Synopsis
Hosted by productivity strategist Mike Vardy, The Productivityist Podcast is a weekly show 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.
Episodes
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Managing Millennials (and More) with Lee Caraher
22/08/2016 Duration: 38minOn this episode of the podcast, I speak with Lee Caraher. Lee’s a CEO, an author, and an acclaimed communication strategist known for her practical solutions to big problems. We talk about the difference between millennials and other generations in terms of work habits and how to manage them. We also dive into other productivity practices such as handling email after hours and one of my favourite topics..setting boundaries. Relevant Links Blog | Lee Caraher Books | Lee Caraher 5 Tips for Handling After-hours Email | Lee Caraher Productivity Tools | Lee Caraher LeeCaraher (@LeeCaraher) | Twitter 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 whe
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1-800-GOT-PRODUCTIVITY with Brian Scudamore
18/08/2016 Duration: 27minOn this episode of the podcast I speak with Brian Scudamore, the founder and CEO of O2E Brands. O2E Brands is the banner company for 1–800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, You Move Me, and Shack Shine. Starting with one truck and a great idea, Brian grew 1–800-GOT-JUNK? into one of North America’s most successful companies and he’s poised to do the same with his three newest ventures. We talk about how he built his brand, do a deeper dive into a tactic he calls “going dark” that boosts his productivity, how he works at keeping things uncluttered (fitting considering the company he founded), and other strategies he employs to stay on top his game. Relevant Links O2E Brands 1–800-GOT-JUNK? Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg You Move Me Wow 1 Day Painting Shack Shine Brian Scudamore | LinkedIn Brian Scudamore (@BrianScudamore) | Twitter 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 an
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Going One Year No Beer with Andy Ramage and Ruari Fairbairns
08/08/2016 Duration: 47minIn this episode of the podcast, I not only talk with Andy Ramage and Ruari Fairbairns of One Year No Beer but I also take on one of their challenges. That's right. As of recording this episode I went alcohol-free for 90 days. I dive into that challenge a bit more in an upcoming bonus episode (exclusive to Patreon supporters) but also a little bit in this one. Other than me taking on one of the challenges offered through One Year No Beer I talk to the founders of the movement about why they started it, what the future holds for it, when to start a alcohol-free challenge, and how going alcohol-free can impact your productivity. This is definitely an interesting episode of the podcast as I've not gone down this path before, so I hope you enjoy it! Relevant Links OneYearNoBeer // The Ultimate Social Challenge | OYNB Don’t give up alcohol tomorrow - make it happen today | OYNB Why Dry Jan could be bad for you | OYNB Your Guide to Start Meditating - OYNB How To Stop Drinking – A Little Taster | OYNB Booze Fr
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Order and Organization with Rashelle Isip
01/08/2016 Duration: 36minOn this episode of the podcast I’m joined by Rashelle Isip of The Order Expert. Rashelle is a consultant, author, and founder of TheOrderExpert.com, a blog featuring organization, time management and productivity tips, ideas and inspiration to help people lead more balanced lives. She is author of “The Order Expert’s Guide to Time Management” and “How to Plan a Great Event in 60 Days.” We talk about a wide variety of topics relating to order and productivity, including the importance of saying no, the idea of journaling, simple ways you can stay on track, and more. For Patreon supporters, we even dive into Rashelle’s thoughts on focus. Relevant Links The Order Expert - Organizing Blog & Organizing Tips About | The Order Expert Why Saying ‘No’ is Important | The Order Expert Books | The Order Expert How to Organize a Notebook or Journal | The Order Expert Blog – Baron Fig 5 Smart Ways to Stay on Schedule | Time Management Ninja The Order Expert’s Guide to Time Management | The Order Expert How to Get
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Being Unmistakable (Again) with Srinivas Rao
26/07/2016 Duration: 34minOn this episode of the podcast, I chat with my friend Srinivas Rao. Srini is the author of the book Unmistakable: Why Only is Better Than Best and the founder and CEO of Unmistakable Creative. We talk about his book (which I’ve dog-eared to death) and going down the path of becoming unmistakable. We discuss mastery, habits, systems, goals, in depth. I really enjoyed this discussion and know there are pearls of wisdom strewn throughout that won’t just help you with your productivity. They will also help you forge your own path to unmistakability. Relevant Links Unmistakable Creative Being Unmistakable with Srinivas Rao | The Productivityist Podcast Mastery by Robert Greene | Amazon Todd Herman Mars Dorian Paul Jarvis Chris Milk | TED.com The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau | Amazon If Everyone Becomes a Non-Conformist, Won’t We All Be Conforming? : The Art of Non-Conformity Baron Fig | Notebooks for Thinkers Pre-Order Unmistakable | Bonuses Srinivas Rao (@UnmistakableCEO) | Twitter If
