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 pull on your attention
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Hello Reader, October is ADHD Awareness Month. And since attention is such a central part of that conversation, I wanted to take a moment before the month gets into full swing to tap into yours. Firstly, the last week's edition of The Lantern was missing its LOOK, LISTEN, and LEARN section. I’ve fixed that and you can read it in full here. But I also want to share something deeper—because attention is both fragile and powerful. In The Productivity Diet I introduced the Spheres of Attention—Noticing, Awareness, Focus, and Concentration. They give you a way to place intention behind where your attention goes, rather than letting algorithms, headlines, or notifications decide for you. Here’s the truth: news, media, and social platforms aren’t simply informing us—they’re competing for us. And if we’re not deliberate, we slide from meaningful engagement into endless distraction. That’s why it’s helpful to know which sphere you’re in.
If you’d like to explore this further, I’ve unpacked how these spheres apply to news, media, and more in this article. And if you have further (or deeper) challenges with attention – such as ADHD – then I encourage you to check out my latest course in the TimeCrafting Trust community, TimeCrafting and ADHD. The point isn’t to withdraw from the world. It’s to engage with it—without being consumed by it. Take a few minutes this week to notice: Where is my attention right now? — Mike P.S. All month long, A Productive Conversation will feature conversations that connect with ADHD Awareness Month. First up is my discussion with the author of Extra Focus, Jesse J. Anderson. You can listen to it 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, Episode 650 of A Productive Conversation dropped during the last week of March — and while that number means a lot to me, it's actually a little misleading. Because 650 is just this show. Before A Productive Conversation (formerly known as The Productivityist Podcast), there was Mikes on Mics. And WorkAwesome. And more within this space... and some well outside of it. Add it all up and I've hosted well over a thousand podcast episodes across more than a decade — and somewhere...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 2, Issue 7 | April 11, 2026 Hello Reader, 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 drew one of those lines....
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...