I'd be interested to know what GTD followers carry with them every day. Here's the one bag I’ve trusted for years and all the goodies inside.
https://youtu.be/JMtzBPEaPZc
https://youtu.be/JMtzBPEaPZc
What Do You Carry Every Day?
- Thread starter Dave Edwards
- Start date
pgarth
0
DA Wallet: I still have my DA leather wallet (circa 2007), but lost the pen (well... it finally self-destructed..) and haven't resupplied the little paper-pads. But... I have DollarTree notepads in my jacket pocket, and a pen, so I'm covered.
GTD plastic folders, that I take back and forth between Home and Work. I use traditional workflow to process papers (I'm a clinical social worker): Labled - IN; CPRS (paperwork capturing that now has to be processed into a EHR; Scan; After Scan (when I'm reviewing my scans in Outlook); File; Shred; Read/Review; Home (to remind me to unload stuff needed at home. Works really well, and I can do batches of stuff (Scan; After Scan; Daily Shred).
Pocket recorder: This dynamite $50 investment is the best capture tool. After seeing a client, I spend a couple minutes reviewing the paper notes and capture top-of-mind thoughts. When on the road, I also use it for things that pop in my head. I could be doing the actual processing a couple days later, and the audio recording has capture everything I had observed and assessed. A lot of it is subtle observations that are difficult to write down in the moment.
iPhone: Synched to OneNote which is my trusted GTD Project and Action tool. I've been seeing some posts lately on OneNote and Excel. I'm using a Notebook (GTD); Sections are the contexts (In, Checklists, Phone, Computer, Office, Home, Agendas, Read or Review, Wait-For, Errands, various Project sections; Pages are then the "Actions within each section. By using this method, I can move an action from one section to another, for example: I've done a call and then can prepend with the date (12/26) and drag over to Waiting-For. I typically have to drag it up to the top, so that the newest date on top, but that's no big deal.
Having the iPhone in the field is great for review client Project and Action Support. Also, when in foodbank line, and have a couple minutes, I can discreetly move away and check my PHONE list for some calls to do during "weird time" - those unschedule moments that become available.
Excel is more used on laptop at the office. That's vital for keeping track of recurring actions (annual; 6 month; 3 month; current). It's basically an electronic tickler file, but it keeps me completely focused in the moment and for the week, and little slips by. If it does, then I change the color of a field, and address first thing in week. Each client has their own row.
GTD plastic folders, that I take back and forth between Home and Work. I use traditional workflow to process papers (I'm a clinical social worker): Labled - IN; CPRS (paperwork capturing that now has to be processed into a EHR; Scan; After Scan (when I'm reviewing my scans in Outlook); File; Shred; Read/Review; Home (to remind me to unload stuff needed at home. Works really well, and I can do batches of stuff (Scan; After Scan; Daily Shred).
Pocket recorder: This dynamite $50 investment is the best capture tool. After seeing a client, I spend a couple minutes reviewing the paper notes and capture top-of-mind thoughts. When on the road, I also use it for things that pop in my head. I could be doing the actual processing a couple days later, and the audio recording has capture everything I had observed and assessed. A lot of it is subtle observations that are difficult to write down in the moment.
iPhone: Synched to OneNote which is my trusted GTD Project and Action tool. I've been seeing some posts lately on OneNote and Excel. I'm using a Notebook (GTD); Sections are the contexts (In, Checklists, Phone, Computer, Office, Home, Agendas, Read or Review, Wait-For, Errands, various Project sections; Pages are then the "Actions within each section. By using this method, I can move an action from one section to another, for example: I've done a call and then can prepend with the date (12/26) and drag over to Waiting-For. I typically have to drag it up to the top, so that the newest date on top, but that's no big deal.
Having the iPhone in the field is great for review client Project and Action Support. Also, when in foodbank line, and have a couple minutes, I can discreetly move away and check my PHONE list for some calls to do during "weird time" - those unschedule moments that become available.
Excel is more used on laptop at the office. That's vital for keeping track of recurring actions (annual; 6 month; 3 month; current). It's basically an electronic tickler file, but it keeps me completely focused in the moment and for the week, and little slips by. If it does, then I change the color of a field, and address first thing in week. Each client has their own row.
Thanks for the video, Dave. I also love a good EDC video and enjoyed your "What's in my bag" style video. It was a refreshing change from the knives, torches and screwdrivers that usually feature.
My EDC is much more boring: Phone, wallet, keys.
To keep the bulk down, my phone is as small as I can get away with and has no case. My wallet is very thin and made from elastic. My keyring has just a single house key. If I am taking the car, then I use an alternative keyring with the single house key and my car key.
My phone has Obsidian for my lists and reference material, and Braintoss for text, image or audio capture.
My EDC is much more boring: Phone, wallet, keys.
To keep the bulk down, my phone is as small as I can get away with and has no case. My wallet is very thin and made from elastic. My keyring has just a single house key. If I am taking the car, then I use an alternative keyring with the single house key and my car key.
My phone has Obsidian for my lists and reference material, and Braintoss for text, image or audio capture.