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Getting Optimized with Stephan Spencer
19/07/2016 Duration: 34minOn this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I speak with Stephan Spencer. Stephan is a man of many talents and projects, including hosting The Optimized Geek and writing the book The Art of SEO. The focus of our conversation is on optimization. And I’m not just talking about search engine optimization (although as a Patreon supporter you will hear about his fascination with that subject matter). We dive into optimizing oneself, deliberate practice, Tony Robbins, the power of automation, and balancing learning with execution. (Stephan also offers something special for listeners of the podcast, so listen for that!) Relevant Links SEO Expert, Author, Professional Speaker | Stephan Spencer Optimized Geek | About Platinum Partnership | Tony Robbins Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World | Cal Newport Optimized Geek | Podcast Unleash The Power Within | Tony Robbins Marketing Speak | Podcast Stephan Spencer (@sspencer) | Twitter If you enjoy The Productivityist Podcast I’d apprecia
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Learning to Commit with Avrum Nadigel
12/07/2016 Duration: 26minOn this episode of the podcast, I chat with Avrum Nadigel. He is an author and relationship therapist. He co-produces "It’s the anxiety, stupid!” - a podcast about relationship angst, and draws a comic about intimacy called “Ball and Change”. His new book, Learning to Commit (The Workbook): Becoming Your Best Self to Find Your Best Match, will be published by Self-Counsel Press in November 2016. We talk about his move away from GTD (Getting Things Done) and back to a higher level of thinking and workflow (a la Stephen Covey), the things that drive him nuts that productivity authors and users, and dive into his biggest fear. Relevant Links Avrum Nadigel | Official Website Why I’ve Left GTD Behind: Part One | Productivityis Why I’ve Left GTD Behind: Part Two | Productivityist Why I’ve Left GTD Behind: Part Three | Productivityist Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits The 8th Habit by Stephen Covey Getting Things Done | Official Website Back to Work 261: The Illusion of Ease The Covey Community Daylite by Marketci
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The Big 100
05/07/2016 Duration: 47minOn this, the 100th episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I chat with producer John Poelstra about the evolution of the podcast since it started nearly two years ago. We talk about the changes that we have made (and the big change that we didn’t make), the process we use to make each episode happen and why it has worked so well for us, and reveal some of our favourite episodes and thoughts about the journey we’ve had over the past 100 episodes. Relevant Links Roman Mars | Makes Radio Be More Successful: The Top 10 Productivity Podcasts for 2016 | Inc.com Greetings and Salutations (The First Episode of The Productivityist Podcast) Unmistakable: Why Only Is Better Than Best by Srinivas Rao | Amazon TabLinks - BrettTerpstra.com Trello Hacking corporate with Nick Snapp | The Productivityist Podcast: Patreon Edition MeisterTask Deep Work with Cal Newport | The Productivityist Podcast Relentless Sales Success with Chris Johnson | The Productivityist Podcast The Art of the Side Hustle with Nick Loper |
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Being Truly Productive with Michael Dolan
27/06/2016 Duration: 46minOn this episode of the podcast, I speak with Michael Dolan. Michael is an executive coach who helps leaders get out of their own way by enabling them to develop and maintain higher levels of productivity, self-awareness and effectiveness so that they can create a bigger impact and experience greater satisfaction in their work and life. Based on his 15-years of management experience, Michael understands the intense personal and organizational demands that successful executives must meet on a daily basis. We talk about his journey as an executive coach, his views on David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology, how he uses the Enneagram in his work, and more. Relevant Links Truly Productive Leadership What is the Enneagram? Getting Things Done by David Allen | Amazon Headspace Muse: The Brain Sensing Headband | Amazon The Productivityist Podcast 73: Cal Newport The Productivityist Podcast 66: A Doer Who Likes To Be with Michael Townsend Williams Truly Productive | Facebook Michael Dolan, PCC (
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Distractions & Disruptions with Dave Nevogt
