Being a parent is not easy. Being a father is not easy. Being a single father with the primary responsibility of the parent is even more stressful. Because of this, dads need to know how to stay away from as many kinds of stress as possible, particularly when it comes to their own personal habits. 

Yes, your priority is always going to be your kids. But you have to take care of yourself a few certain ways to make sure that you have enough of a recharge to spend the energy on kids that they need.

For a few tips on keeping calm and in charge, think of a few different perspectives. As a dad, you want a good deal of control over your appearance. Don't let how you are viewed from the outside get out of order. Second, you need to feel great. That means you need to take steps to keep in shape. It does take effort and planning around your kids' schedules, but it is a necessary step for satisfying fatherhood. 

Lastly, stay away from too much screen time or social media. It's hard enough being a dad. But if you get on social media and waste your time, or if you spend too much time comparing yourself with other fathers, that's a quick route to depression.

Take Control of Your Appearance

Taking control of your appearance might be harder than it sounds. You know what you look like, right? But, you may have normalized your vision of yourself rather than looking at it with objective eyes. Maybe you need to take better care of your hair. Perhaps you need to dress more like you want to appear, rather than what is comfortable or practical. 

Making these decisions actively will give you a much better idea of what you look like, and that will help with your overall stress level over time.

Keep in Shape

You have to keep yourself in shape. This is not just for single men. This is not just for men who have time. This is not just for men who are bodybuilders. Especially as a father, you have to keep yourself healthy so that you can be active with your children as long as possible. 

If you let yourself go, you will turn into the average male that looks like they don't care about their health, and that sort of generational vibe gets passed down to your kids if you aren't careful.

Stay Away from Too Much Screen Time or Social Media

Too much social media time causes depression. It does not matter if you are a man or woman, an adult or child, apparent or single. Dads especially can be very sensitive about their parenting techniques, and if they spend a lot of time on social media comparing themselves to other people's ideals, it can quickly spiral into depression. Plus, if you're spending too much time staring at a screen, that time is naturally moving away from your children where it should be.