Thanks Dave. The one item that I chuckled at and I am a huge believer in in the Tide to Go stick. I was once leading a meeting and during lunch of tacos some salsa ended up on the front of my shirt which I did not realize until I started the meeting again and was standing in the front of the room. I used my Tide stick and explained to my team the importance of it! They may not remember anything I reviewed during the meeting but they definitely all remember that.
When going to work or traveling, I carry a Tumi briefcase that is a bit larger than I wish as I bought it with a flip out section for security which I don't need as I contained TSA precheck shortly after buying the bag. I have had it about 15 years, and it is still going strong. In it I carry my work laptop, an iPad (for personal work and entertainment), my Kindle, file folders and cables/pens etc as well as a yellow legal pad. The one downside is that I tend to collect more than I need so reviewing and paring down the contents frequently is essential.
Other than that, I always carry my iPhone and a rollerball pen. I use Braintoss for capture when on the road and paper is not readily available.
I did like the envelope with small notes for tipping. I will have to remember that as I always want to be able to easily tip housekeepers etc. at the hotel and don't always have smaller notes. I do carry with a spare credit card as well as my passport in an inner pocket just in case.
When going to work or traveling, I carry a Tumi briefcase that is a bit larger than I wish as I bought it with a flip out section for security which I don't need as I contained TSA precheck shortly after buying the bag. I have had it about 15 years, and it is still going strong. In it I carry my work laptop, an iPad (for personal work and entertainment), my Kindle, file folders and cables/pens etc as well as a yellow legal pad. The one downside is that I tend to collect more than I need so reviewing and paring down the contents frequently is essential.
Other than that, I always carry my iPhone and a rollerball pen. I use Braintoss for capture when on the road and paper is not readily available.
I did like the envelope with small notes for tipping. I will have to remember that as I always want to be able to easily tip housekeepers etc. at the hotel and don't always have smaller notes. I do carry with a spare credit card as well as my passport in an inner pocket just in case.
Oogiem
0
I have an eclectic list.
Leatherman tool on right hip in a holder with a snap closure (NOT velcro) I have the Rebar model because it has the serrated blade necessary for cutting electric nets if a sheep gets tangled in them and weighs less than other versions with that specific tool.
EpiPen in right tool pocket of my Carhaart pants oriented so I grab the part I need to twist to deploy the syringe. When needed I need to have it in muscle memory how to use it as my brain is AWOL at that time.
Left hip belt pouch contains my own custom GTD wallet that contains appropriate dividers to handle my credit cards, ID, medical and insurance cards, sheep inventory list, space pen, 3x5 spiral bound notebook, first aid kit with bandaids, suture material with attached needle, superglue in a small one time use dispenser, pocket monkey, business cards for all 3 major businesses, 1 blank check for all accounts, and appropriate cash in both large and small bills. My phone also lives in this pocket. Left pocket of my overshirt has 2-4 nitrile gloves. Right front pocket of shirt has my emergency inhaler. During lambing I have a lamb towel stuffed into my belt that is replaced as used.
Right front pocket contains my keys and another small leatherman tool with a scisors and a whistle.
left front pocket is my handkerchief.
My purse adds a more extensive first aid kit including gauze bandages, cough drops, toilet paper, safety pens, needle and thread, face masks, dental floss, ear plugs, benadryl, antihistamine, sudafed, aspirin, pepto bismol, antibiotic ointment and cough drops, small roll of vet wrap and a blood stop emergency bandage. I also carry spare reading glasses, tape measure, spare hair bands, chapstick, flashlight, paper clip bent so I can deal with resetting small electronic items, small amount of shock cord, compass, magnifying glass, several beer coins, predator bite mark ruler, spare pens and another 3x5 notebook.
I have a load out list for trips that include taking AnimalTrakker equipment that include all sorts of required cables, charge blocks, battery backups etc. I have made ones for 4 wheeler rides in the backcountry, ones that are part of the grab and go for an evacuation due to fire, snow or other emegency and more. Checklists are your friends. In stressful situations you nedd something quick easy and readable and just follow it as higher brain functions are gone.
All these checklists are verified as current and accurate once a year. In fact I am evaluating and editing them now as part of my new year review.
MichaelB215
Registered
Ooh, an EDC discussion! I dig!
As a sales manager for luxury wines & spirits, my EDC is quite tailored to my specific role, but I imagine not wildly different from other field-based operators. A typical work day would include the following never-leave-home-without items:
• Bag: I carry a Timbuk2 Division Laptop Bag. It's compact enough to carry around all day (I'm on my feet pounding the pavement most days) with just the right amount of compartments for my need-to-carry items without tempting me to overstuff the bag.
• Tech: MacBook Air M3 (Midnight); iPad Air M2 w/ Smart Folio Keyboard (the OG that you can flip like a book); iPhone 17; Apple Watch 10, AirPods Pro 2. If I know I won't be doing any major Excel, CRM or computer admin work until I'm back at my home office, I'll skip the laptop. The iPad is all I need to shoot off emails in between account visits, or to present a digital asset during a product presentation. For GTD, my list manager is currently Apple Reminders, with reference being split between Notes/iCloud Drive and OneNote/OneDrive for personal and work, respectively. Apple Calendar does the job for centralizing my work, personal, family, and MBA calendars.