21/06/2016 Duration: 40minOn this episode, I speak with Dave Nevogt. Dave is the co-founder of Hubstaff and we chat about what it’s like to pivot from one entrepreneurial venture to another and how he is especially adept at eliminating distractions and dealing with disruptions. Priority plays a role in how Dave handles his tasks and he shares how he keeps himself moving on the right path along the way. We also dive into what he does to help infuse some of his own strategic way of dealing with distractions and disruptions within Hubstaff. Dave also shares his thoughts on striking a balance between quantitative and qualitative productivity. Relevant Links DaveNevogt.com Hubstaff The Definitive Guide to Building a Remote Team | Hubstaff Everything we’ve learned to grow our time tracking startup | Hubstaff Hubstaff (@hubstaff) | Twitter Dave Nevogt (@dnevogt) | Twitter 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 a
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Hacking Corporate with Nick Snapp
13/06/2016 Duration: 35minOn this episode, I speak with Nick Snapp, the host of The Make It Snappy Productivity Show and a productivity strategist who specializes on helping people “hack” Corporate. Nick’s story is rooted in finding creative ways to “hack” Corporate, escape the office, and still achieve exceptional performance ratings. We talk about the challenges he (and I) have faced translating Corporate skills to personal productivity as entrepreneurs. We also dive into what can help you drive long-term successful outcomes, how we focus on family through our processes, setting boundaries, and more. Relevant Links The Make it Snappy Productivity Show Episode 73: Cal Newport | The Productivityist Podcast Start with Why by Simon Sinek | Amazon The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington | Amazon The One Email You Must Send Before You Go on Vacation | Productivityist RescueTime Steve Chandler Audio Programs Nick Snapp (@thesnappyshow) | Twitter Productivity on Purpose (P.O.P.) Facebook Group If you enjoy Th
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Strategic Storytelling with Jordan Bower
06/06/2016 Duration: 40minOn this episode of the podcast, I speak with Jordan Bower. We talk about the power of story, his approach to storytelling, and much more (including a mention of one of my favourite storytellers, Steven Pressfield). Jordan is a strategic storyteller now based in my hometown of Victoria. We had a chance to meet up for the first time at Social Media Camp and had a great face-to-face conversation and I was excited to carry that over to the podcast. (He also has a fascinating story to tell of his own and he shares elements of it in this episode.) Relevant Links Jordan Bower: Strategic Storytelling & Corporate Intimacy Expert About Jordan Bower Brush with death made Jordan Bower get serious about photos | Toronto Star Storytelling Approach | Jordan Bower Rolf Potts’ Vagabonding Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer | Amazon Rohdesign | Mike Rohde Stefan Sagmeister: The power of time off | TED.com Writing Wednesdays: The Hero’s Journey in Real Life | Steven Pressfield Jordan Bower (@jordan__bower) | Twitter If
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Good to Greatist with Derek Flanzraich
31/05/2016 Duration: 47minIn this episode, I speak with Derek Flanzraich, the founder/CEO of Greatist. We talk about the idea of planning, time chunking, and many other things that allow us to push our intentions forward (and allow him to embody the term “greatist”). This is definitely more of a conversation than an interview, as Derek and I exchange ideas and thoughts on making choices, being productive, and how we make sure we allocate attention to push our intentions forward. So if you’re looking for a straight up interview, you won’t find it here. I’m looking forward to having Derek back on again in the not-too-distant future as we have a lot more to talk about! Relevant Links Greatist I Got Six-Pack Abs in Six Weeks. Here’s How I Feel One Year Later | Greatist How Long Does it Take to Get Six Pack Abs? | Guy Standard More Than Marketing, Millennials Are the Economic Future | Inc.com How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams | Amazon The More of Less with Joshua Becker |
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Priorities with Erik Fisher and Steve Dotto
24/05/2016 Duration: 57minOn this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I'm featuring the Productivity Powerhouse Panel Blab that Steve Dotto (DottoTech) and Erik Fisher (Beyond The To Do List) did with me on the topic of priorities. This episode is a little longer than usual – these panel discussions last an hour – and the audio quality will be different because it is ripped from the Blab we did. You’ll hear Steve challenge me about how I use time theming and the three of us dive deep into how we deal with prioritization every day. 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 fo
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Beating Burnout with Ben Fanning
