Q1 2026: The Paternity Quarter
What I'm doing from January 6 to April 6, 2026
Who I am
- I am a man who builds
- I am a father who shares the load
- I am a husband who serves
- I am a man who cultivates himself
The Rules
Time Budget
3 days/week
3 hours nanny time (9 hrs/week focused)
Weekday evenings
1-2 hours (nap time, unpredictable)
Nights
1-2 hours (not always)
Weekends
variable, good for physical tasks (lamps, frames)
Point Reward System
Convertion Rate: 1 pt = 3€
| Quest Tier | Points |
|---|---|
| Tiny | 1 |
| Small | 3 |
| Medium | 5 |
| Big | 7 |
| Huge | 10 |
| Habit Performance | Points |
|---|---|
| 75%+ | 5 |
| 50-75% | 3 |
| 25-50% | 1 |
| Below 25% | 0 |
| Habit Streak Bonus (50%+) | Points |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | +1 |
| 3 weeks | +2 |
| 4+ weeks | +3 |
| Hobby | Points |
|---|---|
| Book read | 5 |
| Videogame properly played | 3 |
| Audiobooks listened | 2 |
| Boardgame play session | 1 |
Quests
Home
| Quest | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps | 1 | Weekend task. Just do it. |
| EV station | 1 | Coordinate installation completion after technician visit |
| Cleaner conversation | 1 | January. Decision made, just talk. |
| Zoe’s door | 3 | Look for new door → Install + refund errand |
| Curtains | 5 | ✓ Message store→✓ Review with Laura→✓ Order→● Oversee install |
| Fix Sofa | 5 | ○ Review damage→○ Decide approach→○ Fix it |
| Clen Car (x2) | 5 | Clean both cars |
| ITV | 7 | List repairs → Pick mechanic → Book → Solve Diego logistics → Repairs → Book ITV → Pass |
| Laundry room | 10 | ○ Scout materials→○ Propose to Laura→○ Buy→○ Coordinate handyman |
Blockers:
- ITV blocked by car repairs
- Zoe’s door: first time, might have unknowns
Kids
| Quest | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Diego’s trolley | 3 | ○ Diagnose handle issue→○ DIY fix (Check support if stuck) |
| Zoe’s bed transition | 5 | Blocked by door. Then consistency habit. |
| Potty training Zoe | 10 | ○ Research methods→○ Start→○ Stick with it |
Blockers:
- Zoe’s bed blocked by security door
Laura
| Quest | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Economy session | 1 | Review process, do it. Recurring. |
| Birthday | — | January 15th. List ideas, buy present, decide kids’ present. No points. Love doesn’t earn rewards. |
| Pitaya buffer | — | Not a quest. Ongoing availability for her business. |
Work
| Quest | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar update | 1 | Block out leave dates. |
| Paternity bureaucracy | 3 | ASAP. One hour, two websites, five actions. Bonus: update shared holiday file. |
| Performance evaluations | — | 6 docs, ~2 hrs each, LLM-assisted. January. No points — work pays you. |
Personal
| Quest | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bookshelf | 1 | Just do it. |
| Frames | 1 | Just do it. |
| CGT order | 1 | Review process, contact about missing Dragons of Etheriors, follow up. |
| Kira’s nails | 1 | One-time bonus quest. |
| Configure laptop | 3 | Blocker for Yawl and Tinkerer Tools. Priority. |
| Winter sale games | -7 | January 10th. Return what you didn’t like, set purchase limit. Miss deadline = lose 7 pts. |
| Photo album | 5 | ○ Select from phones→○ Compile→○ Print Zoe’s first 2 years. |
| Yawl | 7 | Ship to Product Hunt. |
| Homelab | 10 | Self-host streaming, cancel subscriptions. Blocked 1-2 weeks by equipment delivery. |
Blockers:
- Laptop blocks Yawl and Tinkerer Tools
- Homelab blocked by equipment arriving
Deadlines
| Date | Item |
|---|---|
| Jan 10 | Winter sale games (or -7 pts) |
| Jan 15 | Laura’s birthday |
| January | Cleaner conversation |
| January | Performance evaluations |
| ASAP | Paternity bureaucracy |
| ASAP | ITV (overdue) |
| 1-2 weeks | Homelab equipment arrives |
| Apr 6 | Paternity ends |
Weekly Habits
30 checkboxes per week
| Habit | Target | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Tinkerer Tools writing | 10 min | 4/week |
| Friend check-ins | 10 min WhatsApp | 7/week |
| Meditate | 10 min | 5/week |
| No alcohol | — | 7/week |
| No sugar | — | 7/week |
Monthly Hobby Goals
- 3 games properly played
- 6 books read (including audiobooks)
- 15+ boardgame plays
Success Looks Like
By April 6th, if you’ve done these, the quarter was a win:
- Laundry room done
- Curtains up
- Homelab working
- Zoe in her bed
- Zoe better at potty
- Tinkerer Tools with more content
- Projects moving forward
Laura is my accountability partner.
Point Tracker
WEEK 01Jan 6-12
QUESTS+9
Returned Winter sale games0
Cleaner conversation1
Calendar update1
Kira's nails1
Configure laptop3
Paternity bureaucracy3
HABITS+1
Writing
Meditate
Friends
No alcohol
No sugar
12/30 checks40%
HOBBIES+1
Boardgame play session: Black Sonata1
STREAK
—SPENT-10
Bracelet-10
Total
11
Spent
10
Balance
1
WEEK 01Jan 13-19
QUESTS+9
Laura's Birthday0
CGT order1
EV station1
ITV7
HABITS+1
Writing
Meditate
Friends
No alcohol
No sugar
13/30 checks43%
HOBBIES+8
Boardgame play session: Tanglewoods Red1
Boardgame play session: Tanglewoods White1
Boardgame play session: Dixit1
Book read: Fimbulwinter5
STREAK
—SPENT
—Total
18
Spent
0
Balance
19
WEEK 03Jan 20-26
QUESTS+4
Economy Session1
Zoe's door3
HABITS
Writing
Meditate
Friends
No alcohol
No sugar
3/30 checks10%
HOBBIES+1
Boardgame play session: Tanglewoods Yellow1
STREAK
—SPENT
—Total
5
Spent
0
Balance
24