
A Productive Conversation
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.
Latest episodes

Nov 30, 2022 • 41min
Mike Rohde talks about the 10th Anniversary of “The Sketchnote Handbook
He's been a frequent guest not only on this podcast, but every podcast I've done in the past. This one is extra special because it's the 10th anniversary of the Sketchnote Handbook!Mike Rohde is a designer, teacher, and author of The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook, co-creator of The Sketchnote Ideabook, founder of Sketchnote Army, and Illustrator of REWORK, REMOTE, and The $100 Startup. In this episode, we have a delightful conversation talking about everything Sketchnote and allude to some of Mike's other successes over the past decade. We chat about where the Sketchnoting community has gone, what's happened with him, what he expected, what surprised him, and all things in between. This episode was originally released as a live stream for Premium members of TimeCrafting Trust. Want to take partake in future live streams and much more? Sign up here!Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Mike: Website | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Flickr
Get The Sketchnote Handbook
Get half-off two books with the code: HAPPY10
The Daily Plan Bar
See all of Mike’s Sketchnote products
Check out Sketchnote Workshops here
Related Conversation: The Bullet Journal Method with Ryder Carroll
Related Blog Post: Why Paper Works
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 23, 2022 • 54min
Mike Williams talks about Doing to Done
There's a better way to be the best. That's what Mike Williams shares in his book, Doing to Done: Productivity Made Simple and what we talk about in this episode of A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy.He is a speaker, author, executive, and coach who helps leaders obtain small wins with a big impact on their lives and businesses. Today, Mike assists clients using an effective coaching methodology that’s far from complicated. He also used what works to create Doing to Done.He's not the only one that's involved in this book, because it's illustrated for busy people like us! We talk about why he decided to put illustrations in this book, we dive into things like small wins the power of verbs, reflection, and its important clarity maps, as well as how to get email out of the way, so that you can make the work beats that you want to have last as short (or as long) as you want without having to worry about the external pings that are going on in your life. This episode was originally released as a live stream for Premium members of TimeCrafting Trust. Want to take partake in future live streams and much more? Sign up here!Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Mike: Website | LinkedIn
Register for Mike's FREE webinar here
Buy Mike's book: Doing to Done: Productivity Made Simple
Visit Rick Beato's YouTube channel
Related Conversation: Episode 204: Getting Things Done for Teens with Mike Williams
Related Blog Post: Getting Things Done in Tough Places
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 16, 2022 • 34min
Anna Tsui talks about Shadow Magic
Anna Tsui, is the creator of The Genius Method. She is a genius coach, international writer, speaker, and serial entrepreneur. Her bestselling book, “Shadow Magic: Turn your Fear Into Fuel and Create a Prosperous Coaching Business” shows readers how to overcome their personal self-sabotage and build a thriving career and business.In this episode, I tell the story about my shadow self that infiltrated my world not too long ago. We talk about some other elements of Anna's work, a bit of parenting, and there may be a few Star Wars references, too.There's a lot of great stuff in this episode, we had what we like to call a "badass" conversation, but it was productive!Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Anna: Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Download half of Anna's bestselling book for free
Buy Shadow Magic: Turn your Fear Into Fuel and Create a Prosperous Coaching Business
Sign up for The Procrastination Course
Related Conversation: Episode 332: Getting Productive With Astrology with Jill Blumenstock
Related Blog Post: 6 Reasons Why You Fail to Reach Your Goals
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 9, 2022 • 1h 1min
Tiago Forte talks about Building a Second Brain
On this episode, I'm joined by Tiago Forte. He is the author of Building a Second Brain, a Proven Method to Organize your Digital Life and Unlock your Creative Potential. He is one of the world's foremost experts on productivity and has taught thousands of people around the world how timeless principles and the latest technology can revolutionize their productivity, creativity, and personal effectiveness. We get into the depths of PKM productivity and what it really means to build a second brain.This conversation was truly productive and we could have covered so much more!This episode was originally released as a live stream for Premium Members of TimeCrafting Trust. Want to take partake in future live streams and much more? Sign up here!Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Tiago : Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
Listen to Tiago's Podcast
Get the Second Brain Quickstart Guide
Buy Tiago's book Building a Second Brain
Join the TimeCrafting Trust Membership
Related Conversation: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen
Related Blog Post: Everything in Evernote
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 2, 2022 • 38min
John Baird & Edward Sullivan talk about Leading with Heart
This week I am delighted to not bring you just one guest this week, but two!I am joined by John Baird and Edward Sullivan to discuss their new book Leading with Heart: 5 Conversations that Unlock Creativity, Purpose, and Results.This episode feels like a couple of friends having a conversation over coffee. We chat about the idea of the "lights on, lights off experiment", how fear and Maslow's hierarchy of needs play a part in why they constructed the book the way they did, and we go over how to read it!John Baird has been considered one of the premier executive coaches in Silicon Valley for over 25 years. He built his career coaching in the C-Suite at companies ranging from Apple and Nike to start-ups like DoorDash and MasterClass. He earned a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Purdue University. He is currently Founder & Chairman of the renowned executive coaching consultancy Velocity.Edward Sullivan has been coaching and advising start-up founders, Fortune 10 executives, and heads of state for over 15 years. His clients include executives from Google, Salesforce, Slack, and dozens of other fast-growth companies. He holds an MBA from Wharton and an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Edward is CEO & President of the renowned executive coaching consultancy Velocity.Links Worth Exploring
Connect with John: Twitter | LinkedIn
Connect with Edward: Twitter | LinkedIn
Pre-order Leading with Heart: 5 Conversations that Unlock Creativity, Purpose, and Results.
