A Productive Conversation

Hosted by productivity strategist Mike Vardy, A Productive Conversation is a podcast that discusses tips, tools, tactics, and tricks that are designed to help you take your productivity, time management, goals, to do lists, habits, and workflow to new heights - both at work and at home. If you're looking to focus your efforts on getting the right things done and start living the good life, then this weekly conversational podcast – crafted in the tradition of Slate's Working, Back to Work, and HBR IdeaCast – is for you.

Business
Careers
Management
301
What Sports Can Teach Us About Greatness with D...
On this podcast episode, I spend time with Don Yaeger. Don is an award-winning keynote speaker, business leadership coach, eleven-time New York Times best-selling author, and longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated. He has fashioned a career as one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. As a speaker, he has worked with audiences as diverse as Fortune 500 companies and cancer survivor groups, where he shares his personal story.
45 min
302
How to UnLearn with Humble The Poet
On this podcast episode, I spend time with Humble the Poet. Kanwer Singh aka Humble The Poet is a Toronto-bred MC/Spoken word artist with an aura that embodies the diversity and resiliency of one of the world’s most unique cities. With tattoos, beard, head wrap, and a silly smile, Humble commands attention. He stimulates audiences with ideas that challenge conventional wisdom and go against the grain, with dynamic live sets that shake conventions and minds at the same time.
35 min
303
Free to Focus with Michael Hyatt
On this podcast episode, I spend time with Michael Hyatt. Michael is the founder and CEO of Michael Hyatt & Company, a leadership development firm specializing in transformative live events, workshops, and digital and physical planning tools. In his newest book, Free to Focus, Michael reveals to readers nine proven ways to win at work so they are finally free to succeed at the rest of life. Michael has been married to his wife, Gail, for forty years. They have five daughters, three sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren. They live just outside Nashville, Tennessee.
56 min
304
Keep Going with Austin Kleon
On this episode, I spend time with Austin Kleon. Austin is the New York Times bestselling author of three illustrated books: Steal Like An Artist, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work! We can now add a fourth to the mix now with his latest book, Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad. His books have over a million copies in print and has been translated into over two dozen languages. He speaks about creativity in the digital age for organizations such as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist. In previous lives, he worked as a librarian, a web designer, and an advertising copywriter.
36 min
305
What Great Leaders Possess with Kevin Kruse
On today's podcast episode, I spend time with Kevin Kruse once again. Kevin is the Founder and CEO of LEADx (leadx.org), an AI startup that created “Coach Amanda”, the world’s first executive coach built with IBM Watson. LEADx has the mission to spark the next 100 million leaders around the world. Kruse is also a New York Times bestselling author, host of the LEADx Leadership Podcast, and previous winner of Inc 500 awards for fast growth and Best Place to Work awards for company culture.
40 min
306
Achieving Work-Life Balance with Clayton Morris
On this podcast episode, I spend time with Clayton Morris. Clayton Morris is a former FOX News Anchor who left the #1 cable news show in the world after achieving financial freedom through his real estate company, Morris Invest. He now devotes himself to helping others buy their first rental property, build passive income, and achieve financial freedom.
39 min
307
Big Ideas with John Lamerton
This time around on the podcast, I spend time with John Lamerton. John is a self-described "lazy entrepreneur" and investor. He balances running an ambitious lifestyle business with raising two young children. A former “hustler”, he now earns more money “working” 20 to 25 hours a week than he used to pulling all-nighters and “grinding” for 100+ hours per week.
34 min
308
Bolder with Carl Honoré
I haven’t talked to Carl Honoré for some time so it was a real treat when he joined me on this episode of The Productivityist Podcast. Carl is the author of such books as "In Praise of Slow" and "The Slow Fix", and his TEDx Talk on slowness has been viewed 2.7 million times. His latest book "Bolder: Making the Most of our Longer Lives", tackles aging and the stigma around it.
31 min
309
Consider This: Maybe It’s You with Lauren Zander
On this episode, I am joined by Lauren Zander. Lauren is a life coach, university lecturer, and public speaker. She has spent over 20 years coaching thousands of private clients including couples, entrepreneurs, politicians, Emmy, Peabody, Grammy and Academy Award winners and Fortune 500 CEOs. Lauren is also the author of the book “Maybe It’s You” – a practical guide to help individuals figure out what they want out of life and how to make it happen.
42 min
310
Being Called to Change with Dale Halaway
Dale Halaway is the guest on this episode of the podcast. He has been influencing the lives and careers of thousands for almost forty years and is a leader in the movement for awakening and change.
