Who is Mike Dee?
Mike Dee built a YouTube business from absolute zero. No viral hit. No celebrity connections. Just consistent uploads and treating content creation like an actual business instead of a hobby.
Started uploading back in 2019 when everyone said YouTube was saturated. Took 14 months to hit monetization. Now runs multiple channels while coaching other creators on sustainable growth strategies that don't require going viral or burning out.
What makes Mike different is the systems obsession. Most creators wing it and wonder why results are inconsistent. Mike tracks everything. Time investment per video. ROI on different content types. Editing speed improvements month over month.
The Mike Dee tools below reflect someone treating YouTube like a real business. Time tracking to prevent wasted hours. Habit tracking to ensure consistency. Focus tools to maximize deep work. It's honestly kind of boring compared to the shiny creator tools everyone flexes on Twitter, but boring systems win long-term.
Managing Mac Windows Efficiently
AltTab fixed one of Mike's biggest Mac frustrations. Coming from Windows, the default Mac window switching drove him absolutely nuts.
With AltTab, he sees every open window at once. Final Cut Pro. Google Docs with the script. Chrome tabs for research. Safari with analytics open. All visible with one keyboard shortcut instead of hunting through Mission Control or endlessly Cmd-Tabbing.
Sounds trivial but the time savings compound. When you're switching between editing timeline, script, and thumbnail mockup hundreds of times per video, shaving 2 seconds per switch adds up to 10-15 minutes saved per editing session.
HazeOver pairs with AltTab perfectly. Dims all inactive windows so the current workspace stays in sharp focus. Prevents his eyes from drifting to Slack notifications or email when deep in editing mode.
It's a stupid simple visual trick but it genuinely works. Brain sees the dimmed windows and doesn't get tempted to context switch. Editing sessions that used to take 3 hours now finish in 2 because he's not constantly breaking focus.
Where Time Actually Goes
Rize became essential when Mike realized he had no idea where his day was actually going. Thought he was working 8-hour days. Rize showed he was working maybe 5 hours with the rest disappearing into Twitter, email, and YouTube rabbit holes.
The automatic tracking runs in the background. No timers to start or stop. Just honest data about what apps and websites consumed time. Editing. Scripting. Email. Social media. Research. All categorized automatically.
First week was brutal. Caught himself spending 90 minutes daily on Twitter disguised as "marketing research." Now caps social scrolling at 20 minutes because the data doesn't lie. You can't optimize what you don't measure.
Weekly reports show trends over time. Editing speed improved 40% between January and June just from identifying inefficiencies. Turns out he was re-rendering exports way more than necessary because of sloppy project settings.
Building Creator Consistency
Habitify tracks the daily non-negotiables. Morning workout. Script one video. Film one video. Respond to comments. Publish one piece of content.
YouTube success isn't about going viral. It's about showing up consistently for months and years. Habitify's streak tracking provides just enough gamification to push through the low-motivation days when inspiration is dead and filming feels pointless.
His 180-day filming streak is visible every time he opens the app. Breaking that streak would sting way more than the temporary discomfort of recording when he doesn't feel like it.
Momentum sets daily intention before the chaos starts. New tab page shows one main goal for the day. Could be "Finish Q4 content calendar" or "Film 3 videos" or "Update course content."
The inspirational quotes and photos feel cheesy but honestly help maintain perspective. When a video flops or analytics tank, the reminder that "consistency beats perfection" hits different staring you in the face every time you open a browser tab.
Killing Meetings With Video
Loom replaced 80% of Mike's Zoom calls. Coaching clients across 12 time zones made live calls a scheduling nightmare. Now most feedback happens async through Loom videos.
Client sends their channel for review. Mike records a 10-15 minute walkthrough pointing out thumbnail improvements, title optimizations, and content strategy adjustments. Client watches on their schedule, pauses to take notes, rewatches confusing parts.
Way more efficient than live calls where people forget half the feedback the moment the Zoom ends. The Loom library becomes a searchable knowledge base. Client can reference the "thumbnail strategy" video six months later when they forget the framework.
Jamie handles the meetings that can't be avoided. AI transcription runs during client onboarding calls and strategy sessions. Mike focuses on the actual conversation instead of frantically typing notes.
Summaries drop straight into Notion afterwards with action items auto-highlighted. Saves 30 minutes of post-call admin work per meeting. Those minutes compound into hours saved weekly.
Reducing Mac Clutter
Bartender solved the menu bar chaos. Two dozen apps were screaming for attention at the top of the screen. Dropbox. 1Password. Rize. Time Machine. Slack. Every single one demanding visual real estate.
Bartender collapses everything into one clean icon. Click when you need to access something. Otherwise the menu bar stays minimal and distraction-free. Visual noise down, focus capacity up.
Seems like a tiny change but the mental relief is real. No more subconscious anxiety from seeing notification badges and status icons fighting for attention in peripheral vision all day long.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mike Dee's Stack
What productivity apps does Mike Dee use?
AltTab for window switching, Rize for time tracking, Habitify for daily habits, and Bartender to hide menu bar clutter. The Mike Dee productivity apps are all about measuring what matters and removing visual distractions. Not sexy tools, just ones that compound small efficiencies into real time savings.
How does Mike Dee track his time?
Rize runs automatic time tracking in the background. Shows exactly where hours disappear into editing, social media, email, or research. First week revealed he was spending 90 minutes daily on Twitter disguised as marketing. Now caps social at 20 minutes because the data called him out.
Does Mike Dee use habit tracking apps?
Habitify tracks non-negotiables like morning workouts, scripting, filming, and publishing. Streak tracking provides just enough gamification to push through low-motivation days. His 180-day filming streak would hurt too much to break, which is exactly the point. Consistency over inspiration.
What tools does Mike Dee use for client communication?
Loom replaced 80% of Zoom calls. Records async video feedback for clients instead of scheduling across time zones. Jamie handles the meetings that can't be avoided, transcribing everything automatically so he can focus on conversations instead of typing notes. Post-call summaries drop into Notion with action items highlighted.
How does Mike Dee stay focused while editing?
HazeOver dims inactive windows so current work stays in sharp focus. Bartender hides menu bar notifications. AltTab enables quick window switching without breaking concentration. All small tools that reduce visual noise and prevent context switching during deep editing sessions.
What makes Mike Dee's tech stack different?
The Mike Dee tools are almost aggressively boring. No fancy AI assistants or trendy productivity apps. Just time tracking, habit tracking, and focus optimization. He treats YouTube like a real business where metrics matter more than motivation. Most creators wing it. Mike measures everything and optimizes ruthlessly.