How I Stay Productive 99% of The Day

Less is more. Minimize rather than organize.
Instagram ➤➤➤ / nateobrienn
Twitter: / nateobrienn

[@sharonbryce7724]

I am 56 y old mum launching a KZbin business for the first time and feeling like time is of the essence. Have been searching KZbin for hints on productivity. This is by far the best and most succinct advice I have received. Thankyou KZbin algorithm. Thankyou Nate. You’re v. clever ❤🎉😊

[@Abovedamatrix3352]

How is it going?

[@Mauritania.Global]

@@Abovedamatrix3352it’s going good

[@neilschipper3741]

As a long-term subscriber you are always giving out great advice and it is much appreciated.

[@NateOBrien]

Thank you!

[@deion312]

Agreed

[@victorsoaresdealmeida6688]

This "death by a thousand cuts" example was very insightful. I am struggling with this and hadn't quite noticed yet

[@NateOBrien]

We subconsciously create little distractions and tasks to avoid our important things that we need to do

[@Genji-adh]

You're genuinely one of the six people I have subscribed to. You're r really worth listening to

[@NateOBrien]

Thanks

[@Bella_0303]

Who are the other 5 people? 😊

[@yuliyasakai]

Always loved the simplicity of your videos. From the cottage in nature, to the clothes to how you share things. I remember finding out you didn't like putting ads on your videos and since then I was an instant fan. Love x

[@conniesmith3837]

Lol your egg timer reminds me of the Bill Murray movie of "what about Bob?" When he clocks in to go to work and he's in his house. Lol💜

[@pticumulus24]

Healthy diet + daily sport + the right frame of mind for studying = success 😎😎 . I'm learning English at the same time as listening to your subtitled videos ☺☺

[@jkamgreenleaf8650]

same thing bro

[@AndrasMenyo]

To stay focused, I adopted the pomodoro technique with a tomato shaped timer. 25 minutes work (with the tomato timer ticking) and 5 minutes break. The only issue is that you can't take your tomato to the office because the ticking drives everyone else crazy. Love the idea about categorizing your tasks to crucial and secondary, with the crucial tasks being frogs!

[@loytoco]

The essence of the pomodoro technique, though, is giving yourself rewards during the break. That would work with your nervous system to push you towards being even more productive and effective. Reward your effrt randomly to maximize results.

[@jimh4072]

Just use the timer on your phone and set to vibrate with no sound.

[@dr-g-films]

Great video with great advice on productivity. If you're curious, I believe the "eat the frog" quote came from Mark Twain (who was a bit of a humorist which might explain the odd analogy). He was quoted as saying "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first."

[@NewAdventuresofAJ]

An excellent video Nate: full of very practical advice that resonates with me. Particularly with regard to minimalism. I used to have 6/7 different methods for recording thoughts, now I just stick to Evernote and my productivity has increased substantially

[@NateOBrien]

Keep it simple!

[@Epsylon21]

@@NateOBrien how do you delegate the maintenance tasks of the day with your primary and secondary tasks. Like cleaning up, showering, dishes, laundry, getting groceries, making dinner etc?

[@GregRippetoe]

@@Epsylon21 Keep it simple!

[@chrisd3637]

Super valuable and relatable- thank you! The death by a thousand cuts comment is spot on for me; it can be hard to just sit down and focus on one task at hand when there are so many thoughts running through my head.

[@bernadofelix]

I don’t know how but you’ve managed to package an unbiased analysis that is more entertaining than the sensationalized segment of economic and financial news. Thank you for your efforts to be the signal and not the noise. I understand that the economy is currently in a downturn and that we must wait for things to get better

[@hersdera]

Exactly why i enjoy my day to day market decisions being guided by a portfolio-coach, seeing that their entire skillset is built around going long and short at the same time both employing risk for its asymmetrical upside and laying off risk as a hedge against the inevitable downward turns, coupled with the exclusive information/analysis they have, it's near impossible to not outperform, been using a portfolio-coach for over 2years+ and I've netted over $800k.

[@SandraDave.]

Even if you have a humongous income you still need to draw up futuristic plans because anything can happen. One could lose one's job or whatever. Investment cannot be overemphasized. About your advisor, how does one reach pls

[@hersdera]

It would be a very innovative suggestion to look out for Financial Advisors like ‘Margaret Johnson Arndt’ who can help shape up your portfolio. Trying times are ahead, and good personal financial management will be very important to weather the storm.