41 min
311
Crafting Conscious Communications with Mary Shores
I'm excited to be joined by Mary Shores on this episode, the bestselling author of Conscious Communications: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Harnessing the Power of Your Words to Change Your Mind, Your Choices, and Your Life. Mary is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Through her work, she provides pragmatic solutions for people who are "freaking out". With an extensive knowledge of neuroscience and human behaviour added to her repertoire, she guides businesses and individuals to defeat the "freak out" and create their ideal life.
40 min
312
Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport
On this episode, Cal Newport joins me to talk about his latest book, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. He is a computer science professor at Georgetown University and is a self-professed blogging nerd. He is also the author of six books, focusing on topics related to professional productivity, personal satisfaction and the intersection of technology and society.
47 min
313
Tailoring Tools for Thinkers with Joey Cofone
On this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, Joey Cofone, the co-founder and CEO of Baron Fig, joins the show. Baron Fig is a company that started as a Kickstarter project which has evolved into a brand that designs and offers inspiring products to thinkers such as writers, illustrators, and entrepreneurs around the world.
40 min
314
Why You Need Atomic Habits with James Clear
On this episode, I speak with James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones. James is an expert on habit formation who offers not only theories backed by science, but also practical strategies that will help you achieve powerful, atomic-level results.
47 min
315
How to Build a Company of One with Paul Jarvis
On this episode I speak with my good friend and author of Company of One, Paul Jarvis. I've known Paul for years and am elated to finally have him appear on the show to talk about staying small and how to build a company of one.
45 min
316
Going from Employee to Entrepreneur with Steve ...
On this episode of the show, my guest is Steve Glaveski. Steve is an entrepreneur, author, and host of the Future Squared podcast. His mission is to unlock the latent potential of organizations and their people so that they can create more impact for humanity and ultimately to lead more fulfilling lives.
32 min
317
How to #CHILL with Bryan E. Robinson
My guest for this episode is Dr. Bryan E. Robinson, author of the book #CHILL: Turn Off Your Job and Turn on Your Life. He is a licensed psychotherapist and Professor Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He currently has a blog on Psychology Today called “The Right Mindset.” He has been interviewed by Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among countless other magazines.
35 min
318
The One Percent Better Project with Joe Ferraro
On this episode of the show, I speak with Joe Ferraro. Joe is the man behind The One Percent Better Project and is a teacher and podcast host who helps to dissect the mindset, language, and behavior of daily improvement across the worlds of business, communication, and education.
50 min
319
How to Fight a Hydra with Josh Kaufman
I'm joined this time around by Josh Kaufman, the author of three bestselling books – including his latest effort 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.
37 min
320
The Serving Mindset with Farnoosh Brock
On this episode, after years of crossing paths both online and offline, I speak with Farnoosh Brock. Farnoosh went from electrical engineer and rising leader at corporate to business coach and entrepreneur. She shows businesses the mindset of serving overselling to build deep trust and sustainable profit. She is the author of several books, including the one we focus on during our conversation, The Serving Mindset.
57 min
321
Becoming Better Everyday with Brett Pinegar
On this episode of the podcast, I'm joined by Brett Pinegar. Brett is the founder of the X Group, where he helps individuals and teams multiply their effectiveness by adopting the techniques and mindsets great leaders use. Brett is a three-time tech CEO, a trail runner, and most importantly, a dad to five great kids.
32 min
322
How to STRIVE with Scott Amyx
Scott Amyx joins me on this episode of the podcast. Scott is the author of Strive: How Doing the Things Most Uncomfortable Leads to Success, which has been endorsed by Tony Robbins, Forbes, Singularity University, Tribeca Film Festival and other influencers.
35 min
323
Building The Best Planner Ever with Jennifer Dawn
I welcome Jennifer Dawn, creator of the Best Planner Ever, to the podcast this time around. Jennifer is a serial entrepreneur who has grown two multi-million dollar businesses and serves high-achieving entrepreneurs through private business coaching helping to take their companies further, faster.
37 min
324
Back to Human with Dan Schawbel
On this episode of the show, I speak with New York Times best-selling author Dan Schawbel. Dan is the author of Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation and the host of the 5 Questions with Dan Schawbel podcast. He's also a Partner and Research Director at Future Workplace, and the Founder of both Millennial Branding and WorkplaceTrends.com.
33 min
325
Running Down a Dream with Tim Grahl
Tim Grahl joins me on this episode of the podcast to talk about his latest book (and most personal one to date), Running Down a Dream: Your Road Map To Winning Creative Battles.
49 min