Visit their Velocity Coaching website
Related Conversation: Episode 413: Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre talk about Love as a Business Strategy
Related Blog Post: Failing Forward: A 5 Step Process to Fight the Fear of Failure
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 30, 2022 • 36min
BONUS EPISODE: Dominic Zijlstra talks about Traverse App
Here is an extra special bonus episode with Dominic Zijlstra - the creator of the learning app Traverse.link. He's an ed-tech entrepreneur and polyglot. He helps professionals learn faster and remember more using science-based learning methods.Dominic built traverse to have an app where you have all the tools that you need specifically for learning and have them in a way that makes sure that what you need to learn is in your brain rather than just being a tool.We talk about learning and retention, we dissect traverse.link and why it really works, and we dive into where his obsession with learning began.He's been working on this app for a while and it's showing a lot of promise - I am excited to shine a spotlight on him in this episode of A Productive Conversation with Mike VardyLinks Worth Exploring
Connect with Dominic: Website | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn
Join Dominic's Super Learning Mini Course & Newsletter
View and copy Mike Vardy's Traverse Mind Map here
Related Conversation: Episode 397: Jesse Mecham talks about YNAB, Money Management and Future You
Related Blog Post: How to Trick Yourself into Learning Faster
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 26, 2022 • 34min
FROM THE VAULT: How to Fight a Hydra with Josh Kaufman
This week we are bringing this excellent episode with Josh Kaufman out of the vault. He is the author of three bestselling books – including How to Fight a Hydra: Face Your Fears, Pursue Your Ambitions, and Become the Hero You Are Destined to Be. Josh’s research focuses on business, entrepreneurship, skill acquisition, productivity, creativity, applied psychology, and practical wisdom and he’s someone I’ve wanted to have on the show for a long time.Josh and I carry on a conversation that revolves around the differences between How to Fight a Hydra and his previous books, the power of story (particularly fables and parables), why I never thought of Josh as a productivity expert yet he describes himself as such, and much more.I had a fantastic time chatting with Josh and I enjoyed revisiting this conversation. I hope you do, too.Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Josh: Website | Twitter
Buy Josh's book How to Fight a Hydra: Face Your Fears, Pursue Your Ambitions, and Become the Hero You Are Destined to Be
See what Josh is doing now
Check out The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield
Related Conversation: Episode 238: How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon
Related Blog Post: “No, Fear.”
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 19, 2022 • 30min
Moah talks about Boomerang
Aye Moah, who goes by Moah (pronounced Moe), is taking over the helm as CEO of Boomerang which 2 million savvy active users rely on to spend less time on email and more time on what matters to them. Their loyal user base has saved over 500 years of their lives since 2011 that would otherwise have been spent in email hell.Ironic (or should we say iconic) for someone who arrived at MIT and announced they were going to major in Computer Science without ever having an email address. Yes, this 5’ tall woman who, literally dodged bullets growing up in Burma, clandestinely applied to go to MIT, got a full ride, and took the first airplane flight of her life to start school. And she has never stopped punching above her weight since.Listen to us chat about the Boomerang app, email, and geek out about productivity!Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Moah: Twitter | LinkedIn
Learn more about the Boomerang app
Related Conversation: Episode 360: A World Without Email with Cal Newport
Related Blog Post: The One Email Trick That Keeps My Inbox In Shape
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 12, 2022 • 40min
Laura Vanderkam talks about Tranquility by Tuesday
Join Laura Vanderkam and I having an easy and interesting conversation about Time Management.If you haven't heard our previous conversations, Laura’s work has appeared in various publications and media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, and Fox & Friends among many others. She co-hosts the Best of Both Worlds podcast and has delivered a TED talk with more than 5 million views.We talk about her latest book, Tranquillity by Tuesday: Nine Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. We cover the most challenging way that people found to calm the chaos and make time for what matters. She offers a simple and familiar way to future-proof something that you've scheduled. And most importantly, how the 9 rules came to be and how to work through them.Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Laura: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn
Buy Laura's Book: Tranquillity by Tuesday: Nine Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters
Listen to Laura's Podcasts:
Best of Both Worlds Podcast
Before Breakfast with Laura Vanderkam
The New Corner Office Podcast
Read Laura's Blog Posts
Related Conversation: Off the Clock with Laura Vanderkam
Related Blog Post: Hit The Snooze Button To Be More Productive
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 5, 2022 • 38min
Robin Hills talks about Resilience
This week I had Robin Hills on the show to talk about resilience.He's the author of the Authority Guide to Emotional Resilience in Business Strategies to Manage Stress and Weather Storms in the Workplace. He's the director of EI4Change, a company specializing in training, coaching, and personal development focused on emotional intelligence, positive psychology, and neuroscience. He has over 35 years of business and commercial experience, as well as spoken keynotes.We dive deep into what it really means to be resilient, what it isn't, where the confusion may lie and how confusion can rear its ugly head. Robin busts some old myths and how emotions are an important factor.Links Worth Exploring
Connect with Robin: Website | LinkedIn
Check out his book Emotional Resilience in Business Strategies to Manage Stress and Weather Storms in the Workplace
Register for Robin's EI4Change courses here
Related Conversation: The Year of Fear with Kendra Wright
Related Blog Post: Book Review: The Obstacle is The Way
Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen.Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | StitcherYou can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices