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.
When systems work together
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Hello Reader, Over the past little while, something interesting has been happening inside the TimeCrafting Trust community. People have been sharing how they use other productivity methods alongside TimeCrafting—not instead of it. One member mentioned using it in conjunction with the Time Sector System from Carl Pullein. Others have talked about borrowing pieces from systems they’ve trusted for years and letting them live comfortably next to TimeCrafting. That matters to me more than you might think. It brings to mind a quote from Catherine O’Hara that I shared recently: “When we all strive to make each other look good—when we bring out the best in each other—it’s just the best way to be.” (As someone who got their training at Second City, she knew a thing or two about collaboration.) TimeCrafting was never meant to replace everything else you do. It’s meant to work with what already works—to give you a way to relate to time that’s flexible, humane, and durable enough to support whatever tools or methods you choose. That spirit of collaboration is one of the main reasons I built TimeCrafting in the Bullet Journal. The Bullet Journal method doesn’t compete with TimeCrafting—it complements it. One offers a flexible container; the other offers orientation. Together, they create space for intention, attention, and reflection without adding friction or complexity. The course is now live inside the community, and it’s available exclusively to members. Membership starts at $14/month, and that gives you access to the full program (and everything else in the community as well). If you’d like to learn more about TimeCrafting in the Bullet Journal—and join us as a member—you can do that here. See you later, P.S. One of the things I love most about this work is seeing how people adapt it—quietly, thoughtfully—to fit their own lives. If you do join us, you won’t be asked to “do it the right way.” You’ll be encouraged to find your way. |
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 52 | February 21, 2026 Hello Reader, Haruki Murakami wrote a memoir called What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, which is about running. Except it isn’t. It’s about rhythm. Repetition. Solitude. The quiet insistence of will. Murakami wakes early. He runs long distances. He writes with a discipline that borders on monastic. I do none of those things. I am not a runner. I am not an early riser in the romanticized sense. But I do walk. And when I...
Hello Reader, There’s a moment in this PM Talks episode—our final one of Season 2—where the conversation drifts toward legacy. Not in a grand, carved-in-marble way. More like: What are we actually building when we simply do the work in front of us? I used to think legacy was something you could design with enough precision—like a workflow or a well-structured calendar. But the longer I’ve been doing this, the more obvious it becomes: I don’t control my legacy. None of us do. Legacy is the...
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...