How I Have Time For Everything (From A Principal At Amazon)

Here's exactly how I am able to juggle all the things that are going on in my life. The ideas are relatively simple and practical, but you have to implement them in your life for them to work.
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PATREON - / alifeengineered
My content will always be free of charge but if you'd like to support the channel, I'd be honored if you supported me on Patreon.
BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
So Good They Can't Ignore You - geni.us/SoGood
This book transformed m y life when I read it for the first time nearly 10 years ago. It's still guides the way I think about self-development today.
Deep Work - geni.us/ALE-DeepWork
The most important currency you have is your undivided attention. This book shows you exactly how to spend this currency in a manner that will lead to head-turning accomplishment.
SYSTEM DESIGN
Designing Data-Intensive Applications geni.us/DataIntensive
Currently the best reference contemporary for system design.
System Design Interview (Volume 2) geni.us/SystemDesignIntervie and geni.us/SystemDesignInterview -
For interviews, the best references are System Design Interview and System Design Interview Volume 2 by Alex Xu.
00:00 Introduction
01:18 1. Focus Completely For 2-4 Hours Every Day
03:02 2. Do One Thing At A Time
04:40 3. Permanently Declutter Your Schedule
06:38 Conclusion
I get a kick-back for the affiliate links above. The opinions expressed in this video are my own. I do not speak for Amazon.

[@ALifeEngineered]

Playing League of Legends with a controller makes you a terrible player.

[@erichuynh2221]

I literally had to do a double take on that LOL. I enjoy watching all your videos! Great content!! I am starting at Amazon tomorrow... super stoked, and hopefully I get to cross paths with you! :)

[@rafael.aloizio1769]

Playing lol already make you a terrible player by nature hahaha, what a broken game.

[@TheHamoodz]

That was definitely a funny easter egg that made me pause the video 😂

[@mdsquared9704]

Tell that to Boxbox

[@AungBaw]

AOE4 with controller

[@adamcarroll3498]

"A promotion isn't a reward for doing good work, it's an acknowledge you can take on more work..." I just got promoted and this is really resonating with me right now 😮

[@ThaPingu]

SCOPE not work.

[@lilistoyanova3144]

@@ThaPingu it should be scope but often they overload you with more and more work :(

[@itsaty7760]

Performance vs potential, to sit in the best box for promotions, you need both

[@theHarbingerOfDoom]

More work for the same pay 90% of the time, employers love this video

[@jedensnow1084]

@@theHarbingerOfDoom if it's same pay then it's not a promotion...

25 year career programmer here. That uninterrupted time is absolutely key. Arrange at least a part of your life and physical space to allow for it.

[@cmjensen]

Absolutely, essential for engineers. I had a great engineering manager that protected our afternoons from meetings and our sprints were drastically more productive.

[@odysseusblank8541]

I hate how this is so true

[@GuppyPal]

"Focus completely for 2-4 hours every day, and you will always be a high performer" Wrote that quote down and stuck it to the wall above my desk. Thanks, Uncle Steve.

[@ramanannarayanan7781]

Mr. Steve making a cricket reference is just him meeting his "customer obsession" requirement off the clock. Man knows his target audience.

[@prasad9012]

This ^

[@sahir1059]

my man

[@arjundubhashi1]

Lol

[@otmaneelansary2142]

I feel like you are becoming the new Techlead, only with much better content

[@Assassin8anos]

I think it's an insult to even compare him with Techlead. Techlead is literally insane.

[@otmaneelansary2142]

@@Assassin8anos Techlead started with some pretty good content and it has been a long time since I saw his videos. So i've just peeked on his channel again and I can't agree with you more.

[@yichengfeng77]

@@otmaneelansary2142 many youtube channels were really great at the beginning, but the quality of their content goes downhill over the years. Not sure why but maybe they changed the view of their life after they started being a content creator. Lol

[@shinebayar]

@@otmaneelansary2142 Agree, early contents were good, but shit happened.

[@AznBoiDan]

@@yichengfeng77 it’s the curse of the yt algorithm telling the creators to dumb down their videos with unnecessary shocking facial expressions on thumbnails and maximizing clicks and viewer retention for ads

[@hassansyed6087]

I've been watching alot of your videos and lemme tell you, I've just become more confident in how you approach this field. With no CS degree to L7 engineer? That's incredibly impressive. Thanks for your time

[@Michalos86]

I'm listening to this at the beginning of every day for two weeks now. I have really boring tasks lately and this helps me focus and stay motivated till I get something better.