[@arigutman]

Solid video, routine is always essential for success. My days start with a stretch, ab work out, meditation and cold shower... works like a charm.

[@tradekings5433]

These are very valuable rules for anybody who wants to get rich. Unfortunately, most people who will watch this video will not really be able to apply the principles. We may not want to admit, but as Warren Buffett once said, investing is like any other profession-- it requires a certain level of expertise. No surprise that some people are losing a lot of money in the bear market, while others are making hundreds of thousands in profit. I just don't know how they do it. I have about $109k now to put in the market.

[@Robertgriffinne]

Understanding personal finances and investing will most likely lead to greater financial independence. By being knowledgeable about money and investing, individuals can make informed decisions about how to save, spend, and invest their money. I know someone who made over $350k in this recession influenced market, but to the best of my knowledge, it was through a financial advisor.

[@smithlenn]

Yeah, financial advisors could make a lot of difference, particularly in a market such as this. Stocks are pretty unstable at the moment, but if you do the right math, you should be just fine. Bloomberg and other finance media have been recording cases of folks gaining over 250k just in a matter of weeks/couple months, so I think there are a lot of wealth transfer in this downtime if you know where to look. I have been using an FA since 2019, and I return at least $121k ROI, and this does not include capital gain.

[@tradekings5433]

Is there any chance you could recommend who you work with? I've wanted to make this switch for a very long time now, but I've been very hesitant about. I'll appreciate any recommendation.

[@smithlenn]

I really don't like making such recommendations, because everybody's situation is unique. But there are many freelance wealth managers you could check out. I have been working with Kate Elizabeth Amdall"" for about four years now, and she's really, really good. If she meets your discretion, then you could go ahead with her. I endorse her.

[@tradekings5433]

I just checked her out and I have sent her an email. I hope she gets back to me soon.

[@ivyclark70]

wow... your hectic calendar looks like my calendar on a very relaxed day! And I wonder why I don't feel productive at the end of the day. Thanks for sharing your tips, it's great to reflect on what's necessary/important, and cut out the clutter.

[@MelissaBethMorgan]

"Eat the frog" came from something Mark Twain said: "Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”😁

[@phumzileqwaqwa7392]

Thanks so much for all your tips, Nate. I have been listening to you for the past +2 years. Your simple outlook on life and 'productivity tips' have helped me from my time as a student to now working as a Cloud Engineer. It's amazing how the internet can lead you to create an impact on a total stranger, even in a different continent and city (Cape Town, South Africa in my case 🇿🇦). Just a side note to anyone who sees this comment, could anyone please share a link where I can purchase that timer? The ones I saw online are not portable and are exactly that design but are meant for classrooms and, therefore, as big as computer screens. Again, thanks for such amazing content, Nate! ✅

[@msizziekay]

I love the minimalism and simplicity of this approach - will give it a try :)

[@RafReyes1993]

🌙 Love, I woke up because I went to the bathroom. I just can't help but notice the small details like that flower prints on the glass with white petals and yellow on the center and that baby blue (the color) candle. And this was uploaded while I was inside rehab. Those were the things I like. It's just nice to know that you still remember/think of me while I'm not around (virtually).🥰 Those light denim top and bottom outfit too. 🥺💕 I'll go back to sleep. I love you my volturi💋 🤍💙💛

[@BucksBites]

Love how you cut right to it and gave us great, actionable advice through. Really good video, thanks Nate

[@Abuzar_Khan]

First one and this is exactly what I was waiting for

[@NateOBrien]

Practical strategies for being productive

[@jz5005]

As far as I know Brian Tracey popularized eating the frog. His material is tremendous.

[@RafReyes1993]

📺 Love I was literally trying to pretend that I understand what we're watching hours ago by asking relevant questions to my mom about the movie while I was 'talking' to you so she won't feel alone.

[@AtuliAtuli]

That's right. Love the idea - Death by 1000 cuts. First time I've heard it from Sam Ovens. We are going through a rabbit hole, instead of minimizing we look for more, more efficient, more fancy, more organized. Less is more, productivity is about doing less but better. Doing everything with everyone and everywhere is bad idea. Find it, grab it, do it. Good to see you Nate.

