

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

Jul 19, 2018 • 23min
Filling Your Cup with Judy Machado-Duque
Judy Machado-Duque joins me on this episode of the podcast. Judy is known as the “Productivity Goddess” and is a fellow Canadian so we had plenty to talk about during our time together, including her planner the Life Purpose Playbook.
While we focus a lot on the playbook she’s created, we also dive into her productivity processes and practices that go outside and beyond the planner. It’s a fun conversation that I struggled to keep at our usual podcast time limit.
Relevant Links
Productivity Goddess
Life Purpose Playbook
Judy Machado-Duque | Instagram
I hope you liked this episode of the podcast. If you did, make sure you don’t miss another episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Jul 12, 2018 • 31min
Getting Things Done for Teens with Mike Williams
On this episode of the show, I speak with Mike Williams. Mike is the co-author of the book Getting Things Done for Teens and the former CEO of The David Allen Company. I actually had my teenage daughter help me out with this episode, so if you’ve got a teenager that want to get things done then this show is one that you both should listen to!
During the show I asked questions that came up during my daughter Grace’s reading of the book, why this book was needed now more than ever, and what Mike wants to accomplish with this book.
Relevant Links
Buy Getting Things Done for Teens | Amazon
Mike Williams | Twitter
I hope you enjoyed this episode. If so, tell your friends by sharing it. You could also subscribe to the podcast as well and never miss another episode.
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Jul 4, 2018 • 38min
The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen
David Allen joins me on this episode of the podcast to dive deeper into the Getting Things Done methodology. The meat of our conversation gets into how it has evolved over the years since it first was introduced in 2001.
There’s a bit of noise at parts during our discussion, but even still this episode is a winner. Some of the highlights of this episode include:
How much of a role he had in writing the new book, Getting Things Done for Teens
Why he believes teens need GTD more now than ever before
A discussion about the reframing of GTD that needed to happen when adapting the methodology for teens
How he has changed his approach when teaching GTD over the years
David reveals his thoughts on the most challenging aspect of GTD (Hint: It hasn’t changed since the introduction of GTD)
A conversation surrounding the renaissance of analog tools and his thoughts on why they’ve made a comeback
Relevant Links
Getting Things Done with David Allen | The Productivityist Podcast
Getting Things Done for Teens | Amazon
Getting Things Done | The David Allen Company
David Allen (@gtdguy) | Twitter
It’s always a treat to get to chat with the creator of GTD. I had a great time speaking with David and I hope you have a great time listening to our conversation.
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Jun 28, 2018 • 34min
Off the Clock with Laura Vanderkam
Speaker and author Laura Vanderkam discusses time perception, prioritizing, habits, and energy management. Explore the concept of time freedom, benefits of time tracking, phone management, email productivity with Newton, and effective email strategies.

Jun 20, 2018 • 44min
Willpower Doesn't Work with Benjamin Hardy
This week on the Productivityist Podcast, I am joined by Benjamin Hardy. Benjamin has been the #1 writer on Medium.com since 2016 and has organically grown his email list from 0-300,000+ subscribers in 2 years through his writings about self-improvement. His new book, Willpower Doesn’t Work came out this March.
In this episode, we dived deep into the psychology of willpower. Some topics we discussed include the dangers of relying on willpower, why it seldom works, and a better approach to productivity. We also discussed journaling as a tool for improving yourself and achieving your goals, among many other things.
Relevant Links
Benjamin P. Hardy | Medium
Willpower Doesn’t Work by Benjamin Hardy | Medium
What You Need to Know About Willpower: Here’s What Actually Works
You Can Never Change Your Life Through Willpower: Here’s What Actually Works
Willpower Doesn’t Work: Here’s How to Actually Change Your Life
Willpower is a Myth, and Believing in it Can Make Things Worse | CBC Radio
Top Change Management Consulting Firm: Employee Engagement Solutions
Johann Hari: Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong
Home – Joe Polish
How to Write in Your Journal to Improve Yourself and Achieve Your Goals
Genius Network Events 2018
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

Jun 13, 2018 • 1h 3min
The Direct Line Between Happiness and Productivity with Will Henshall
On the 200th(!) episode of The Productivityist Podcast my guest is Will Henshall. Will is the CEO and founder of Focus@Will, a tech music platform that helps 1.5m professionals be up to four times more productive at work.
He has had a 30 year notable career as a startup entrepreneur, tech inventor and musician. He founded the platinum-selling 90s British pop soul band Londonbeat (he wrote Billboard #1 hit songs ‘I’ve Been Thinking About You’ and ‘Come Back’). In 1996 he started up San Francisco based Rocket Network, and invented the pro audio media transfer tool ProTools DigiDelivery, used extensively in movie post-production, sold to Avid in 2003.
During our nearly hour-long conversation, we talked about the evolution of his entrepreneurial journey, attention and what distractibility has done to our productivity (and what he is doing to help combat that), the relationship between happiness and productivity, and so much more.
Relevant Links
Focus@Will
I’ve Been Thinking About You by London Beat | YouTube
The Big 5 Personality Types | Business Insider
Can This “Neuroscience-Based” Music App Really Boost Your Brain Power by 400% | WIRED
Dr. Ned Hallowell
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder | Amazon
Ikigai The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life | Amazon
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience | Amazon
How to Transform A Single Daily Theme Into an Everyday Focus | Productivityist
The Power of When with Dr. Michael Breus | The Productivityist Podcast
I’ve Been Thinking About You by Good Luck | YouTube
Focus@Will (@focusatwill) | Twitter
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

