What's In My Work Bag?

Can you tell that I'm in my "why not" era?

I was watching a YouTube video a while back and the YouTuber offhandedly mentioned that they'd seen a couple of people post "What's in my bag?" videos which is such a throwback. It stuck in my mind.

Although I've seen a few such videos years ago, it wasn't my thing. It was never my thing. But after hearing about it recently, it seemed interesting. It's not anywhere close to my regular niches but why not, right? The whole point of having a hobby is to have fun.

So, grab a drink and settle down, let me ramble about what's in my work bag and ramble about my life with it 🎒

firstly, what's the work bag?

Although I recently started a new job and got the new company's branded backpack last week, I don't find it comfortable. I tried it for a day and hated it. So, I got back to using my previous company's backpack.

The only bag that's not branded with a company's name in my cupboard is my Wildcraft backpack from college. Although I got the bag about 9 years ago, it actually held up. I can still use it. I just haven't gotten around to unpacking it from wherever it is after my recent move so I'm using the bag that I carried with me.

The backpack I'm currently using is by American Tourister. It's black. It's good as a regular backpack and great as a travel backpack. I've used it while travelling on vacations and it has packed quite a few things. It has 4 main compartments and smaller pockets to neatly organize things. It's my go-to for carrying essentials on trips now. That's why I'm still using it, because I didn't switch to another one after the "trip" here before we moved.

It comfortably fits all the things I need to carry and some extras without feeling too heavy. The bag itself is fairly light which is helpful.

I'll probably switch soon though, either to the college backpack one or another ex-company branded Wildcraft bag.

laptop

Let's start with the biggest compartment.

I'm a software engineer so the main thing in my bag is my laptop. I currently have an M4 16-inch MacBook Pro in black. This is kept in the biggest compartment where there's a specific spot for the laptop, although the velcro thing to hold it in place is too small for this laptop.

I had a choice between this and a ChromeBook in my current job. While the latter was smaller and much lighter, I've become comfortable using MacBooks so I decided to pick this one. If I waited a while, there might have been 14-inch MacBooks in stock but I didn't want to wait.

Besides, I like the screen size. Although others talk about how the smaller screen size works just fine especially if you're going to use a monitor anyway, I think it depends on what you're doing. I like using one 32-inch monitor and my laptop over using 2 monitors with external keyboard and mouse. I prefer the laptop's keyboard and trackpad over external devices because there's less hand movement required and less sound. I actually hate the clickity-clack of keyboards.

I usually do programming stuff on the monitor and keep sensitive things like emails, chats, etc. on the laptop. Sometimes I keep working things on both to see them together while working. As I don't have a monitor at home, I take advantage of the large size by using split screens.

It weighs like a big stone. It contributes to 80% of my bag's weight. I knew the trade-offs I was making by choosing this laptop. I figured that it's fine because I had a 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon for about 4 years in my previous company. I've taken 40-minute walking commutes with it. I'm used to the weight so I chose the MacBook. I don't have walking commutes or doing much with it anyway, it's fine.

Of course, it works really well and lasts long. My previous Apple Silicon laptop handled so much load without breaking down. I was always able to do my work despite doing what felt like 100 things at once. I expected the same, if not more, from my current laptop. I haven't had any requirement for heavy usage yet but it's been working great for everything so far.

Although it was my favourite feature in my previous laptop, I don't miss the touchbar. I guess there's nothing for me to have fun with or play with, but it's fine. Probably the only useful thing it had was adapting to what was on screen and giving app-specific options. Like, automatically showing options to stop screen recording if I started one or showing options for managing Teams calls when I was screen-sharing. They're doable without the touchbar though. Apple made a good call removing it.

Coming to how it looks, you really can't say much about the laptop's look. It's not changed for years and looks the same across Apple's laptops. I didn't personalize my previous work laptop but I started personalizing this one with stickers.

My mom convinced me to add stickers to my work and personal laptops so that they're easily identifiable in airport security. She totally made sense and I spent a good while choosing 4 stickers for each laptop. However, I had the ChromeBook at that time. When I switched to the MacBook, I had to transfer those stickers and only one of them made it.

So, there's a backpack sticker on the laptop 😂 It's a cute orange one in the bottom right corner. It was the only sticker until very recently when my team from Germany visited and brought team-specific stickers with them. Now, there are 3 more stickers that surround the apple logo—all featuring our product's cute mascot. They're themed stickers that I absolutely love.

Those 3 don't form a full circle. I intentionally kept them closer, keeping enough space for future stickers. I already have another one on the way because I finished a specific course at work.