[@tayluvofficial]

It's a song by Taylor Swift from her album Lover.

[@physicsbutawesome]

"eat the frog" There is a German equivalent called "eine Kröte schlucken" ("to swallow a toad") and it stems from a theater play from about a 100 years ago where a character jokingly says: "If you swallow a toad in the morning, you can be reasonably sure that you'll not have to swallow anything worse that day" Toads taste horrible and they are even poisonous as a defence mechanism against being eaten.

[@matheuslopes2902]

The way I’m trying to get more productive is following and creating techniques that follows these three rules: 1- Give sense of accomplishment (If your technique doesn’t give you this satisfaction your going to burnout) 2- Feels fair (setting something that feels unfair for anyone will make them quit that technique eventually) 3- Doesn’t limit my options (a good example of this is workout plans people plan the whole month and if they go out of that plan they consider it a fail. Where I plan to exercise 15 min a day that way if I want to plan the whole month I can but if I just wanna go for a 15 min walk every day still valid not limiting my options)

[@tminusnyc2915]

Just wanted to say thank you for sharing all that you have thus far. Your help is appreciated.

[@NateOBrien]

Thanks for the support in the channel!

[@canonrebel626]

Very useful video. I love the location of where you are sitting. Looks like a cabin. So relaxing!

[@RivyO]

Brian Tracy came up with Eat the frog

[@NateOBrien]

It’s effective

[@adambowman8232]

I believe it was Mark Twain who came up with this phrase.

[@RivyO]

@@adambowman8232 thanks for the correction Adam!

[@jojoj3056]

Brian Tracy wrote a book called Eat that Frog! This technique works!!!

[@-rupam]

Yesss the book is awesome

[@MoonbearDiedHere]

A lot of our methods cross-over It’s refreshing to watch these kind of videos as I’m restructuring my routine

[@RafReyes1993]

📺 Btw love the movie on a local tv channel now is titled 'First Love' actress is one of my fave Bea Alonzo, she's a really good, talented actress and she's a libra.

[@RafReyes1993]

💭 3:36 = 😡 Love you're a living emoji! HAHAHA

[@RafReyes1993]

4:28 🫴🫳🤌

[@RafReyes1993]

5:08 You're like a rapper here😂

[@RafReyes1993]

Why do you like using gel pen?

[@jojoj3056]

Having 8-10 hours of focused time allows me to get deep into work. I call it deep work time, but it needs to be a big chunk of focused time to really get involved and get things done accurately and with attention to detail.

[@Youtuber_YusukeFromGermany]

You are the only person on KZbin who can actually teach me something for life and I can trust. If you have any intention in teaching us how to escape the traditional education system and build up a fortune, please help us

[@ahovey4901]

Great info to take into this upcoming school year

[@NateOBrien]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yunjiagan4657]

Hey Nate, thank you so much for your videos about productivity and personal growth : )

[@rodrigovalencia19]

Use timer to FOCUS Eat the frog (hardest or most important FIRST) Use primary and secondary for TASKS

[@yodanannnnnnn]

I have no doubt why you get more than million subscribers. It’s worthy youtube channel!

[@RealPhix]

Thank you for sharing your system with us Nate! The idea of having 3 primary and secondary tasks for the day is amazing. It avoids writing massive to-do lists that overwhelm your brain and never get done. I'll need to give it a try because traditional to-do lists never work for me. I have a question though, say I have a recurring task (or a habit) that I do every single day. In my case, it's studying a new language, and it takes around 1 hour a day to do. Should I still put it down as a primary task, or do habits not count as tasks in this system? Or is it a matter of preference/what works best for you? 🤔

[@JoseGonzalez-jx3ot]

Not Nate, but this happened to me. I noticed that habits or responsibilities are done automatically and there is no need to add them to the list because it becomes overwhelming. Imagine eating, cooking, going to the gym, taking a shower, etc. So the 3 items should be infrequent things or one offs, not daily things. My two cents hope it helps.

[@RealPhix]

@@JoseGonzalez-jx3ot Makes sense, thank you!

[@stevenarroyave435]

And this is when you realize the importance of an outro! :) Great video Nate, definitely will put some of these to practice!

[@Solo50plus]

🐸Eat The Frog comes from Brain Tracy's book - Eat That Frog.

