The Lantern is a thoughtfully curated weekly email from Mike Vardy designed to help you craft a better relationship with time. Each edition brings you insights, inspiration, and practical tools through a simple yet powerful framework: Look (a thought-provoking video or visual), Listen (a compelling podcast or audio insight), and Learn (a deep dive into a key concept, article, or book). Designed to inform, inspire, and illuminate, The Lantern helps you navigate time with clarity and intention—without the overwhelm.
The thread that ties it all together
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Hello Reader, “When we intentionally engage with time—when we slow down, focus, and immerse ourselves in the present—we create a deeper connection to our work and our lives.” – The Productivity Diet That line captures why connection has always been central to my work. It isn’t just about doing more. It’s about being present enough to notice, to listen, and to truly engage. Over the past few months, I’ve had the chance to share meaningful exchanges with people whose ideas continue to shape how I think and work. Here are just five of those connections:
And then there’s the one connection I make every month: with my friend Patrick Rhone. Together we host PM Talks, and this time, fittingly, our focus is on connection itself. If productivity is about what we produce, then productiveness is about the relationships, rhythms, and routines that sustain that production. These conversations are my reminder that connection is what keeps the work meaningful. I hope you’ll take the time to lean into this month’s PM Talks, and maybe catch up on a few of the others while you’re at it. Until next time, P.S. If you don’t want to miss any of these conversations, you can subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to listen. Click here to get started. |
The Lantern: A Weekly Guide to Navigating Time with Intention
The Lantern is a thoughtfully curated weekly email from Mike Vardy designed to help you craft a better relationship with time. Each edition brings you insights, inspiration, and practical tools through a simple yet powerful framework: Look (a thought-provoking video or visual), Listen (a compelling podcast or audio insight), and Learn (a deep dive into a key concept, article, or book). Designed to inform, inspire, and illuminate, The Lantern helps you navigate time with clarity and intention—without the overwhelm.
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Hello Reader, This email is the third part in a short series that steps slightly outside my usual lane. I’m writing about the wage gap, payroll imbalance, and how we value work because it connects directly to the themes many of you know me for—time, attention, and productiveness. If something here resonates (or rubs you the wrong way), hit reply and tell me. Your feedback is shaping this series as I go. Inside most organizations, payroll is “the controllable.” When numbers don’t line up, the...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 29 | September 13, 2025 Hello Reader, The week started clunky. Technical headaches, email mishaps, the kind of friction that makes you wonder if everything is going to stay off-kilter. By Tuesday, things had begun to settle. Not perfect… but better. And by the time you read this, I’ll have shared an evening with friends, unwinding with conversation and laughter. The arc of those few days is a reminder of how perspective takes shape. Perspective isn’t...