

A Productive Conversation
Mike Vardy
Hosted by productivity strategist Mike Vardy, A Productive Conversation offers insightful discussions on how to craft a life that aligns with your intentions. Each episode dives into the art of time devotion, productiveness, and refining your approach to daily living. Mike invites guests who are thinkers, doers, and creators to share their strategies for working smarter and living more intentionally. From practical tips to deep dives on mindset shifts, this podcast will help you reframe your relationship with time and find balance in a busy world.
Subscribe and join the conversation—because a productive life is more than just getting things done.
Subscribe and join the conversation—because a productive life is more than just getting things done.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 8, 2014 • 27min
Living Productively with Chris Bailey
This episode is brought to you by Your Clockwise Week—a personalized weekly structure built around your actual life, not an ideal one. If your week feels full but not fitting, you can learn more at mikevardy.com/yourclockwiseweek.In this episode, Mike chats with fellow Canadian Chris Bailey of A Life of Productivity about experimenting with workflow and productivity, as well as looking deeper at time, task, reading habits, and living a more productive (and meaningful) life.
If this episode resonated, I’m exploring ideas like these more deeply in my upcoming book, Productiveness. You can follow along as it takes shape at mikevardy.com/productiveness.

Sep 30, 2014 • 13min
Simply Executing with Josh Long
This episode is brought to you by Your Clockwise Week—a personalized weekly structure built around your actual life, not an ideal one. If your week feels full but not fitting, you can learn more at mikevardy.com/yourclockwiseweek.Mike is in conversation with Josh Long, an incredibly prolific and productive writer, builder, and designer. The thing about Josh is that he focuses on quality over quantity, and that's just one of the things discussed during this episode. (Seth Godin's name comes up as well.) Relevant Links http://joshlong.cc/about/ (About Josh Long) http://executebook.com/ (Execute - A book by Drew Wilson & Josh Long) http://patterns.co/ (Patterns) https://cheddarapp.com/ (Cheddar) https://simplecast.fm/ (Simplecast) http://twitter.com/joshlong (Josh Long on Twitter) Want to send Mike an app, book, or something similar to discuss on the show? Email him at podcast@productivityist.com and he'll give it a look. Want to listen on Stitcher? http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=53149&refid=stpr (Click here.) Support The Productivityist Podcast by becoming a patron! http://www.patreon.com/Productivityist (Click here) to visit The Productivityist Podcast's Patreon page and see what perks await those who pitch in a buck or more.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If this episode resonated, I’m exploring ideas like these more deeply in my upcoming book, Productiveness. You can follow along as it takes shape at mikevardy.com/productiveness.

Sep 23, 2014 • 21min
The Best Kind of Paper Pushing
Discover the charm of paper planning as Mike shares his enduring love for it. He explores innovative paper systems like Ryder Carroll's Bullet Journal and his own Strikethrough System. Learn about the Week Dominator, a structured planner for flexible time-blocking, and the Eisenhower Matrix for prioritizing tasks. Plus, hear tips on hybrid systems and the importance of disconnecting from digital distractions. Dive into a world where pen and paper reign supreme, making productivity both engaging and enjoyable!

6 snips
Sep 16, 2014 • 30min
Tasking, Tracking, and Tactics with David Sparks
In this engaging discussion, David Sparks, a productivity expert known as MacSparky, explores the evolution of task management tools since 2009. He emphasizes the importance of choosing apps that align with personal and collaborative needs. David shares insights on balancing a busy law practice with family and his creative work, as well as utilizing commute time for productive writing. He also advocates for private habit tracking and the benefits of journaling, highlighting its role in reflection and project documentation.

10 snips
Sep 10, 2014 • 24min
A Hard Habit App to Break
Discover the rise of habit tracking apps as essential tools for self-improvement and task management. Mike shares insights on how to build effective routines while cautioning against the perils of oversharing personal goals. Learn why starting small is key to success and how to make habits obvious in your daily life. He also discusses the benefits of private tracking versus public sharing, and introduces a flexible habit app tailored for personal goals. Tune in for practical tips on harnessing technology to support, not replace, your discipline.

Sep 3, 2014 • 31min
Talking TaskClone with Troy Christmas
This episode is brought to you by Your Clockwise Week—a personalized weekly structure built around your actual life, not an ideal one. If your week feels full but not fitting, you can learn more at mikevardy.com/yourclockwiseweek.On the first official episode of the podcast, Mike talks about Meeting Hero, Checkmark 2.1, and Dave Ursillo's new book. He also has a conversation with Troy Christmas of TaskClone. Relevant Links http://www.meetinghero.com/ (MeetingHero) http://www.productivityist.com/blog/look-less-meeting (A Look at LessMeeting) http://www.productivityist.com/blog/the-one-meeting (The One Productive Weekly Meeting You're Not Having (But Should)) http://blog.builtbysnowman.com/post/96004041192/checkmark-2-1-with-snoozing-and-improved-recurring (Checkmark 2.1) http://www.productivityist.com/blog/review-checkmark-2-for-ios (Review: Checkmark 2.0) http://amzn.to/1Cnj2nh (Big Apple, Black Sand and The Midnight Sun by Dave Ursillo) http://www.taskclone.com/ (TaskClone) Want to send Mike an app, book, or something similar to discuss on the show? Email me at podcast@productivityist.com and I'll see what I can do. Support The Productivityist Podcast by becoming a patron! http://www.patreon.com/Productivityist (Click here) to visit The Productivityist Podcast's Patreon page and see what perks await those who pitch in a buck or more.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If this episode resonated, I’m exploring ideas like these more deeply in my upcoming book, Productiveness. You can follow along as it takes shape at mikevardy.com/productiveness.

Aug 28, 2014 • 11min
Greetings and Salutations
The podcast discusses what to expect from the new solo effort, including ideas and how listeners can contribute. They explore concepts like flexible payment options and building support, while also discussing new ventures, keeping the podcast short, and interactive elements.