[@NateOBrien]

Oh. That makes sense

[@jackneals5585]

Love your content man, it's genuinely helpful. Cheers and God bless.

[@geneg3776]

I always struggled by putting too many things on my list so when I reduced them, I was then confused with what to do for the rest of the day, not to mention things that just pop up/interrupt. The primary and secondary tasks for the day has helped me so much and not only with my productivity but with my mental health especially. Thankyou!!👍

[@RafReyes1993]

⏰ Looks like the whole video was sponsored by that ⏰.😂

[@ingaulena]

Great advice! Communication channel monitor and limitation is the practice I use for years already now. Never look back. I will try to implement the call days in my corporate calendar. Thanks!

[@velurias7793]

thank you for the egg-clock idea. I´m applying it and it´s being very helpful!

[@RafReyes1993]

⏰ I remember we we're trained to finish all our tasks within a relatively short period of time inside the rehab. It was like camp. Idk what exact term is. Military camp?

[@purvanchal_kichen]

That 1% ☠️☠️☠️☠️

[@mennahisham4359]

I used to start with the easiest tasks firsts and most of the time I wouldn't reach the most important tasks then I end up with a long list of hard and important things that have to be done in one day. That was really stressful. A couple of years ago, I started to follow eat the frog method now most of the time I get to finish my to-do list or I end up with small and easy tasks that are not urgent.

[@PHBRNTGGR2]

This was the most informative video! 💕

[@linusbucher6579]

Awsome video. Really love how every video that you bring out is TOP NOTCH CONTENT. With REAL value and not just mental masturbation

[@RafReyes1993]

♓ Hello love! I'm going back to my old self again I mean I'm laughing at the things that might cause you to overthink. I really see those things as pure jokes. Though I must admit I have a history of talking to random people that could have turned into relationships. I also used to talk to my exes whenever I'm bored. I did these when I was SINGLE. It's DIFFERENT now. Idk if I should apologize because on my end those are literally just jokes to me but ik you tend to overthink. I'm sorry. I just typed in this comment to reassure you that I'm AVOIDING those things now. I don't even talk to dummy accounts that might probably be an ex again. I have this habit of giving random compliments to everyone men/women. I'm just naturally like that. But doing so with the opposite sex might cause you to overthink. I'm not talking to anyone except close friends from college, rehab, family and clients. But I tend to express my thoughts 💭 anywhere on the internet. My brain won't stop thinking fr. Talking to people that could have turned into a relationship and talking to exes are the ONLY things that I don't mean tho. If uk what I mean😜🤫 HAHAHAHA

[@tendelordson6720]

This video blessed me Nate, thank you

[@annahowland6346]

“Eating the frog” is attributed to a quote by American author Mark Twain. “If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first.”

[@RafReyes1993]

🍽️ Love, I'm about to eat lunch now. I'm not in the mood to eat but yah 🍽️ I want an 🍦 after tho.. 😂😂

[@RafReyes1993]

Love, I went outside for a while so I had to wear shorts. My old denim shorts don't fit anymore. It used to be my old ripped jeans that I ✂️. But my shorts that were bought when I first got out of the rehab are all loose.🤷 My body lasts 2022 is like one size smaller than my body now. But my friends are all fatter than me at the moment. I remember this one friend that is trying really hard to lose weight, she runs but she also keeps on drinking her calories. I mean those milk teas and iced coffees. I dunno what I want now. If I want to lose weight or what.

[@minutofinanceiro4168]

Simple and effective. Thank you @Nate O'Brien

[@khisola]

I checked twice to see if I had it on x1.5 playback.

[@nickybutt9733]

Homeboy Nate is a robot sent from the overlords sent to make us more productive.

[@muggin4life]

this is brilliant, thank you Nate!

[@Dil.Careem]

In this video, the speaker shares tips for staying productive, emphasizing minimizing distractions, time batching, and using simple tools.

[@mimandshaindy4906]

Nate, if I am to be most productive, I can’t be scrolling until I find your videos and feel guilty!

[@marke.8334]

Egg timer is genius

[@adamwashington7757]

This was very helpful. I've seen many of your videos. However, I'm not sure if you have one for getting your life together after 30 or learning to cope with life when you're at the bottom. I apologize of those topics seem deep but I guess it's worth an ask

[@tntkff9901]

My luck with the egg timer: (sets it) [CRASH!!!] My mom: "YOU NEED TO DRIVE ME TO THE HOSPITAL!"