[@changusmc]

Great advice Steve. Early in my career I focused too much on my input and didn't have the awareness of what was important. Now, as a staff engineer, I know what's important and am way more productive with less time invested.

[@nSiLEtan]

*Mr. Huynh

[@BlazedOutTurtle]

I’m slowly also realizing this as a mid level developer, at times I’m too focused on solving every technical issue thrown at me but tend to miss the bigger picture in doing so, thus missing out on bigger opportunists to showcase my work or prioritize what actually brings value to the table.

[@28goldenboy]

What's a staff engineer?

[@jeremya535]

@David, can you explain what you mean by knowing what's important? How can I "figure out" what's important? As a junior dev nearing promotion, I think I end up putting a lot of energy into things that get zero visibility and I'm worried about burnout.

[@NN-sp9tu]

@@28goldenboy It's a level above senior engineer but below principal engineer

[@artsiepeachy4104]

1. Focus completely for 2-4 hours everyday on your highest priority thing. - remove things that take away your time - do a little everyday, not everything in one go as that will be unhealthy - tip: wake up early in the morning for these extra hours to focus and relax - avoid excessive contents like social media 2. Do one thing at a time - Put your focus on one one thing at a time - too much priority = bad performance for each and every task - break it up if there is too many tasks or priorities (easy schedule example- one day at a time) 3. Declutter your schedule - when u free up time, don’t pack more things in - if the important meeting/ task was not as important as u think, u may let it go( remove it from yr schedule) Extra: 1) Don’t pack too much into your schedule, be okay with not doing other stuff bc you’re putting your focus into what rly makes an impact 2) A promotion is a recognition that you can handle more scope

[@visceral_pnw]

Love it

[@LifeofKamalOfficial]

I love how you’ve articulated everything, the analogies were absolute gold too. Great video dude🤌🏾

[@fedcalderon]

Thank you so much for the great content you have on your channel. It is a huge blessing and I am learning a lot. Happy Monday!

[@bobbycrosby9765]

Having kids is what really made get organized and focused. Before them, I had so much time I just wasted most of it. Now that I have so little time, I have to not waste it. I get more done on my side projects than before, while having time for my 3 kids, job, etc.

[@jackstraw5527]

Same!

[@WongTag]

I haven’t been able to turn this corner yet. Having kids made it crystal clear how much time I wasted in the past (pass). I’m good at prioritization (pass) but not at forcing those side project up the stack (fail). That free time ends up so close to exhaustion I often end up doing the least demanding thing at that moment. Thoughts?

[@S54VR6]

I’m the opposite. Super productive before kids, now I get nothing done because they require so much attention and constantly take me away from the productive things I needed to do.

[@slavoie]

I am so looking forward to having the opportunity to learn more from you! Your content is amazing, thank you so much for sharing it! No wonder your channel is growing fast: this is in-demand material presented nicely and professionally, without unnecessary fuss, disrespect or lack of humility. Impressive! Please keep it coming, you are making a big difference!

[@marksimon8393]

Great advice from someone who is really busy, but still making time for there important stuff. Thank you for this video 👏🏼

[@smitajoshi]

Greet video! Completely on the same page as you Steve. Focusing on one thing at a time rather than scattering focus on multiple things gets your best attention. I figured out some years ago that you need to know what works best for you in terms of devoting time. for me, a 4 hours at a time is best for longer projects and a minimum of 2 hours for shorter ones.

Amazing content! Valuable lessons here that worth take note and read them every day. I just want to add one thing: take care of your health, and exercise. After leaving my sedentary life behind, I can easily spend 4-6 hours of focus a day without feeling exhausted.

[@mrjohncrumpton]

I appreciate your comment, that's inspiring.

[@kellienaylor4616]

Brilliant!!! I am going to listen to this on repeat until it’s a thing. Loved it. Not a heavy lift. Promotion means you can take more scope. Avoiding a context switch. Legendary advice. I’ll see what other gems you’ve got once I’ve implemented a couple things. 😅 thanks 🙏

[@invictuz4803]

The second half of this video is really empowering and inspiring stuff. Hard to make these decisions like skipping meetings for fear of what others may think of you, but attending meetings is not your priority.

