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.
One week in...
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Hello Reader, A week ago, the calendar changed. That distinction matters more than we admit. The first seven days of a year are often loud: intentions declared, plans announced, energy projected forward. But a week later, something quieter shows up. Reality. Habit. Drift. Friction. Familiarity. This is where the year actually begins. Not with resolution, but with recognition. So here’s a better question than “How am I doing so far?” What has this first week revealed? About your relationship with time. You don’t need to fix anything yet. You don’t need a new plan. You just need to notice. Because clarity doesn’t come from trying harder at the start. It comes from seeing clearly... and early enough to choose differently. See you later, P.S. If this question of what truly deserves your attention is on your mind, I’ll be facilitating a session on January 13 with the Grand Productivity group hosted by Garland Coulson that looks beyond the to-do list and toward more meaningful progress. You can get your free guest pass here. |
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.
Hello Reader, We’re less than a week into the year, which means this is usually the moment when people start wondering why things don’t feel clear yet. That’s understandable—but it’s also a misunderstanding. An epiphany isn’t a sudden realization that changes everything. More often, it’s a quiet recognition of something that’s been asking for your attention for a while. Nothing new. Just newly noticed. There’s an important difference here. Realization feels dramatic. It arrives all at once...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 45 | January 3, 2026 Hello Reader, I was listening to an episode of Unspooled where the hosts were unpacking Variety’s Top 100 Comedies list. What stood out wasn’t the rankings—it was the friction. They weren’t arguing to win. They were circling tone, era, memory, and taste. What counts as comedy? What lasts? What lands differently depending on when—or who—you are? That’s when it clicked: Lists don’t reveal truth; they reveal judgment. Every list is...
Hello Reader, Most people treat January 1 as a starting line. But I don’t. It’s not the start of my year—but it does act as a marker. A pause. A moment quiet enough to look back without immediately rushing forward. And that’s exactly what I do. Every year, on the morning of the first, I make a cup of tea and sit down with my journal. Not to write. To read. I use a journaling app called Reflection, but this works with any journal—digital or analog. What matters isn’t the tool... it’s the act....