A Productive Conversation

A Productive Conversation

By Mike VardyBusinessCareersManagement
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A Productive Conversation episodes

  • A Focus on Flourishing with Charlie Gilkey
    This episode's guest is a long-time friend whom I met at the World Domination Summit. He is the founder of Productive Flourishing, a best-selling author, the host of the Creative Giant podcast, and a productivity expert: Charlie Gilkey.
    Charlie helps creative people to start finishing stuff that matters. This involves weeding out through the noise of various tasks, priorities, and projects through Project Cagematch, and other productivity concepts up his sleeve. Half an hour is never enough for the two of us as we geeked out and chatted on various subjects.
    In this week’s episode, we discussed:
    Charlie’s views on starting the year and how (like me) he decides on starting it in a different month than January.
    What got him – or necessitated him – to get into productivity, and how being a person of multiple interests had him realize the lack of conversation on productivity in the academe.
    A brief background/history of the productivity movement and resource people, and how the productivity scene is much more competitive and challenging to break into currently.
    His tips on what people can do to wade through opportunities amidst ongoing projects.
    How to apply the Project Cagematch (a concept that originated from wrestling) in planning and prioritizing, which starts with self-compassion and how the process reveals our true values and goals.
    The one word to remove from our mental dialogues.
    Priorities and aspirations: The difference between the two and our tendency to confuse these ideas.
    How the starts and finishes of projects are more "hyped" concepts, leaving behind the middle part – and how to deal with messy middles and thrashing.
    His thoughts on letting go – which involves reviewing stuff periodically, updating awareness, recognizing changes, and the idea of sustainable mediocrity.
    Relevant Links
    Productive Flourishing
    How to Referee Your Project Cagematch (and Unveil Your Values & Priorities)
    Think Better, Live Better
    Fat and Lazy by CaseyNeistat | YouTube
    Twitter | Charley Gilkey
    Thanks for listening. 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.
    If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. 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

    38 min
  • A Focus on Flourishing with Charlie Gilkey
    This episode's guest is a long-time friend whom Mike met at the World Domination Summit. He is the founder of Productive Flourishing, a best-selling author, the host of the Creative Giant podcast, and a productivity expert: Charlie Gilkey.
    37 min
  • The Well Life with Briana Borten
    Anytime is a good time to establish a "well life", and it just so happened that we’re starting 2017 with a means to help you do just that.
    On this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, my guest is Briana Borten. She is a peace engineer and wellness entrepreneur who owns The Dragontree Spa and co-wrote The Well Life.
    Backed up with their experiences in alternative healing and a genuine yearning to help their clients to live a more fulfilling life, Briana and her husband Dr. Peter Borten wrote the book The Well Life: How to Use Sweetness, Structure, and Space to Create Balance, Happiness, and Peace, which Briana and I talk about throughout the show.
    Here's just some of what you'll learn:
    How Briana and Peter's wellness advocacy started 13 years ago, as they established the Dragontree with their background in acupuncture and Ayurvedic medicine, and what motivated them to write this book.
    The concept of "sweetness", and how and why it should be constantly present in our lives.
    The tools, techniques, and habits that they shared in the book that they found to have greatly impacted and improved their lives.
    How important a healthy foundation is, and how it involves seemingly mundane activities that allow us to nourish our minds and body.
    The connection between thoughts and feelings as well as intentions, and the body’s reaction to these intentions.
    The human data stream flowing into our lives all day long, the element of space, and the need to have space where we're not connected to anything or anyone but ourselves.
    What’s up with the current fascination and attraction of people to nature-based, alternative philosophies and healing?
    How space plays out vis-à-vis with her concept of scheduling - which ought to give us a greater understanding of our capabilities and limits.
    Briana’s journaling and meditation habit, and how this integrates into her life.
    The concept of "The Baggage List" and how accomplishing it can help individuals feel freer.
    Relevant Links
    The Well Life
    The Well Life: How to Use Structure, Sweetness, and Space to Create Balance, Happiness, and Peace: Briana Borten, Dr. Peter Borten | Amazon
    The Productivityist Podcast: Dr. Michael Breus
    The Dragontree
    Briana Borten
    Thanks for listening. 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.
    If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. 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

    38 min
  • The Well Life with Briana Borten
    Anytime is a good time to establish a "well life", and it just so happened that we’re starting 2017 with a means to help you do just that. On this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, my guest is Briana Borten. She is a peace engineer and wellness entrepreneur who owns The Dragontree Spa and co-wrote The Well Life.
    37 min
  • Demystifying Evernote with Charles Byrd
    This week on The Productivityist Podcast I zero in on Evernote with a guest who knows the ins and outs of the app. Charles Byrd will be talking Evernote with me with the goal of helping anyone get started and familiarize themselves with Evernote. He'll be giving insights, sharing tips, and offering hacks along the way.
    Charles lives in Northern California and worked in the Silicon Valley for tech companies for a significant time. He is now the founder of Byrd Word and hosts a 3-hour training course on productivity – specifically the uses of Evernote – and how this can save people time and, in effect, impact our lives.
    We talk about:
    How long Charles has been using Evernote, his initial reaction to the app, and how it has helped him in his career and, ultimately, his business.
    Where people should start when trying to adopt Evernote to help them with their productivity practices, and what the three concepts Charles teaches people when they are starting out with Evernote.
    Charles’s thoughts on the changes made recently by Evernote in its pricing structure, and on paying for the premium versions of apps and software.
    An anecdote of how useful Evernote has been in Charles’s life and how that story convinced a man to take Charles’s Evernote course.
    Evernote features that are not as heralded as they should be but have proven to be very useful for Charles.
    An overview of Charles’s Zero-to-60 with Evernote course to get people to do more in less time, and help them get up and running with the basics of Evernote quickly.
    Relevant Links
    Zero-to-60 with Evernote
    Byrd Word | Website
    Byrd Word | LinkedIn
    Charles Byrd | Facebook
    Charles Byrd | Twitter
    Thank you for listening. 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.
    If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. 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