Stickers on laptops is a huge thing in my current organization. Almost everyone has a ton of stickers on their laptop. It ranges from generic company-branded ones to event- and team-specific ones. I've been lowkey mesmerised by everyone's laptops because of the variety of stickers and I want my laptop to look full-of-life like theirs.

Because I wanted to know where and how others got so many stickers, one of my teammates actually stopped a random person and asked where they got their stickers 😂 The person kindly answered that they're given out in events and workshops throughout the year. It looks like I've got to participate more to fill up the space on my laptop.

I'm not sharing a picture (privacy, security, etc.) so feel free to imagine based on my description!

charger(s)

Of course, the MacBook Pro comes with a huge charging adapter. It's so heavy, it's as if they wanted the weight to proportionally match the laptop's weight.

This is the first time I've owned a laptop with the MagSafe charging cable and port. My previous work laptop had the USB-C one, so does my personal one. I frankly liked the USB-C because I could use it for other devices requiring USB-C if I didn't have an alternative. Since this is a MagSafe one, it doesn't work with anything else.

I'm forced to carry a USB-C cable for my corp phone. It didn't come with an adapter so I usually use the laptop's adapter itself. Some people might be outraged because the wattage is different etc. but I'm pretty sure the cable transfers what's required. Also, I don't care enough to carry a separate adapter for it.

Rarely, I carry a charger for my personal phone which is an iPhone 13 and hence requires a lightning cable.* I'm usually good at charging my phone in the morning while I get ready for work, but I forget sometimes. It's hard to keep track of the charge of all these devices.

I usually keep all of the cables in the big compartment next to the laptop.

* The amount of cables I require daily is ridiculous. There are the above 3 and the MagSafe one for my Apple Watch.

jacket

This city is super hot and almost never requires a jacket, especially in the summer, but I still carry one. Mostly because I'm from Bangalore where the weather changes quickly and it will always be cold when I forget to carry a jacket.

Also, while I don't need a jacket outside, I sometimes need it in the office because the AC temperature is kept low. A while back, I wasn't carrying a jacket for a few days but it became so cold that I didn't work at my desk for a whole day. I started carrying a jacket the next day.

The weather doesn't turn often here. When it rains, it becomes pleasantly cool without being cold enough for a jacket. But when it rains, the office feels colder because the AC isn't adjusted, I think. So a jacket is required.

At this point, I might as well just leave a jacket at office considering I don't need it outside. What's the point of carrying it all the time? I'm still waiting for a desk to be assigned to me. Once I have one, I'll leave my jacket there.

I make sure to carry only light and casual jackets, though. Anything more than a thin cotton jacket is too much. The current jacket in my bag is coincidentally the jacket I got at my previous company. It's a really nice slouchy Rare Rabbit one so I like using it.

headphones

The last thing in the last compartment are my headphones. I use the Sony WH1000XM5 for my daily use. I used AirPods Pro for years and switched to this one when I bought it a few months back.

Headphones are a must-have for my work day. I listen to CHPTRS while working which really helps me get into the zone. The difference in my focus and work is clear when I use and don't use headphones. The fact that it doesn't block out all sound like the AirPods Pro also helps in case a colleague is calling out my name. I haven't seen any difference while working with the two.

I can now wear the headphones for a good few hours before feeling the top of my head hurt with the weight. This wouldn't happen with the AirPods Pro but the latter cause issues with buildup of earwax and I really don't want to face loss of hearing again. Besides, if I've been using the headphones enough to hurt, I should take a break from work.

The headphones are usually not in my bag. I wear them while commuting and working, and keep them on the desk when I'm doing other things. The only reason they're in my bag as I write this is because I kept it there while playing badminton on Friday and didn't keep it in the usual spot after that.

hat

Moving onto the next compartment. I've got a hat. This is also a fairly big compartment and the hat should probably be in one of the smaller ones, but I let it be.

It's too hot and sunny outside. I don't often go walking outside or require a hat but it's handy to carry just in case. Sometimes, when I'm returning in a can or auto in the evening, the sun is low enough to hit my eyes directly. The hat is helpful at those times. It's light enough to not add weight either.

The hat in my bag right now is a blue bucket hat that an ex-colleague gifted me on my last day at my previous job. The person was a new grad whom I mentored a bit and I was really surprised to receive a gift from him. He mentioned that when he joined, he saw me always come into office wearing a cap and hence got me hats.

