I’m Mike Vardy, and I help people build a better relationship with time — not by controlling it, but by working with it. Through my writing, courses, and community, I explore how intention and attention shape a more meaningful life — one rooted in the original idea of productiveness over productivity.
In Praise of a Boring Breakfast
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Hello Reader, Every weekday morning, I eat oatmeal. Steel-cut oats, cooked in the Instant Pot ahead of time. Nothing fancy. Nothing Instagram-worthy. On a recent call with my mom, I mentioned this in passing. Her response was immediate and unfiltered: “That’s gross.” I laughed. Because... that's fair. Oatmeal isn’t exactly thrilling. And no, it’s not my favourite breakfast either. But that’s kind of the point. Here’s the thing: oatmeal is foundational. It’s the default I don’t have to think about. I know it’ll be there. I know it’ll do its job. And I know it’ll get me through the morning without requiring a decision before I’ve even fully woken up. What does change is what I add to it. Different berries. Sometimes nuts. Occasionally something unexpected. The base stays the same, but the experience shifts just enough to keep it from feeling monotonous. That’s the balance I’m after: consistency without boredom. Working from a default removes friction. No scanning the fridge. No debating options. No “what do I feel like today?” first thing in the morning. The decision has already been made. And here’s the quiet truth: once you remove friction, you make room for variation where it actually matters. Oatmeal may not be my favorite—but it tastes better than a lot of alternatives. (Soylent, anyone?) More importantly, it respects my energy, my attention, and my time. It does what it’s supposed to do. That’s how I think about a lot of things now—not just breakfast. Defaults aren’t about settling. They’re about supporting. You build something reliable, then layer novelty on top by choice, not by necessity. And that’s how small, unremarkable decisions stop draining you... and start carrying you instead. See you later, P.S. Tomorrow I'm facilitating a workshop titled The Strategic Journal: How Reflection Becomes a System for The Grand Connection's Grand Productivity Group and it'd be great if you would join us. Click here to make that happen. |
The Practice of Productiveness
I’m Mike Vardy, and I help people build a better relationship with time — not by controlling it, but by working with it. Through my writing, courses, and community, I explore how intention and attention shape a more meaningful life — one rooted in the original idea of productiveness over productivity.
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 2, Issue 7 | April 11, 2026 Hello Reader, The Curious Cruelty of Arrival There's a particular ache that comes with finally becoming yourself. You look around at the work you're doing, the way you're moving through the world, the lines you draw without hesitation — and something in you says yes, this is it. And then, almost immediately, something else says why did it take so long? Both things are true at once. That's the curious cruelty of arrival. Recently, I...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 2, Issue 6 | April 4, 2026 Hello Reader, I found it at Dollarama. The World According to Tom Hanks by Gavin Edwards, tucked in among the seasonal decor and reading glasses. For a bit more than a dollar — dollar stores don't exactly live up to their name these days — I walked out with something I didn't expect: a list of ten commandments distilled from the life of America's most decent human being. You can see all ten here. I've been sitting with the ninth one...
Hello Reader,I was lucky enough to spend time with my mom last week during a work trip. It was great to see her for the first time in a couple of years – and just a few days before her birthday. Today her birthday arrived. There’s something about that kind of time that feels different. Not slower, not faster, just… more noticeable. Like you can actually feel it passing instead of trying to manage it. Most days don’t feel like that. Most days feel like something to keep up with. Or get...