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Mike Vardy- also known as "The Productivityist” - is a highly-acclaimed productivity strategist and the creator of the productivity philosophy and framework known as TimeCrafting. He is considered to be one of the top thought leaders in the personal productivity and time management space and his work has been featured in Lifehacker, Fast Company, HuffPost, Inc., and Forbes.

Now you might be thinking that Mike and I are going to nerd out over productivity hacks, strategies, and apps in an effort to help you fill every second of your day with activities so you can get more sh*t done (and trust me, we could). But this conversation has a refreshingly different agenda: re-defining what it means to be “productive” and exploring the ways in which we can maintain momentum towards - and reach - our personal and professional goals while remaining balanced.

If you’re tired of feeling like the only way you can reach success is through packing on even more work to your agenda, this conversation is for you. Not only will Mike help you shift your mindset on what it really means to be productive, he’ll share simple and practical ways in which you can achieve your most important goals while remaining present, balanced, and SANE (all without using a single time management app).

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Here's What You'll Learn:

Why the era of using systems and apps in order to maintain high levels of productivity is ending
The mental shifts necessary to break away from the “productivity cult” that helps you create more space in your day…only so you can fill it with more productivity
Why using productivity tools can actually make you less productive
Why you need to understand the difference between work-life balance and work-life presence
How you can prioritize the tasks of your day in a way that involves balance (without losing momentum towards your goals)
The two factors you need to know about that will determine the level of your success
Why taking short breaks to move can one of the most impactful productivity hacks imaginable
What it means to create “themes” during your week…and why this will save your sanity
Why we need to stop putting all of our focus on “time” when we build our schedule, and start factoring in our levels of energy throughout the day
Why Mike calls journaling the most undervalued productivity and time management tool we have (and how you can get started building that habit today)

Useful Resources Mentioned:

The Four Tendencies Quiz

Time Crafting Starter Kit

Continue to Listen & Learn

Ep04: The Zen-like Art of 'Getting Things Done' | with David Allen

Ep144: Redefining What It Means to Be “Productive” (and Aligning Your Values With Your Time) | with Tamara Torres

Ep55: How Tiny Changes Can Create Remarkable Results | with James Clear

Ep128: How to Have a Successful Career Without Sacrificing Family | with Farrel Levy

Struggling to “Do” It All? Try “Being” First. (Three Strategies to Reclaim Your Time and Sanity When Working From Home)

Dear Hollywood: We Don’t Want to “Go Back to Normal." Normal Wasn’t Working.

Guest Bio:

mike-vardy-bio Mike Vardy

Mike Vardy – also known as "The Productivityist" – is a highly-acclaimed productivity strategist and the creator of the productivity philosophy and framework known as TimeCrafting. He's considered to be one of the top thought leaders in the personal productivity and time management space, with over 15 years of expertise under his belt and having coaching hundreds of clients over that timespan.

His work has been featured in Lifehacker, Fast Company, HuffPost, Inc., and Forbes. Vardy is a renowned international speaker and has taught productivity practices on popular online education platforms CreativeLive, Skillshare, and LinkedIn Learning where his courses are among the most popular in the business category. He also hosts A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy, a conversational podcast that has featured guests such as Seth Godin, Brian Tracy, Keith Ferrazzi, and Gretchen Rubin – and has been downloaded over 5 million times since its inception.

Mike lives in Victoria, Canada with his wife, daughter, and son.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

Ep202: Let’s Stop Talking About “Productivity” and Start Talking About Balance | with Mike Vardy

The Zack Arnold Podcast