Caps and hats were a part of my regular wardrobe during morning commutes to the office at my previous job. Since I mostly walked to work late in the morning when the sun was high, caps/hats were necessary. I wore a pink cap that soon everyone knew me by because I apparently made an entrance wearing it 😂

I mostly don't walk in this city when the sun is out. I only walk in late evenings when the sun has gone down but hasn't disappeared yet. If I have to walk when the sun is properly out, I make sure to wear a hat.

workout clothes

Also in the second big compartment, along with the hat, are sometimes my workout clothes. I carry them 2-3 times a week when I plan to workout after work. I try to join the Zumba class twice a week and sometimes play badminton with my team on Fridays.

My backpack does become significantly heavier when I carry workout clothes. A lot of my colleagues carry a separate duffel bag for workout stuff which looks super convenient. I don't need to take my laptop etc. with me when I go to change clothes or workout. However, I don't have a duffel bag yet.

I'm thinking to buy one but I actually want a Google-branded gym duffel bag. Many people carry around Google-branded duffel bags at the office which look really cool. I'm holding out for a while to see if I'll get the opportunity to nab one of those. If it doesn't happen soon, I'll buy my own.

my corp phone

Moving onto the first "smaller" compartment. As soon as I open the zip, I see my corp phone.

For my previous job, I had to install the email and chat apps on my personal phone. I absolutely hated it but couldn't avoid it due to the responsibility I carried. Even when I could "log off" like during vacations, I compulsively opened the apps to see what was going on. It wasn't a good habit.

Thankfully, I need a corp phone to access my work things for this job. I mean, I could put them on my personal phone with some workarounds but I'm happy not to. I'm glad that I can properly separate my life and work.

The corp phone is a Pixel 9. I haven't used an android phone in years (randomly using my mom's phone to help her doesn't count) so it was interesting to use this one. I've never used a Pixel phone before either. It's UI is fairly easy to use and adheres to the standard smartphone UIs nowadays, so it doesn't feel very different.

The only thing that I specifically don't like are how the notifications look. I don't like how they're grouped and shown. I usually start a new day with many emails and messages, and I don't like looking at them on my phone. Although I can go through it all on the phone, I usually use the laptop itself.

I actually keep the corp phone in my pocket during the work day. What's the point of the phone if I don't use it to stay in touch while away from the laptop during work hours, right? I keep it in the bag when I'm out of work as I don't want to miss carrying it to work.

When the corp phone is in the bag, I keep it in a small pouch in one of the smaller compartments. The pouch is of the perfect size to hold the phone.

id card

My work ID card. Of course, I keep this in my bag with my corp phone. I never want to forget it. It will be such a hassle if I forget it.

I've always preferred a retractor holder above a lanyard. The lanyard around my neck feels inconvenient while the retractor doesn't add weight or size and hence isn't noticeable to me as an extra accessory. I like that I can simply clip it to my pocket and get going. I like that I can play table tennis without removing it.

I got a lanyard when I got my ID card here and considered sticking with it because the lanyard is so pretty. I was going to figure out a way to keep it in my pocket itself. But the clip kept getting undone and I was offered a retractor when I asked for another piece. It's great, lol.

The only times when a retractor is a hassle is when I wear outfits without pockets. For example, ethnic wear or dresses. However, since I rarely wear them to work, it's not a big deal.

wallet

This is not a requirement anymore but I carry it out of habit.

I don't think I've used my wallet even once during work days so far. The main reason being that India is fully digital now. I pay through UPI on my phone everywhere. I have a credit card attached to my UPI as well. Even the smallest vendors use UPI and actually ask me not to give cash. I haven't visited an ATM to draw out cash in years.

Also, I haven't required to spend at all during my work days in my current job. We get food and drinks in the office. I don't need to go out for anything. There's a cab service that takes care of my commute every day. Even if I forgot to book the cab, I can take an auto and pay through my phone.

The other things that a wallet generally carries are IDs which are also not required. I have all of my IDs on my phone. There's a specific government app that stores my documents and I can simply show in that if it's ever needed.

The only useful thing I carry in my wallet are my house keys. I could just as easily ditch the wallet and keep them elsewhere but it's a habit now.

A lot of my friends don't carry wallets at all. My mom keeps insisting that I carry cash just in case so I carry a wallet, otherwise I would ditch my wallet totally. Why carry IDs and cash everywhere and risk losing them?

One of these days, I'll stop carrying my wallet everywhere. Not yet but soon.

purple magsafe power bank

This is another "just in case" item in my bag. There are a lot of these 😂 I mainly bought it for trips when my phone usage is high but I carry it in my bag for days when my phone usage is high at office.

