A Productive Conversation

Latest Episodes:

It's Time to Slow Things Down Aug 23, 2020

Show notes

My book, Productiveness, is now available. It's about the difference between doing more and doing what matters, and how we lost the ability to tell them apart. I'll send the release date the day it's set. Visit https://mikevardy.com/productiveness to learn more and get your copy today.

On this solo episode of the podcast, I talk about the importance of slowing things down and how that can make your productivity even better than before. (Make sure you take part in the short experiment I start at the 8:06 mark of the episode, okay?) Helpful Links Carl Honoré: The Power of Slow The Speed of Right Why You Need to Slow Down 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.

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Making Time For What Matters with John Zeratsky Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

Since the early 00s boom in productivity optimization, today’s guest John Zeratsky has seen how much our relationship with time has evolved. As a writer and speaker, John is on a mission to help people make time for what matters. How do you manage your time? There’s no one-size-fits-all tactic, but John Zeratsky‘s latest book ‘Make Time’ runs through tried and tested approaches for us to cherry-pick, so I was super excited to catch up with him and run through some of these exercises. Tune in as we discuss reflection time, the power of default settings and breaking bad habits with friction. John’s quest for mastering time management was born from his career in design, web development and copywriting. He’s worked with numerous startups including Netflix, Slack, Airbnb, Uber, 23andMe and Medium, and his writing has appeared in publications like Wall Street Journal, Wired and Fast Company. Talking Points How he formed his partnership with Jake Knapp and where their fascination of time came from Making everything in the book simple and doable Approaching work as a designer Distinction between simple and easy The role of friction and how it breaks habits What ground hogging means to John What is a time crater and what are the time craters John struggles with? Taking caffeine naps to boost energy The first productivity app John ever used Quote “When it comes to our own time, this finite precious resource that we have, we don’t often look back and say, what did I really do today?“ Helpful Links Make Time | Amazon Jake Knapp Time Dorks Google Ventures Design Sprint Process Design Sprint | Amazon Getting Things Done | Amazon Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen Episode 229: Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport Sleep Cycle 43 Folders Indistractable | Amazon Philips Wake Up Alarm Clock Austin Kleon’s caffeine nap Mori App TeuxDeux MakeTime.blog 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.

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This Amazing Adventure Called Life with Lex Latkovski Aug 16, 2020

Show notes

I usually alternate between interviews and solo episodes, but I decided to mix things up a bit this time around. Why? Because this conversation with Lex Latkovski is one I’ve wanted to get out into the world for a while now. And I felt that there was no better time than now to do so. Lex’s mission is to have you to laugh and see the world and your life as an endless source of adventure and opportunity. He wants you to live a fulfilled life with no regrets – and to chase your dreams while you can. Lex’s work is featured over at The Lexpedition and he’s the author of Passport Forward: Moving from Regrets and Routine to Freedom, Passion, and Adventure. He’s also a serial traveler and adventure seeker – something that isn’t as easy to make happen in 2020. Nonetheless, Lex’s message and sense of vitality were on full display during our conversation. I hope you enjoy it and it helps you – even in some small way – get more out of this amazing adventure called life! Talking Points Lex shares a bit about himself, our common acquaintances, and what drives him Lex talks about what it took (and what kept him going) during his time as a zen monk What happened when Lex was at that retreat that made him realize he wanted to do this full time? Lex shares his thoughts on routines Did Lex have people by his side supporting him through this process? How does Lex deal with people who are negative in his life? Lex talks about the experience of writing his book Who are some of the authors that Lex has read that inspire him? What is one thing someone can do to start this whole process? And what is one thing Lex did that he found surprisingly beneficial? Quote “Put it out there, instead of keeping it a secret.“ Helpful Links The Lexpedition Andy Traub Episode 148: Real Artists Don’t Starve with Jeff Goins Passport Forward: Moving from Regrets and Routine to Freedom, Passion, and Adventure 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.

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Being Brutally Honest with Peter Kozodoy Aug 12, 2020

Show notes

Today’s guest, Peter Kozodoy, has seen time and again how much transparency and honesty in our work and personal lives lead to lasting results. Peter is an Inc. 5000 entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author of Honest to Greatness. Honesty is a soft skill we need to master and bring to the forefront if we want to make impactful change. Peter has worked closely with many successful leaders from Fortune 500s, startups to Warren Buffett. So I was really excited to have Peter on the show to unpick some true gems from his new book Honest to Greatness. Tune in as we uncover what happens when we lie to ourselves, how to overcome limiting beliefs, achieve ‘honest alignment’ – and what we can learn from the ancient Egyptians. Talking Points How dishonesty has been a fundamental problem for most organizations Why we getting “stuck” with our own lies, and how to get unstuck ‘The Hall of Two Truths’ – learning from the ancient Egyptian mythology The relationship between fear and dishonesty Understanding Warren Buffett’s ‘institutional imperative’ about leaders getting stuck Peter’s central framework: the Hourglass of Honesty The two questions to ask yourself to start benign more honest Quote “Honesty is an act of omission” Helpful Links Fear Is A Dishonest Act Peter’s Monthly Mastermind Episode 306: Leading Without Authority with Keith Ferrazzi PeterKozodoy.com 21-question Honesty Quiz Honest To Greatness | Amazon 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.