[@bintarchetype]

This is great practical advice! I like that this is achievable for most people, and isn’t daunting.

[@_alexlazar_]

Thankk youu so much for this video! I already kinda knew these, but having them pointed out once more in a structured manner is good. So much more can be done in less time if we do things well

[@manyshadesofbrown]

This video is an instant reason to subscribe for me. The advice is succinct, clear and actionable. Thanks Steve!

[@sergeiiakovlev5285]

This is such a good video! Well-written, succinct. Really liked it.

[@jimmyquck]

i'm thankful that your video came up on my feed. i'm on a break right now from work due to the same exact things that you mentioned in your video, constant context switching and trying to do too much. and the 'promotion is recognition that you can handle more scope' is a revelation for me. it seems obvious after you say it but it is so true and it never occured to me before!

[@kcnl2522]

Man never stop doing videos. You really know how to help 👍

[@maxwalz4721]

Very simple but hugely important. I've operated off these principles and been very successful but haven't organized them as well as you articulated. Thank you!

[@byronwheeler]

Thanks. This was well written, clear, and informative.

[@TechwithLucy]

Wow! Those are some really good tips. Thank you 😊

[@TheJacklwilliams]

Subscribed. You got me at context switching. Deep Learning - Cal Newport. Great stuff, spot on. Thank you.

[@kevinrobertandrews]

Thank you Mr. Huynh. 2-4 hours of focus everyday is life changing advice.

[@thegrumpydeveloper]

Thanks really needed to hear this. Been realizing it but needed some validation that the approach is correct. The ball juggling analogy really hit home.

[@Allyourneedsmet]

Your humor is improving, love to see it!

[@jaYD13473]

Thank you for this video. As I work to advance my career, and start looking for more of what I want out of my career, I am also starting to focus on how to improve *how* I work. I'm going to take this advice as I keep moving through my career.

[@captainlennyjapan27]

I’m starting my full-time job from October. This advice is gold ❤️‍🔥

[@user-oc6ky2tk5o]

Thank you, I'll try incorporating this into my life and see how it goes !

[@srivatsa3176]

Would love it if you continue this series...the best thing i ever saw on KZbin❤️

[@carltonnnn]

Excellent vid as always, Uncle Steve.

[@andyatmosphere]

I needed this video sooo much! THANK YOU!

[@drpe90]

Thank you, uncle Steve! Very thought-provoking video packed into 7 minutes.

[@spatialfeelings]

Great advice! Thank you for making this video.

[@aadityakiran_s]

Ah finally thank you for answering my question. Atleast part of it. Thank you.

[@usalinksystem5312]

Thank you for your insight. Really practical ways to increase productivity and efficiency.

[@THESMALLZ08]

just stumbled on your channel. I love this video and is a great reminder that I needed today. Thanks for the great video!

[@rituraj889]

Very well said, well structured ,thanks!!

[@Fostrosity]

This is absolutely bang on. Thanks man!

[@jayawijono7165]

Great advice, especially your statement about promotion is not a reward but a recognition of capable handling more scope. That's a big shift in mindset!

[@itsTtttank]

Awesome tips! Thank you!!!

[@edgardodanielarriagadaorti2396]

THIS!!! is the video that I needed!

[@venMhitsbills]

im an incoming L4 SDE @ amazon and your channel has been super helpful. love the content, please keep it coming!

[@nulledape]

What a great informative video! Thank you for your time.

[@jesse4589]

Listening along as I hear you describe exactly how in think and what I’m doing at this moment. Doing work as a “heavy lift” and I stay up way later than I should to meet a deadline. 😩

[@TonyMaddict]

Thank you Mr. Steve! Exactly waht I need!

[@user-sb1wh4vz9t]

Thanks Mr. Steve. Really love your video.

[@arjayarjay8856]

Fantastic video !! Thanks for sharing your tips.

[@suprasoybean]

Yo Steve! Awesome tips and keep it up. Awesome that this video was recommended to me. Subscribed!

[@josephthecreator]

I needed this message. Thank you.

[@abhishekmulay4617]

This video has everything! Jokes, juggling, cricket and life changing advise. Keep'em coming SDog I mean Mr. Huynh. Thank you!

[@TheBenjam300]

Amazing advice! Thank you!