[@LeoNaing]

You are so pro at explaining and a smooth talker .. you are a genius.. thz for explaining .. Good luck .... 😀

[@dustinlindsey4452]

Brain Tracy wrote the self help book on procrastination called “Eat That Frog”. It was very popular in the early 2000’s. Full title: Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.

[@BigHammer_]

Can confirm the timer works.

[@amychan5951]

omggg same I use Notion like my second brain 😂

[@Mina_Susnjevic]

Love the idea of Kanban board. I will start to use that one for my tasks only. We usually use it for projects, but this should work too. Thanks Nate. Btw. Clear Space is awesome! My screen time is significantly down - I read three books in 10 days! 🎉 Thank you for your content, as always!

[@NateOBrien]

That’s so great to hear! Clearspace has been the most effective way to reduce my screen time as well

[@deion312]

I love this man’s videos

[@jimcuddy7407]

I sometimes use the timer thing with my phone and it is a good strategy

[@12dross]

You always have great advice! Thanks!

[@NateOBrien]

Thanks for watching!

[@MikeOBrienMedia]

That water cup is probably from 1960

[@NateOBrien]

1950s

[@bin4ry_d3struct0r]

I was thinking of getting a pomodoro clock myself.

[@yuliyasakai]

Also, Death By A Thousand Cuts is a really nice Taylor Swift song

[@RafReyes1993]

☀️ Goodmorning love 💞

[@Courtney-Alice-Gargani]

This is great advice. I need to be more productive. Thank you.

[@NateOBrien]

You got this!

[@RafReyes1993]

♉🐂 Damn I can't believe I'm dealing with the Taurus in you real hard.

[@RafReyes1993]

What do you mean do this everyday?

[@RafReyes1993]

Love, it's 25th today. How about last one month. (August 25th) Don't bother me about this meet up thing just go straight here after a month. That's only 30 days right there.

[@RafReyes1993]

I'm really tired of this issue🙍

[@RafReyes1993]

Love are we good now with one month? I feel 😴

[@RafReyes1993]

Stop doing what?

[@wahzeechong4987]

Great info we all need this. Keep up the good work

[@NateOBrien]

Thanks!

[@jjwarner465]

You should do a day in the life video to follow up for example's. I think that would be really cool.

[@misssoandso]

Just ordered my visual timer!

[@jackblack4214]

A clear-cut understanding and tracing of long-term goals to decide one 'daily frogs' properly would be helpful, wouldn't it?

[@TourismGhana]

Brian Tracy cave up with the Eat That Frog 🐸. Great guy

[@cinocorsini5896]

Hey Nate! thanks a lot for your videos, I learned so much these past few weeks taking notes about them. I would like to ask you if we may please have a lesson on taxes? I think it's a very interesting topic and would like to know more about it and hear what you have to say.

[@odn4502]

brian tracey made a book called eat that frog :)

[@MalluStyleMultiMedia]

Another excellent video 🔥🔥👍👍

[@davidlancaster1974]

Totally right.

[@philippadianethomas8436]

Eat the Frog - Brian Tracy -book re: avoiding procrastination... (cites, Mark Twain). Great video. Thanks

[@Nutritionistheanswer]

Brian Tracy book was "Eat that frog"

[@Motive_Leap]

Thanks for making this video!

[@DrOgbeEdward]

Hi Nate. Nice to see a video from you

[@DaedalusCreative]

Did my guy Brian Tracy dirty

[@callmeNeno]

Focus on just a few productivity apps minimalist approach is best

[@Zizo_Scorpion]

So helpful bro.keep going.❤

[@GavinJGallagher]

Mark Twain talked about eating the frog early

[@federica4829]

Great video, Nate. Thanks for sharing :)

[@786SouthIndianvlog]

Mashallah 🎉

[@als7132]

Thank you for your ideas.

[@BDDDDDDDD]

yea the hardest part is getting to start the task

[@regisdiallo1296]

Eat The Frog was popularized by Brian Tracy s book ( eat that frog ) Not sure if he came up with the phrase tho Awesome video as always 👍🏽

[@yochaved825]

I use social media less when I delete the apps and sign in through Safari, bc it makes it harder to click on and to scroll through