    28 min
  • Demystifying Evernote with Charles Byrd
    This week on The Productivityist Podcast we zero in on Evernote with a guest who knows the ins and outs of the app. Charles Byrd will be talking Evernote with Mike with the goal of helping anyone get started and familiarize themselves with Evernote. He'll be giving insights, sharing tips, and offering hacks along the way.
    28 min
  • A Closer Look at Automation with Wade Foster
    On this week’s episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I will be chatting with Wade Foster. Wade is the co-founder and CEO of the automation platform Zapier, which helps people automate their work by allowing connections between various apps. Wade and I will talk about how to get started with automation, and how to work your way through it. Listen up on this episode as we discuss:
    The correct pronunciation of Zapier, and the mission envisioned by Wade and his co-founder Bryan that pushed them to create Zapier.
    Instances where automation is more harmful than useful to productivity.
    How people start with simple tasks when integrating automation into their routines, and whether it starts from the workplace or at home.
    Keeping your automation efforts aligned amidst trial and errors by revisiting the original intent of doing so, and dealing with noise brought about by automation through Zapier.
    Wade’s thoughts on automation, or replication and delegation to another individual, to simplify tasks.
    The process from manual to automation or delegation, and how Wade tracks these to remind himself that it needs checking and paying attention to.
    How the Zapier team remains on top of updates, changes, and even systems issues with the numerous apps they integrate.
    Account security and privacy and how the Zapier team communicate these effectively to their clients/users.
    What people need to think about and do when considering automation. Plus, an XKDC comic that can serve as a good guide.
    Relevant Links
    The best apps. Better together. - Zapier - Zapier
    The Best Type of Automation - Productivityist
    3 Lists to Freedom | Chris Ducker
    Case Study: Paul Jarvis - How to Build Your Email List as an Author | Zapier
    The Productivityist Podcast 60: Less Doing with Ari Meisel - Productivityist
    Workflow | Powerful automation made simple.
    xkcd: Is It Worth the Time?
    Wade Foster (@wadefoster) | Twitter
    Thanks for listening. 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.
    If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. 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

    32 min
  • A Closer Look at Automation with Wade Foster
    On this week’s episode of The Productivityist Podcast, Mike will be chatting with Wade Foster. Wade is the co-founder and CEO of the automation platform Zapier, which helps people automate their work by allowing connections between various apps.
    31 min
  • Broadcasting Happiness with Michelle Gielan
    We’re "broadcasting happiness" on this episode of The Productivityist Podcast with my guest Michelle Gielan, the bestselling author of Broadcasting Happiness.
    Michelle was a national CBS news anchor turned happiness researcher, founder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research and has a new special airing on PBS called Inspire Happiness with her husband, fellow happiness researcher Shawn Achor. On this episode she talks with me about how our attitudes affect our lives and productivity, and learn about:
    What the idea was and what happened for "Happy Week" when she was still working as an anchor in CBS.
    Her insights on the influence of the news on the brain based on research she conducted with Shawn Achor and Ariana Huffington.
    Transforming your relationship to email, our brains’ negativity bias, and how emailing positivity can change your day – and even make you see the world differently.
    The problem with Happy Monday emails.
    How important it is to focus on behaviour instead of the person and what are the predictors of long-term success.
    What things you can do to promote change with people you’re interacting with daily.
    The importance of words to help people get on a positive track and an experiment that shows how words affect people’s behaviour.
    How to create a more positive relationship with your to-do list by "recrafting" it to fuel your brain.
    Relevant Links
    michellegielan.com | Michelle Gielan
    Broadcasting Happiness | Website
    PBS Special | Inspire Happiness
    Broadcasting Happiness | Amazon
    Shawn Achor | Good Think Inc
    The Happy Secret to Better Work | TED talk with Shawn Achor
    Wake Up & Inspire Happiness Video Workshop | Website
    Michelle Gielan | Twitter
    Michelle Gielan | Facebook
    If you enjoy The Productivityist Podcast I'd appreciate a rating and review in iTunes or your podcasting platform of choice. It helps people find the show easier and will help me make improvements on the show by seeing what you have to say.
    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.
    If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. 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

    33 min

About A Productive Conversation

From the publisher's feed

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.

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