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August: The Methodical Month Aug 09, 2020

Show notes

On this episode of the podcast, I talk about the importance of planning – and why August is the month that I give planning my overarching focus. Helpful Links How to Make Better New Year’s Resolutions The NOW Year Action Plan Happy New Year! (or Why I Start My New Year on September 1st) 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.

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The Power of Process with Justin DiRose Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

On this episode I’m joined by Justin DiRose, a productivity expert and remote work consultant from northern Minnesota. He has a passion for becoming better, the distributed workforce, being a great dad and husband, and music. Justin hosts one my favourite productivity podcasts out there: Process. Justin discusses the realities of how personal productivity, software, systems, and technology impact his life throughout each episode and those are some of the very things we touch on during our conversation on this episode. Talking Points What are some things that Justin has noticed evolve throughout the years in the productivity community? Justin talks about what led him down this path What are some tools that have helped Justin be more thoughtful about what the correct things to chase are? What does Justin think some roadblocks that people who are trying to adopt a bigger sense of productivity have? Justin suggests a book that everyone should read and why it impacted him so much This is one thing Justin shares that you can do today to help with your productivity process? Quote “Not just focusing on the tasks, not just focusing on the projects or ideas I have there but also focusing on ‘What am I experiencing? What am I feeling?’ Because a lot of times those are things that are causing me to lose focus, lose attention.” Helpful Links Process Episode 213: The Bullet Journal Method with Ryder Carroll A More Meaningful To Do List | My OmniFocus Setup Talk Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen Episode 227: Why You Need Atomic Habits with James Clear The Order of Time | Amazon Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World | Amazon Effective Remote Work JustinDiRose.com 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.

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HEY! I'm Talking Email with Phil Simon Aug 02, 2020

Show notes

I wanted to talk to someone who knows communication and email to talk about that subject. So Phil Simon joined me once again to talk about email – and in particular, the new kid on the block, HEY. Relevant Links Episode 308: Talking Slack with Phil Simon Episode 324: Let’s Zoom with Phil Simon HEY ‘The world’s greatest email app’ is a privacy nightmare | The Next Web Check out Front – my main email app Listen to Andrew Warner talk about HEY with Jason Fried Second-Order Thinking | FS.blog PhilSimon.com 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.

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Let's Zoom with Phil Simon Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

Phil Simon returns to the program to talk about a service that more people have started using in 2020… some whether they wanted to or not: Zoom. Phil’s made a recent appearance on this podcast talking about his book Slack for Dummies. Now he’s back to share some of his knowledge and insights on another service – as well as another book he’s written Zoom for Dummies. We spend this episode talking about the rise of Zoom use, what Phil’s first experience with Zoom was like, and some of the things Phil really likes about Zoom. If you’re new to Zoom and want to go from comfortable to confident with it, then this episode is well worth your time and attention. Talking Points Why does Phil think Zoom replaced Skype in many ways? This was what Phil’s initial experience with Zoom was like Phil talks about what Zoom brings to the table with webinars What is a tip for people who want to get more out of Zoom? Quote “Zoom is focused on user experience and focused on simplicity.“ Helpful Links Zoom for Dummies Episode 308: Talking Slack with Phil Simon Slack for Dummies Gong.io Against the Rules with Michael Lewis PhilSimon.com 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.

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3 More Things with Benjamin Spall Jul 26, 2020

Show notes

Benjamin Spall returns to the podcast to share three more things. Check out his original appearance on Episode 196 of the podcast. 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.

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The New Corner Office with Laura Vanderkam Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

On this episode, I’m joined once again by Laura Vanderkam, a fellow productivity specialist. Laura is the author of several books, including The New Corner Office: How the Most Successful People Work from Home. I wanted to talk about productivity with someone who speaks my language, and Laura certainly fits that bill. She’s penned a book that is designed to help people not only survive working from home… it’s a book that will help people thrive while working from home. We talk about what it’s like to be thrust into a “work from home” situation, why right now might just be the best time to take on that monumental project, and much more. This episode is well worth your time… I know you’ll enjoy our conversation! Talking Points Laura explains why she chose to write this book right now What led Laura to writing this book? Why does Laura advise you manage by task rather than time? How important does Laura thinks self-care in the work environment is during times like these? Laura shares insights on how she thinks people can embrace their own needs more while working from home Laura talks about her chapter that touches on “thinking big” How does Laura think people can continue to track their time while working from home? How can one work from home and parent from home and still bring their best selves to both? Laura gives one action you can take to start building your own “at home” work life Quote “Working from home is a skill.” Helpful Links The New Corner Office: How the Most Successful People Work from Home Episode 202: Off the Clock with Laura Vanderkam Curious with Josh Peck: James Clear We have a lot more time now. So why can’t we get anything done? | The Washington Post lauravanderkam.com 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.

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