8 snips
Jun 6, 2018 • 38min
Create Good Mornings with Craig Kulyk
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Craig Kulyk. Craig writes about how to customize your morning to build better habits and be more productive. We spoke about intentionality, how routines set the tone for the day, how you can shift and adapt your rituals over time and more.
Here are a few highlights from the show:
The power of routines
Building constraints (or you find yourself eating too many cookies)
Starting points at building a routine
The idea of sunk costs
The role fear of missing out (FOMO) plays in our decision-making process
Establishing breathing room or space into your morning routines
Questions to ask that are causing challenges in your morning routine
Planning your day
The power of small changes
Different things Craig has tried in his morning routine such as meditation, fasting, etc.
Craig’s experience with the Tribe Conference
Relevant Links
Five Simple Strategies to Customize Your Morning Routine
Start Here – Create Good Mornings
What You Can Learn from Mike Vardy About Productivityist
The Lesson of Sunk Costs (Applied to Morning Habits)
Why You Shouldn’t Spend Time Journaling in the Morning (And What You Should Do Instead)
127 Morning Rituals – The Ultimate List to Customize Morning Routine
Mike Vardy’s Morning Routine | My Morning Routine
Mike Vardy’s Evening Routine | Evening Routines
How Tribe Conference Can Change Your Life
Craig Kulyk @craigkulyk | Twitter
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

May 30, 2018 • 36min
The Competitive Advantage with Austin Church
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Austin L Church. Austin is the author of children’s books and a consultant who loves helping people build businesses around the work that doesn’t feel like work to them. We spoke about theming, using physical tools to stay on track, keeping things simple and more. It was a great conversation that I think you’ll enjoy. Here are a few highlights from the show:
Why it’s a great idea to give credit to others (a funny story)
Using notecards
How simplicity is a serious advantage
Focusing on the right things at the right time
Proactively ignoring certain things
Managing complexity
The importance of focusing and finishing
Omission vs. elimination
Why we overestimate what we can do in a day
Overestimating urgency
Abstractions and exceptions
Creating durable plans
Assigning weight to specific tasks based on the day and bigger goals
Relevant Links
Austin’s Website
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Eat that Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get Things Done in Less Time
FOFI Cards
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

May 23, 2018 • 37min
Getting Back to Happy with Marc and Angel Chernoff
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Marc and Angel Chernoff. Marc and Angel are the authors of the new book Getting Back To Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality and Turn Your Trials Into Triumphs. We spoke about happiness, overcoming adversity and the role rituals play in our happiness. We also did a self-inquiry session which I found very insightful. It was a great conversation, I hope you enjoy it too. Here are a few highlights from the show:
We are what we do on a daily basis
The importance of rituals as a way to move forward
Why rituals are a solid foundation for mindfulness and other tools
How Marc and Angel work together
The power of self-inquiry by journaling on the most stressful experiences
Our thoughts and the way we think are the stories we tell ourselves
98% of the time, the problem is not the problem, it is something deeper
Recording your thoughts, then reviewing them to bring awareness
Whatever you’re seeing is an interpretation of what you’re thinking
Ways to have lasting benefits such as visual reminders and accountability
Accountability using your own questions and having someone read them to you
Relevant Links
Marc and Angel’s Blog
Getting Back to Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality, and Turn Your Trials into Triumphs
6 Tiny Daily Rituals That Will Change Your Life
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.

May 16, 2018 • 23min
Morning Routines with Benjamin Spall
On this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I speak with Benjamin Spall. Benjamin is the co-author of My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired, and the founding editor of the blog of the same name.
During our discussion we touch on how morning routines are important to both early risers and night owls alike, what was discovered about routines during the research for the book, what he has taken from some of the routines that are in the book (and from the website as well), and more.
The book reads like a solid reference book – a lot like Tim Ferriss’s Tools of Titans – and it’s a worthy addition to any bookshelf. Whether you use it to establish a solid routine or use it to find things to add or subtract to your own routines.
Relevant Links
Benjamin Spall’s Website
My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired | Amazon
Mike Vardy’s Morning Routine | My Morning Routine
My Morning Routine on Facebook
My Morning Routine on Twitter
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.