I am constantly looking for ways to simplify my life so I can at least carry less around with me every day. Over the years, I have tried to downsize my bag. I reason to myself if I carry a small bag, I won’t put much in it, just those things I need. I’ll carry the smaller bag around for a while content that I’m living the “less is more” life. I carry around this smaller bag until it breaks. It breaks, you might wonder, not because it is cheaply made or inferior to other bags. It breaks because I’ve stuffed too many things I “need” into it.
I carry around a lot of equipment stuff, but they are things I use almost daily. Check out the contents of my bag (check the Flickr notes). I have adopted some ProfHacker tips (Natalie Houston’s suggestion of using a timer), but I haven’t yet adopted others fully (like using DropBox instead of carrying around Flash drives or External hard drives, as Jason Jones suggested). I’m getting there, though. Slowly.
How about you? What’s in your bag? You carry things you need (phone, pens, paper). You also carry things you like (music, food, books). How are you deciding between those needs and wants? Let’s share!
Take a picture of your bag and its contents. Send us the picture (post it to the ProfHacker group on Flickr). Add some notes so we know what you’ve got and what you do with it. We’ll publish some in an upcoming column.
Comments
1. Kaitlin - September 11, 2009 at 08:32 am
I used to use a timer when I taught public speaking and we did debates. Rather than bringing my own in, though, I found a link to a "virtual stopwatch" online and used that. I can't remember the link of the specific one I used, but if you Google "virtual stopwatch" or "writing timer" you should be able to find something useful.
iPods are also a good way to condense "stuff." They have a timer/stopwatch feature and can also be used to store documents.
2. Chad Nuttall - September 11, 2009 at 11:50 am
For a timer I use http://e.ggtimer.com/
You need your laptop and external drive?
I notice you have quite a key chain there. Of the various simplification exercises I've undertaken over the past year - none is more noticeable than reducing my key load.
I went from my keys on a carabiner to just 4 keys on a standard ring: home, office, bike lock (x2). Others are left hanging @ home or in a drawer in my office.
C
3. Billie - September 11, 2009 at 01:20 pm
Thanks, Kaitlin and Chad!
I appreciate your comment about the online timers. I'm not always in a networked space (or a networked space I can reliably access) ....that's why I carry the timer with me. About the netbook and an external drive? The netbook is new. The office computer is new. My (personal) laptop is oldish. All files I need are on the external drive. I really need to buy in completely to the DropBox notion and stop carrying all that stuff around.
Lastly, the keys? When the key people on my campus handed me this wad of metal, I laughed out loud. I need eight keys to get into my building/office. Seriously. I am teaching two nights a week, and the building gets locked up tight. I need the keys with me. :-)
4. Nels P. Highberg - September 11, 2009 at 04:46 pm
Here's mine! I had way too much fun with this. C'mon, people, post yours and play along!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nels/3910682446/
5. The History Enthusiast - September 13, 2009 at 12:40 am
I'm embarrassed to post mine, since it likely contains more "purse" items than work items. The only work things I carry regularly are laptop, power cord, flash drive, and notebooks. Plus the obligatory pens/pencils, etc.
6. Nels P. Highberg - September 13, 2009 at 11:59 am
But the purse items are what make it more interesting. We all have notebooks and pens, but I'm always fascinated to find out who has band-aids or candy or photographs or whatever. I've been checking out the "What's In Your Bag?" groups on Flickr, and my favorite so far is the woman (girl?) who has KY and condoms next to her Hello Kitty umbrella and notebooks.
7. The History Enthusiast - September 13, 2009 at 07:02 pm
Nels: I'll consider it. My friends kind of make fun of me because I carry so much, but I just like to be super prepared since I spend more time in the classroom, library, etc. than I spend in my office. And, I do carry band aids :)
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