At the start of becoming a dad, my sleep was broken, to say the very least. The darkness under my eyes looked like makeup, the mornings felt like the rise of a hibernating bear and the afternoons were spent fighting off naps.

I threw my Whoop, a health tracking device, in the spare room's abandoned drawer because it wouldn't stop telling me that I needed more sleep and wasn't fully recovering. I was stressed about being able to perform on the court, continuing my hobbies and passions, being there to support my wife and raising my boy to the best of my ability. The task ahead felt daunting.

But in all the mess of being new parents, I am achieving more and enjoying the small moments more than I ever have. I haven't missed a Monday with McVeigh in months, I'm learning the ukulele, writing a book and running a business all while dancing with Oaklynn in the mornings and getting the heatie out of the microwave for my wife at night.

With less sleep and more duties, I have found a way to spend more time doing the things I love.

The internet is obsessed with efficiency, productivity hacks and systems, but when I was with the Houston Rockets I saw how one man not only put efficient systems into effect but, by keeping true to his values, built the exact life he wanted.

Steven Adams, a 12 year NBA vet, was a mentor and a friend of mine.

We played Detroit in Detroit on a Friday night and then Philly in Philadelphia on the Saturday night, but none of the fatigue or results affected Adams' daily work. On Sunday he hit his animal movements, physio time slot, on court rebounding and post moves while rounding it out with jumping in the ice tub and hot tub with me for recovery. There was no scrolling on Instagram or looking at the ceiling, there was a job that needed to be done and he did it.

He eats the same breakfast each day, a pound of ground beef and 6 scrambled eggs. I tried it on the road and couldn't get down half of it. He embraces a minimalist lifestyle, living in a house with just enough room for him rather than a mansion with too many bathrooms to clean. His bedroom has nothing but a mattress on the floor, and for dinner he uses the same knife and plate day in and day out.

Between running his cattle and kiwifruit businesses in New Zealand and having the best offensive rebounding percentage in NBA history, he still prioritised time for us to go and enjoy a rodeo in San Antonio or find a dive bar in Detroit where we signed our names on the graffiti wall in the bathroom.

Being a dad takes time and energy, and work is long and demanding, so if I want to be there for the things I love, there is no time to mess around. I got out my trusted Apple Notes and started writing down my vision.

What do I value with my time? What do my days look like? What does 10/10 intent Jack look like?

The vision led to systems. I challenged everything, from the way I organised my email folders to how I could buy chicken already cut up. I created a phone box in the house. I saw a naturopath to fix my stomach so I would have more energy. There are still days I lie on the couch scrolling Instagram instead of doing what I really want to, but the reality gets closer to the vision after every moment I learn from.

Only yesterday I found myself rolling around with Oaklynn on the floor, watching him crawl over one leg to try and crawl under the other, and for the first time in maybe forever I wasn't worried about paying an electricity bill or replying to a friend. Just Oaky and Dad on the floor, and in that presence and play, I felt the darkness under my eyes lift and the energy in the afternoons increase.