The Dad Edge Podcast

Digital Exhaustion and Why Technology Is Draining Our Focus at Home featuring Paul LeonardiTo kick off 2026, I sit down with Dr. Paul Leonardi, author of the bestselling book Digital Exhaustion, for a conversation that felt incredibly timely—and personal. If you've been feeling distracted, mentally drained, short-tempered, or like your family is getting the leftovers of your energy, this episode puts clear language around what's happening inside your brain. We dive deep into how constant app switching, nonstop notifications, and digital overload are quietly exhausting our attention, memory, marriages, and relationships with our kids. Paul breaks down the science behind digital exhaustion in a practical, grounded way, and I share a powerful moment when my 12-year-old voluntarily handed back his phone because he didn't like how it made him feel. This episode isn't about rejecting technology—it's about learning how to use it without letting it use us. Timeline Summary: [0:00] Introduction [1:02] Welcoming listeners to 2026 and the 11th year of The Dad Edge Podcast. [1:40] Introducing Dr. Paul Leonardi and the concept of digital exhaustion. [2:22] How digital overload impacts attention, memory, marriage, and family life. [3:05] Parenting in a world our brains were never designed for. [4:12] Raising kids with devices and navigating unfamiliar territory. [6:07] Independence, social media, and emotional complexity in today's kids. [7:35] How online trends shape kids' identity and self-image. [9:58] What's actually happening in the brain during prolonged digital use. [11:16] The hidden "taxes" we pay for constant connectivity. [12:26] Driver #1: attention and constant context switching. [13:31] Driver #2: inference and filling in the blanks online. [15:26] Driver #3: amplified emotions—both positive and negative. [16:31] Why multitasking burns massive mental energy. [17:20] The impact of digital overload on memory and mental residue. [18:41] Outsourcing memory to devices and what it costs us. [21:15] When kids are actually ready for devices—and when they're not. [23:42] Why screen time isn't the real issue—interruptions and content are. [26:35] The emotional cost of likes, validation, and online comparison. [28:39] Larry shares the story of his son giving up his phone voluntarily. [31:11] Why kids struggle to articulate digital overwhelm. [32:06] The Facebook outage study and the surprising relief people felt. [35:10] Introducing the Roommates to Soulmates live course. [37:54] Digital exhaustion inside marriage and miscommunication over text. [38:58] "Make the match" — choosing the right communication medium. [43:12] "Be here, not elsewhere" and the power of undistracted presence. [46:09] How distraction has become socially normalized. [49:21] Why work interruptions at home send the wrong message. [51:39] Modeling priorities for kids through availability and presence. [56:21] Where to find Paul, his book, and additional resources. Five Key Takeaways Digital exhaustion comes from attention switching, inference-making, and emotional overload, not just screen time alone. Multitasking is a myth 1. —the brain burns massive energy switching contexts, leaving us mentally drained. Kids often feel overwhelmed by devices before they can explain it, which shows up as stress or behavior changes. Choosing the right communication tool matters, especially in marriage and parenting. Presence beats duration 2. —ten fully focused minutes matter more than hours of distracted time. Links & Resources Paul Leonardi — Digital Exhaustion Book: • https://paulleonardi.com/digital-exhaustion-book/ Paul Leonardi on LinkedIn: • https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-leonardi-45b67321/ Dad Edge Mastermind & Alliance: • https://thedadedge.com/mastermind Roommates to Soulmates Course: • https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Episode Show Notes & Resources: • https://thedadedge.com/1422 Closing Remark If this episode made you rethink how you're using your phone, your attention, or your presence at home, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. The way we show up—focused, intentional, and available—shapes not just our kids' childhoods, but the adults they become.

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How to Reignite Attraction & Intimacy in Your MarriageIn this Christmas Eve solo episode, I shift gears from our recent focus on online safety and talk about one of the most common—and painful—issues I see in long-term marriages: roommate syndrome. That quiet drift where intimacy fades, connection feels awkward, and marriage starts to feel more like co-parenting logistics than a romantic partnership. If you've ever laid in bed next to your wife feeling disconnected, unwanted, or unsure how things got this way, this episode is for you. I share my own experience falling into roommate syndrome after years of marriage, kids, exhaustion, and unmet expectations. We talk about resentment, covert contracts, why nagging is often a cry for connection, and how most men were never taught how attraction actually works in marriage. I also explain why marriage—like jiu-jitsu or any skill—requires training, intentional effort, and doing what most men aren't willing to do if you want a relationship that's truly on fire. Timeline Summary: [0:00] What roommate syndrome feels like when intimacy has faded. [1:39] Why so many marriages slowly slip into "friend zone" dynamics. [2:02] The statistic that 57% of married couples experience this season. [2:28] How resentment, logistics, and exhaustion kill connection. [3:07] Closing out the online safety series and shifting topics. [3:50] Why Larry chose to release this episode on Christmas Eve. [4:26] Introducing roommate syndrome as a core marriage issue. [5:03] Larry's 22-year marriage and personal experience with disconnection. [6:17] How kids, work, and busyness slowly erode intimacy. [6:53] When sex starts to feel transactional or obligatory. [7:13] Why "nagging" is often a bid for attention and being seen. [7:33] Sitting on opposite ends of the couch scrolling instead of connecting. [7:56] Covert contracts and resentment in marriage. [8:17] Why solving instead of listening makes wives feel unseen. [8:56] Awkward date nights and avoiding real conversations about intimacy. [9:18] A client story that began with signed divorce papers. [9:41] How real change happens when a man does the work. [10:15] Why becoming the man you're meant to be changes everything. [10:57] Marriage requires training just like work or martial arts. [11:14] Understanding attraction and speaking the right "currency" in marriage. [11:51] Loving your spouse the way they receive love. [12:11] Introducing the Roommates to Soulmates live course. [12:56] Creating confidence, attraction, and intimacy without neediness. [13:17] Why uncommon marriages require uncommon effort. [13:38] The reality that only 10–12% of marriages feel "on fire." [14:03] Rejecting the belief that passion naturally dies over time. [14:32] Marriage as a skill set that can be learned and mastered. [15:05] Course details, limited spots, and next steps. [15:25] Christmas message and encouragement to live legendary. Five Key Takeaways: Roommate syndrome doesn't happen overnight 1. —it's the result of neglecting connection, intimacy, and intentional effort. Resentment grows when expectations go unspoken 2. and needs are assumed instead of communicated. Attraction in marriage is a learned skill 3. , not something that automatically sustains itself over time. Men must lead attraction with confidence, not needy or transactional energy. Exceptional marriages are uncommon because they require uncommon effort, training, and intentional action. Links & Resources: Roommates to Soulmates Course: • https://thedadedge.com/soulmates 1st Phorm (Dad Edge Partner): • https://1stphorm.com/dadedge Episode Show Notes & Resources: • https://thedadedge.com/1418 Closing Remark If this episode hit home and reminded you that marriage doesn't have to settle into mediocrity, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. You weren't meant to be roommates—you were meant to build a marriage on fire. From my heart to yours, have a Merry Christmas and continue to live legendary.

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