Welcome to the first episode of 2026! If you’re feeling that “new year, new me” pressure: goals, plans, fresh calendars, the whole thing—this one’s for you. Because when life inevitably punches your perfectly color-coded week in the throat, the issue isn’t your planning… it’s what you thought planning could control. This episode is all about Control vs. Agency—and how to stay productive when outcomes refuse to cooperate.

In this episode we cover:

• Why Control Breaks (and Agency Doesn’t): Control tries to guarantee outcomes; agency chooses your response when the day goes sideways.

• The Identity Trap of Productivity: What happens when “being on top of things” becomes self-worth—and why that makes disruptions feel like failure.

• The 4-Step Agency Process: Name what you’re trying to control, separate what’s in your hands vs. not, choose one “agency lever,” then replan from reality.

• Stabilization Over Catching Up: Why the goal isn’t to “win the week,” but to stop the panic spiral and choose the next stabilizing move.

• Plan Like a Menu (Not a Script): Scripts make you panic when life changes a line; menus give you options when the day changes the plot.

If you’ve been stuck in the loop of “I did everything right and still lost control,” this episode is your reminder that you don’t need a new system—you need a different stance. You may not control the story, but you do get to choose how you show up on the page.

• Brain.fm - Music specifically engineered to help you focus, relax or recharge.

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I’m excited to welcome Mike Vardy back to Beyond The To-Do List for one of our ongoing traditions: Productivity A-Z!

This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation — and we split it across both shows. Part 1 is over on Mike Vardy’s podcast, A Productive Conversation. You can also watch the whole two part video here.

Here on Beyond The To-Do List, we pick up the thread and cover letters N-Z.

In this part of the conversation, we cover:

• What “Nuance” Actually Means for Productivity: Moving beyond rigid rules and one-size-fits-all advice into decisions that fit real life.
• Pacing vs. Speed: Why sustainable progress is less about going hard and more about going smart—without the burnout tax.
• Rhythm and Cadence: How to build productivity patterns that flex with your energy, your season, and your responsibilities.
• Rest as Part of the System: Why recovery isn’t a bonus feature—it’s a core component of doing meaningful work consistently.
• The Middle Ground Between Chaos and Control: How to keep enough structure to stay on track, without so much rigidity that the whole system snaps.

Connect with Erik:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Instagram
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is Powered By:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Castmagic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rodecaster Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Top Productivity Books List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.