My phone actually started draining a lot, requiring a power bank, in my old office but it looks to be fine in my current job. Is not having work apps on my phone making so much difference? I listen to music much more now, about a few hours every day, but my phone's battery still lasts until the next morning.

I finally have a good routine now. I'm doing The Artist's Way with a few friends which requires me to wake up a bit early. I plug my phone for charge while I write morning pages and get ready so it's at high charge when I leave for work. Because of that, I mostly don't need the power bank. I only need it if I forget to charge my phone but that's only happened once so far. And when I forget, I take the charger anyway because it's faster.

But the power bank is still in my bag. Maybe I should remove it 🤔 Although it's super handy when I need to move around and can't charge the phone at the desk. For now, I'm keeping it in the bag because it's small and not too heavy.

lip balm

I've been using the Maybelline Baby Lips color lip balm for years. It works well enough for keeping my lips in good condition while also making them look good. I specifically like the orange and pink colours because those tones work well with my skin. It gives a good shine while not overdoing it too.

In fact, I don't wear lipstick or any other product for my lips since this works really well. After I tried lipsticks once and went back to this, a friend actually told me to stick with this because it looks better on me. The only difference is that the colour gets wiped much quicker than lipsticks. But that's fine, I can put it on again easily, usually when I go to the washroom and see my face in the mirror. With the lip balm, I can easily wash my mouth after each meal and not have to painstakingly reapply it like with a lipstick.

I keep this in a jeans/pant pocket most of the time. That way, I can reapply whenever. The only time I keep it in my bag during the work day is when I'm wearing an outfit without pockets. The reason it's in the bag while I write this post is because I switched into my workout clothes on Friday and kept the lip balm in the bag. I should keep it back on my dressing table.

arm bands

This isn't a "just in case" accessory, it's a must-have for my eczema. The ones in my bag currently are black.

I bought a set of two arm bands (black and grey) when I was in Bangalore, around the same time I started using the cap during commute. It used to be too sunny during summer and covering my arms was a must.

Sunscreen helps in a way but it doesn't help my eczema totally, since my eczema flares with warmth/heat too. I can't wear jackets because they cause heat and warmth which cause flare ups too.

I was a bit skeptical about whether the arm bands would help but they actually make a difference. It's airy enough to allow breeze (if any) and far reduces my flare ups due to the sun. I've had no flare ups due to the sun when I've worn it.

In this city, the weather is always sunny and hot. There isn't any breeze either. I carry arm bands with me almost always when I go out during the day. Even though I mostly don't go out in the sun, it's necessary even if I do for a few minutes. I'm a bit worried about the heat now that I'm in a city without breeze, which caused my skin to become warm underneath the arm bands, so I try not to go out in the sun as much as possible.

petroleum jelly & moisturiser

We're now at the last and smallest compartment. I see a couple of baggage receipts from a recent trip which I will now throw. I'm the worst at clearing off paper garbage until a few months later. These receipts are from the beginning of March.

The other things in the compartments are a petroleum jelly and moisturiser, both in travel sized containers. I used to either not carry any creams or carry the fairly big bottle of moisturiser because I didn't have an alternative. A year ago, a week-long trip to a super cold place forced me to buy a pouch of containers that comply with airplane regulations for liquids. Since then, I've been using them for daily use as well.

The moisturiser is in a bottle about the length of my pointer finger. It's not too big but big enough to carry enough moisturiser. It's currently filled only a bit with my current cream. I've been trying out a moisturiser by Aveeno which is made for itchy, atopic-prone skin (mine). Unlike regular moisturisers, not much is needed to cover my arms and keep them moisturised so I don't carry a lot. Whenever I feel like my arms are dry, I put some on.

I use petroleum jelly when I'm having an eczema flare-up. It is handy when my skin needs a "seal" to lock in the moisture. This has actually helped several times. When my skin is lowkey unbearable and I can't stop worrying about it, I slather on some petroleum jelly.

I carry it in a super tiny circular box, barely a couple of inches in diameter and height. It's something you could slip into your pocket and forget about. The size is enough because a little petroleum jelly is enough to cover all my eczema spots.

chat with me!

My bag actually has only a few things but it seems more in this post 😂 Most of them are small things. If I remove my laptop, the bag barely weighs anything.

What is in your bag? What are your must-haves? Is there anything you keep "just in case"? Do we share any items? Tell me in the comments!