16/05/2016 Duration: 32minOn this episode of the podcast, I speak with Ben Fanning. Ben is a “burnout specialist,” the author of The Quit Alternative, and someone I’ve had the pleasure of seeing regularly at the World Domination Summit in Portland. Ben and I spend time discussing how to create to-do lists that work and really dive into how he helps people stave off overwhelm and burnout. Relevant Links Ben Fanning | The Burnout Specialist Three Steps to Create a To-Do List that Actually Works | The Burnout Specialist The QUIT Alternative by Ben Fanning | Amazon The Time We Have | Productivityist World Domination Summit Ben Fanning (@BenFanning1) | Twitter 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, ple
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Finding Your Signature Strengths with Scott Barlow
10/05/2016 Duration: 42minOn this episode of the podcast I speak with the founder of Happen To Your Career, Scott Barlow. We dive into how you can go about finding you strengths – specifically your “signature strengths” and how tapping into those strengths can be a real boon to your productivity. Relevant Links About Scott Barlow Happen to Your Career Strengths Finder 2.0 – What is this Witchcraft? | Happen to Your Career Resources at Happen to Your Career Scott Anthony Barlow (@scottabarlow) | Twitter 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 sponso
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The More of Less with Joshua Becker
03/05/2016 Duration: 42minThis episode features my conversation with Joshua Becker. Joshua is the man behind Becoming Minimalist and the author of The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own. I enjoyed chatting with Joshua about the meaning of minimalism, his new initiative The Hope Effect, and finding out if he is okay with my wanting a Tesla as my next car. I enjoyed The More of Less immensely – it’s been a real game-changer in my life. After you’re done listening to this episode, I highly suggest you pick up a copy for yourself (and those who you think could benefit from it too). Relevant Links Becoming Minimalist | Joshua Becker The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own by Joshua Becker | Amazon Project 333 | Be More with Less The Hope Effect Uncluttered | A Course from Becoming Minimalist by Joshua Becker Joshua Becker (@joshua_becker) | Twitter If you enjoy The Productivityist Podcast I'd appreciate a rating and review in iTunes or your podcasting platform of choice. I
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Productivity and Play with Kirsten Milliken
26/04/2016 Duration: 39minOn this episode of the podcast, I speak with clinical psychologist and certified ADHD Coach, Dr. Kirsten Milliken. She’s the author of PlayDHD, a book that not only gives adults with ADHD permission to play – it encourages it! We talk about a wide variety of topics, including how she tackles her tasks, what role avatars and colour play into her workflow, and why tapping into (and leveraging) your personality type can help you personalize your workflow and help you reach your full potential. Relevant Links plAyDHD Playdhd: Permission to Play…..a Prescription for Adults With ADHD by Kirsten Milliken | Amazon Time Timer How To Write a Book When You Have ADHD | TotallyADD.com 4–4 Play! The Secret Ingredient to ADHD Motivation | NAPO 2016 Kirsten Milliken (@ADHDexecutive) | Twitter 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
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Focusing on Memory with Brad Zupp
18/04/2016 Duration: 40minIn this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I speak with Brad Zupp. Brad is an entertaining motivational speaker and memory improvement expert from New York. Brad shows people how to supercharge their memories to improve many aspects of their lives (including productivity) and to have a better memory at any age. And that’s exactly why I wanted to talk to him. I trust my memory…to a point. And for good reason. I believe that your mind was meant to be a factory and not a warehouse so I was interested to hear Brad’s take on that. I wanted to dive into how we can reconcile what we should try to memorize versus what we shouldn’t, what you can do to keep your memory from fading, how a calendar and other tools can help enhance your memory, and loads more. Relevant Links Brad Zupp Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg | Amazon How to Theme Your Day for Maximum Productivity | 1 Simple Thing Podcast Most Productive People: David Robinson | Fast Company Developing a “Superhuman” Memory | Brad Zupp The Night
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Productivity for Dummies with Ciara Conlon
11/04/2016 Duration: 39minOn this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I speak with fellow productivity strategist Ciara Conlon. Ciara is the author of Chaos to Control: A Practical Guide to Getting Things Done and Productivity for Dummies. We talk about the things she learned while writing Productivity for Dummies, the methods she returned to while writing the book (and kept using even after the book was completed), and more. Relevant Links CiaraConlon.com Productivity For Dummies by Ciara Conlon | Amazon EISENHOWER.me The Pomodoro Technique® Brain.fm focus@will Chaos to Control: A Practical Guide to Getting Things Done by Ciara Conlon | Amazon Ciara Conlon (@CiaraConlon) | Twitter 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