shared 40 quotes that I found inspirational to ⁠celebrate my 40th birthday in a rec...

Welcome back to another episode of The Mitten Dad Show! Imagine taking the words you write and transforming them into auditory learning experiences—seamlessly.  That’s exactly what Google’s NotebookLM is doing, and it’s rapidly changing how we consume and interact with written content. For my birthday, I recently shared 40 quotes that I found inspirational to celebrate my 40th birthday in a recent...

In this episode of The Mitten Dad Show , Matt Tilmann explores the often-overlooked phenomenon of “Missing Days” in content creation. Inspired by Ryder Carroll, the creator of the Bullet Journal method, Matt shares how shifting your perspective on those days away from your creative work can enhance your process and reduce stress. Whether you’ve missed a day, a week, or longer, this episode offers...

Feeling overwhelmed by mental clutter? Tune into this week’s episode of "The Mitten Dad Show," where Matt Tilmann shares the powerful technique of a brain dump to clear your mind and enhance focus. Discover how unloading your thoughts can lead to increased productivity, reduced stress, and a surge in creativity. Perfect for parents and anyone juggling the demands of busy lives. Don't...

Ever feel like you're juggling too many balls, and you're just one slip away from dropping them all? It's 5 PM—you've missed another workout, dinner isn't thought of yet, and your inbox is overflowing. As days roll into weeks, the stress builds, perhaps turning into sleepless nights and missed moments with family. What if you could rearrange things to close each day with a sens...

Welcome back Mitten Dad Show listeners! For this episode's topic, I share a recent shared experience I've had with my oldest daughter while waiting for her school bus. I think you'll appreciate it and if you have kids, I encourage you to do the same and stay curious! And even if you don't have kids, I would equally encourage you always to be open to the world around you! If you&#39...

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." - Eleanor Roosevelt We just wrapped up our family summer vacation, and while it was still fresh, I wanted to do a quick episode talking about the power of gifting experiences for our children, and the impact it not only has on them but us. If listening...

In this episode, we dive into the world of unexpected career transitions. Matt shares his own journey, from obtaining a degree in theatre to working in finance, and invites listeners to share their unique career paths. Key Topics: Unexpected Career Transitions: A personal account of our Matt's journey from theatre to finance, and an open invitation for listeners to share their experiences. The...

Tired of living in a cluttered space? In this episode of The Mitten Dad Show, host Matt Tilmann shares seven essential steps to help you master the art of decluttering. Based on our popular article at mittendad.com , we'll walk you through the entire decluttering process, from setting goals to making decluttering a habit. Matt also discusses the benefits of decluttering, and overcoming common...

Over on the Mitten Dad website, I recently posted about a series of tweets that had gone viral, where the original poster had mentioned how every time she would ask dads for their email addresses for party invitations for her three-year-old, they would always provide the email addresses of their partner instead. Why was that? Tune in for more, and be sure to send a voice memo in with how your fami...

Welcome to The Mitten Dad Show! Formerly known as The Script-Notes Show, since I last published an episode, a few things have gone on, such as a new addition to our family, and the pandemic has put many things in perspective. I switched it to Mitten Dad as an homage to my home state of Michigan, giving the content a Midwest flair. But also because, as many out there know, your perspective on life...

There’s no denying that this has been a trying time worldwide, with everyone having to deal with the coronavirus crisis in their own way. However, one thing that I don’t think gets mentioned enough is the mental toll it might be taking on everyone, particularly those in the healthcare industry. Other podcasts have been having listeners call in with their stories, giving them a chance to vent, and...

Welcome to another episode of The Script-Notes Show!  We got back into the swing of things with a new blog post about the new Form W-4 for 2020, as well as some financial and business news to get you going for the week ahead.  Enjoy, and as always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe wherever you're listening!  Also, we are still taking financial resolutions for the co...