I’m excited to welcome back Mike Vardy to the show. Mike is a productivity strategist, longtime friend of the podcast, and the author of <a href="https://mikevardy.com/lit/" target="_blank">The Productivity Diet: A Practical Guide to Nurturing Your Productive Potential</a>. In this conversation, we dive into how the language, systems, and inputs you choose each day can either nourish or deplete your ability to do meaningful work.
In this episode, we cover:
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Productivity as Nutrition, Not Punishment: Mike explains the “diet” metaphor—how productivity isn’t about restriction, but about choosing sustainable inputs that fuel the life you want.
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Mental Calories and Decision Fatigue: We explore the idea of cognitive nutrition and how overloading your brain with options, tabs, and to-dos creates burnout.
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Intentional Constraints: Mike shares how building structure around time, energy, and attention helps avoid binging on urgency and makes space for deeper work.
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The Language of Productivity: From calling tasks “ingredients” to using meal metaphors, Mike breaks down how naming things differently changes your relationship to work.
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Identity-Based Planning: He outlines how aligning your calendar and task list with your future self leads to better follow-through and less internal resistance.
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Productivity Styles and Personalization: Mike introduces the idea of “productivity personas,” encouraging listeners to build systems that honor their natural rhythms.
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From Should to Could: We talk about reframing productivity from a guilt-fueled obligation into an opportunity to nourish what matters most.
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This conversation is equal parts practical and philosophical. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by productivity advice—or burned out trying to do it all—Mike’s approach offers a refreshing, sustainable alternative.
<a href="https://mikevardy.com/lit/" target="_blank">Learn more at MikeVardy.com or grab The Productivity Diet </a> wherever books are sold.
﻿Connect with Erik:
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