• Water Bottle: Owalla FreeSip Stainless Steel bottle in Shy Marshmallow (24oz) - I try to glug 4 refills per day!
• Field Book & Pen: I buy the cheaper Field Book (vs Field Notes) from Amazon in bulk and clip one of these mini pens to it and carry it in my inside breast pocket. Whenever I'm meeting with a customer I take it out and keep it on the table to signal that I'm listening and ready to capture anything important to follow up on. I'll transfer the notes to OneNote or my CRM later, but I like the classic symbolism of hand writing notes when I'm face to face with someone.
• Leather Folio (8.5x11): I take a stack of 10 "sell sheets" with me everyday -- one-pagers that tell the story of my brand and summarize my product portfolio and pricing. Again, I like the symbolism of taking one of these sheets out of a beautiful leather folio in front of the customer. It communicates the attention to detail and elevated experience they'll have working with me and my products.
• Business Cards & Case: I have all the digital contact sharing tools, but to me, you still can't beat the tactile experience of handing a physical business card to someone - especially from inside a gorgeous case. Mine is from Leatherology and it feels and looks luxe.
• Refresh Kit: Since I'm generally out in the elements most of the day (I primarily work in city metro areas and don't own a car), I keep a mesh zippy bag with breath mints, eye drops, hand sanitizer, floss, lip balm, mini-deodorant (and face wipes in the summer).
• Samples: This one is super specific to my job but on days when I have a tasting presentation scheduled, I have to carry sample bottles of wine or spirits in a custom rolling Pelican Case. It's a bit unwieldily on busy city sidewalks, but the bottles are held securely inside, and the hard outer shell looks badass. When I take my wines or spirits out of this thing, it communicates that I take these items seriously, and that they're luxury products meant to be protected and savored.
There you have it, the everyday carry of a bougie booze salesman in the city (hey, that sounds like a good title for a TV show...)!
As a sales manager for luxury wines & spirits, my EDC is quite tailored to my specific role, but I imagine not wildly different from other field-based operators. A typical work day would include the following never-leave-home-without items:
• Bag: I carry a Timbuk2 Division Laptop Bag. It's compact enough to carry around all day (I'm on my feet pounding the pavement most days) with just the right amount of compartments for my need-to-carry items without tempting me to overstuff the bag.
• Tech: MacBook Air M3 (Midnight); iPad Air M2 w/ Smart Folio Keyboard (the OG that you can flip like a book); iPhone 17; Apple Watch 10, AirPods Pro 2. If I know I won't be doing any major Excel, CRM or computer admin work until I'm back at my home office, I'll skip the laptop. The iPad is all I need to shoot off emails in between account visits, or to present a digital asset during a product presentation. For GTD, my list manager is currently Apple Reminders, with reference being split between Notes/iCloud Drive and OneNote/OneDrive for personal and work, respectively. Apple Calendar does the job for centralizing my work, personal, family, and MBA calendars.
• Water Bottle: Owalla FreeSip Stainless Steel bottle in Shy Marshmallow (24oz) - I try to glug 4 refills per day!
• Field Book & Pen: I buy the cheaper Field Book (vs Field Notes) from Amazon in bulk and clip one of these mini pens to it and carry it in my inside breast pocket. Whenever I'm meeting with a customer I take it out and keep it on the table to signal that I'm listening and ready to capture anything important to follow up on. I'll transfer the notes to OneNote or my CRM later, but I like the classic symbolism of hand writing notes when I'm face to face with someone.
• Leather Folio (8.5x11): I take a stack of 10 "sell sheets" with me everyday -- one-pagers that tell the story of my brand and summarize my product portfolio and pricing. Again, I like the symbolism of taking one of these sheets out of a beautiful leather folio in front of the customer. It communicates the attention to detail and elevated experience they'll have working with me and my products.
• Business Cards & Case: I have all the digital contact sharing tools, but to me, you still can't beat the tactile experience of handing a physical business card to someone - especially from inside a gorgeous case. Mine is from Leatherology and it feels and looks luxe.
• Refresh Kit: Since I'm generally out in the elements most of the day (I primarily work in city metro areas and don't own a car), I keep a mesh zippy bag with breath mints, eye drops, hand sanitizer, floss, lip balm, mini-deodorant (and face wipes in the summer).
• Samples: This one is super specific to my job but on days when I have a tasting presentation scheduled, I have to carry sample bottles of wine or spirits in a custom rolling Pelican Case. It's a bit unwieldily on busy city sidewalks, but the bottles are held securely inside, and the hard outer shell looks badass. When I take my wines or spirits out of this thing, it communicates that I take these items seriously, and that they're luxury products meant to be protected and savored.
There you have it, the everyday carry of a bougie booze salesman in the city (hey, that sounds like a good title for a TV show...)!