Julia, Henry, and I returned to Calgary at the end of last week after a ten-day stint in Toronto and Halifax. Coming home was satisfying for many reasons, and none more important than to see our three-year old Bernedoodle, Frankie. I grew up with family dogs – a Lab named Maisie and a mini goldendoodle named Molly – and always expected at some point we’d add a dog to our family. But I always saw that as a longer-term plan; ideally, we would have kids and bring a dog into the picture once they were older. Fortunately, Julia persuaded (forced) me to join the COVID trend and choose one earlier than I likely would have otherwise. I’m so grateful she did.

If I reflect on changes that have positively influenced my life in the past few years, finding Frankie is top of that list. In many ways, dog relationships are simple; they love you unconditionally. Their needs are relatively straightforward: play, exercise, food, treats, affection. You always know where you stand with a dog. Yet, their personalities are incredibly nuanced and varied. They can be loving, funny, sad, playful, anxious. Sometimes they can be assholes. Within an hour of getting home and seeing Frankie on Friday, she ate the sandwich off my desk while I went to get a glass of water. And she was very pleased about it.

For how fun they are, they are also a serious obligation. We travel often and rarely with her because I refuse to put her in a plane cargo hold. That means consistently finding someone to take care of her. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a great group of close friends who willingly take her. People often say it takes a village to raise a child and I think that’s sort of true with a dog as well, at least it has been in our case.

Frankie is such an important part of my life I can’t imagine living without a dog ever again.

My favourite form of exercise is running. In addition to the physical health benefits, there’s a tangible mental benefit. It helps me de-stress, regain focus, and spark creative ideas. I regularly connect dots or draw important insights during a run. Not once have I ever regretted the decision to go for a run. Despite all the benefits, committing the time can still be challenging. Particularly as the days become shorter and winter arrives, the invisible barrier grows. It becomes harder to get up early and go out in the dark and cold, or to sacrifice family or social time after the workday, even though I know how important it is.

A few years ago, I had the realization that I needed a system in place to ensure I would get out and run even when I didn’t want to. That system was a rolling formal race commitment. if I sign up for a race, it takes away the ongoing mental decision making: to run or not? I know if I sign up, I will practice. The motivation isn’t my finish time or to set a new personal record. The motivation is to consistently get out and run.

Signing up for a race is my way of instituting a system to support my habit and the behavior I’m trying to pursue. Finding systems that aid the behaviors you want can be powerful. Particularly when you’re tired or out of decision-making capital, having healthy systems in place can drive better behaviors. Lately, I’ve been thinking about what other systems I can put in place professionally to reduce the burden of discipline and accountability. I have certain routines I follow, like starting the quarter with a clear idea of what I want to accomplish. And starting each week with a clear list of objectives. If you have any good ones, please do share.