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.
What's Your Procrastination Persona?
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Hello Reader, Did you know that we’re smack dab in the middle of National Procrastination Week as I send you this? Indeed, this week serves as a timely reminder that none of us are immune to the allure of procrastination. Interestingly, the term ‘procrastination’ originates from the Latin ‘procrastinare’, which literally means ‘to defer until tomorrow’. Historically, this wasn’t always seen in a negative light; it was simply part of planning and prudent delay. However, over time, the concept of procrastination changed. Maybe ‘tomorrow’ became too vague, too undefined, leading procrastination to morph into the often negative connotation it holds today? No one really knows how this shift in procrastination’s reputation happened. But it’s crucial to remember, not all procrastination is detrimental. In fact, understanding your unique approach to procrastination can unveil powerful insights into how you work best. This is why I’ve crafted a short quiz to help you discover "Your Procrastination Persona." It’s free, quick, and not only illuminates your procrastination style but also offers a fun peek into your productivity character. As we make our way through a week that explores procrastination further, here’s to embracing and understanding our procrastination – turning what may seem like a flaw into our superpower. See you later, P.S. Listen to Nir Eyal's insights into the misunderstood world of distractions complement our exploration of procrastination on this recent episode of A Productive Conversation. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, my YouTube channel, or visit the episode page 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.
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 40 | November 29, 2025 Hello Reader, We like to believe perspective comes with age, but maybe it comes with motion. Not the hurried kind—the tilt. The slow, almost imperceptible shift of looking again. When I watched this 1952 interview with Bertrand Russell, what struck me wasn’t the content of his ideas so much as the steadiness behind them. The man had lived through two world wars, witnessed the dawn of nuclear power, and seen the rise and fall of...
Hello Reader, Black Friday tends to shout. I’d rather give you something simple — something steady and useful — as you move toward (and within) the new year. Here’s what I’m offering: The 12 Days of TimeCrafting — just $12 From December 26th through January 6th, you’ll receive a daily email — each one carrying a new TimeCrafting gift you can use right away or return to whenever you need it. Twelve gifts. Twelve lenses on your time. Twelve small shifts that can compound into something...
Hello Reader, Depending on where you live, today might be a holiday, a regular Thursday, or something in between. But it’s a day that tends to invite a little reflection — so here’s mine. Every so often, someone sends a genuinely kind email about something I’ve written, recorded, or shared. Not a quick comment. Not a reaction. A full email — one of your core communication tools — used to say something thoughtful. Those messages land differently. They feel like someone pausing for a moment,...