[@theodorosnezeritis7883]

I think the tip to not change emotion, meaning staying in the room instead of going out, and no use of social media is very valueable. Definetly something I'm going to implement for sure.

[@AuXXKeyz]

You just gave some major keys in time management and self discipline thank you

[@Dodgerific]

Lots of good advice. I am a mechanical engineer and I think your advice carries over to many jobs. Prioritizing is very important.

[@abdoulbarry8111]

I love this channel!! thank you!!

[@engr.inigoe.silvagalvan1161]

Thank you, this video has been so useful.

[@sunilkumarssak]

Thank you for this video. Helped me a lot

[@m_usama]

I didn't skip a single second, thanks for your thoughts, sounds very practical and relevant :)

[@StevenBoutcher]

I needed this video today. Liked and subscribed, Uncle Steve 🤘🏻

[@BrendanDell]

If there's one trait I see in successful founders more than any others it's focus. Great video

[@mianala]

This is so good! Thank you 🙏

[@weirongwu4964]

Legendary video thanks for the advice!

[@lennybuenrostro1351]

I’m not even in tech, nor am I an engineer but this information was helpful . I love the mental frameworks & systems used by actual Engineers. Would love to give it a try someday

[@adamtjames]

Couldn't agree more Steve. This is a very similar approach to how I handle my PD role at Amazon along with my other life priorities. Great Video!

[@genjishimada6303]

Probably the best channel I've seen in a while.

[@SoftwarePractice]

Loved it . Many a times we tend to waste time over meeting/ activities, because we need to make our micro managers think good about us.

[@joshpickles9022]

This is excellent advice. Thank you.

[@joyceling]

YEEEEEEEEES!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Let’s go PTYA squad! Killin it my dude!

[@cyrusmorrow5629]

Great and well structured advice

[@edwardbsa]

thank you so much for making these videos 🙏🙏

[@PrzPnc]

Loved these points!

[@jhors7777]

Excellent channel, thanks so much for your videos.

[@jonathanthedeceptikon]

This is fantastic advice. Thank you. [subscribed]

[@luizcarlosv.b.das.junior7477]

Very concise tips, thanks!

[@StephenDeLaRosa]

Excellent advice. Not showing up for meetings is unbelievably freeing.

[@alfredoportocarrero8663]

Promotion is recognizing that you can handle more responsibilities was really a nice shift on how I used to see it, thanks! Btw it'd be cool if you could make a video on how to search for worldwide remote positions for SDE, most of what I found they require to live in a city where they have an office

[@jasoncharles83]

Good advice! Subscribed!

[@itsdavidmora]

Really practical & clear, thank you.

[@XLpacman805]

Dude thank you so much for this content. There’s not a lot of content for non newbies.

[@someone5781]

Love this advice!

[@tomaszzielinski4521]

Number #3 is brilliant. I used to fill my schedule all the time and didn't really know how to rest. Resting is crucial, it's where new ideas come to mind. I can always get back to work if I'm bored, but it's difficult the other way round.

[@Jonathan-rm6kt]

Thank you x1000 for the advice. It’s very intuitive but difficult to adhere to, especially while ramping up at a new company.

[@ctjmaughs]

Love that meeting approach.

[@Adrik808]

Being a newbie Product Manager/Project Manager this really helped me getting my time management on point

[@NielNielJP]

It's rare to find 7 straight minutes of meaningful advice on KZbin.

[@ravitoday]

Thanks for including the cricket reference. That was so good !!! Apart form this excellent video for a aspiring senior engineer like me!!

[@IluvinortheIneffable]

Good tip. I watched this instead of doing my thing but I will get on it. Thanks

[@heshanpalliyaguruge6333]

What a great video, thank you

[@esquilo_atomico]

really, really good content love it

[@FrankPapadakis]

I really like you man, your videos seem so genuine compared to other "software" youtubers that are more about the "look at me, I'm so chill, look at my TC" type of content. Found your videos a couple weeks ago and subscribed right away. Thanks for putting out quality content!

[@Labandusette]

A very good advice 😃 , thanks!!

[@sonoMrBready]

I feel 10x more confident in soft soft, thanks!

[@gill2837]

Watching this for the second time - I don't understand the examples you use for the priorities - but I'm getting the main ideas out to tweak for my situation ...Thanks Mr. Whin! x