ORGANIZE: The Bag
I will first cover the general topics and then give you MY preferences.
I need a CALENDER
Life can be complicated. There are always things that need to be done. People that you need to be in contact with. People that are counting on you to remember that important date (birthday, anniversary, wedding, funeral, ball game, etc) It is best if those things gets done when they are supposed to.
There are a multitude of possibilities for filling this requirement. Both from the digital and the hard-copy. Smart Phones and their apps. Palm Pilots and their PDA friends. Wall calenders, pocket calenders, Day Timers, Franklin-Covey ad infinitude.
The issue here is NOT which one is the best. The issue is to find one that you will use and use consistently. An empty calender, or a calender that you don’t have with you is pointless.
I need a NOTE PAD/BOOK
There are always thoughts flying through the air. Some of them come directly to us. Some come to us through other people. Some ideas land for long periods others are fleeting and swift. Some ideas are amusing and trivial, others are powerful and high priority. Be prepared to write them all down,
The rise of the digital assistant, the laptop and the smart phone, have given us new ways of recording those thoughts. Post-its, and index cards are often in easy reach. Notebooks of every shape size and binding are easily acquired for a minimum of work.
Again the issue here is NOT which one is the best. The issue is to find one that you will use and use consistently. If you don’t have the space the idea could be lost, save your ideas they are precious.
I need a PEN AND PENCIL
Wood pencils, mechanical pencils, colored pencils. Dip pens, fountain pens, felt tip pens, ballpoint pens, gel pens. Beyond the necessity of a writing utensil if you are using a hardcopy note system. You will also find that there will be items to sign for on a regular basis. There will be times when other will want to jot a note and need to borrow a pen to catch that idea. PICK ONE. USE IT.
I need a TIME PIECE
Clocks are critical. They help us to consistently meet with each other at precise points during the day. They can be found in cars, on walls, on computers, on phones, in pockets, attached to belts and purses, and strapped to wrists. As much as is possible get the most accurate one you can find. Keep it with you.
I need a BAG
After listing all these things that I need. I need somewhere to keep them. Especially since I not only need these things with me but want to have some other items along as well. A folder that will keep other papers flat. A multi-tool for random quick fixes. A book to keep me company during long waits and meals. Project items that need hauling to and from places. A light meal for on the go. The list could be endless. But you have all that stuff in ONE place and ready to grab when you need it.
PERSONALLY:
All the items listed here are for hardcopy. I like digital stuff, I tend to grab the second generation of any tech. I place no faith in batteries, and loath the power outage, and sigh at the loss of communication with the internet. No thanks.
My phone does have a clock and calender that I can set day to day with alarms. My permanent calender is a large weekly/monthly beast that gives me plenty of writing space and looks impressive lying open on my desk. NEVER USE PEN ON YOUR CALENDER, stuff happens and will need to be adjusted.
I carry several writing spaces. A small Moleskine Cahier notebook in my pocket. A 6x12 quilters rule with a binder clip holding half sheets of scrap paper. A legal pad for more permanent notes. Post-it notes for making notes on a document that I don’t want to mark on directly, or tearing smaller to make more permanent book marks.
I carry a pen directly on me at all times. I don’t have a favorite pen. I do prefer a very fine tip black ballpoint. A mechanical pencil for my calender in the bag. A separate eraser because of the pencil. A red ink pen because of how I take notes in the books I study. I also carry an assortment of Sharpie markers for making odd text art projects and just making things more colorful.
Currently my timepiece is my cell phone. I do however see particular jobs where having your phone on the work floor is not appropriate. I will need to get batteries back into some of my watches, or a new watch.
My preferred bag is a brown canvas backpack. Backpack because the mass that I am currently carrying plus a laptop or other device I hope to be getting down the road will make too much weight to put on a single shoulder for long. Brown canvas because I tend to wear brown plus it is a bit more formal than the neon nylon packs and the school age targeted packs.
I know exactly the bag I want. Just go to SaddleBack Leather Co. and you will find out both why I want it and why I don’t have it YET.
PS
Take the time once a week or every other week to do an audit of the contents of your bag. Take out the trash that might have accumulated. Take out the stuff you haven't used regularly. Replace the supplies that got used/borrowed/lost. Include items that you have found yourself wishing for repeatedly.
GET IT. USE IT. ENJOY IT.
