So, I kept hearing about this Jake Knapp guy and his bag. You know, the Sprint book fella. Everyone talking about what simple stuff he carries around. Sounded kinda different, not like the usual tech guru setups.
I got curious. What’s he actually got in there? Turns out, it’s mostly basic things. Like, really basic. A Time Timer, those big Sharpie markers, stacks of sticky notes. That’s the core of it, from what I gathered. Not much fancy tech.
My Little Experiment
I thought, okay, let’s give this a whirl. Maybe there’s something to it. Felt a bit weird, honestly, going backwards from all the apps and gadgets I usually rely on.
First, I actually went and bought one of those Time Timers. The red disk thingy that disappears. Set it up on my desk. Felt kinda like being back in school. Used it for a few work blocks.
Using the Timer
- At first, it was stressful! Watching that red slice shrink. Made me anxious.
- But after a day or two, I kinda got into the rhythm. It did make me focus, just knowing time was visibly running out. No cheating it like a digital timer I can just dismiss.
Then, the Sharpies. Got a pack of the big, fat ones he supposedly uses for brainstorming. And a load of Post-it notes. Tried doing a brain dump for a project idea using just these.
Markers and Notes
- The markers felt bold, kinda powerful. But man, they bleed through cheap paper. Had to be careful.
- Sticking notes everywhere was… active. Got me standing up, moving around. Different energy than just typing into a doc.
- But honestly, it made a huge mess afterwards. Notes falling down, trying to organize them was a pain.
Thinking About It
Why does he do this? I guess it’s about cutting out distractions. No notifications popping up on your sticky notes, right? The timer is just for time, not for checking Twitter. It forces a kind of single-tasking.
It reminds me of this one time, years ago, working on a nightmare project. Everything was digital. Slack, Asana, email, shared docs pinging constantly. My brain felt like scrambled eggs. I couldn’t focus for more than ten minutes straight. We missed deadlines, everyone was pointing fingers. It was awful. I remember just shutting down my computer one afternoon and grabbing a legal pad and a pen, hiding in a quiet room just to think straight for an hour. It actually helped cut through the noise.
So, I get where Knapp’s coming from. That desperate need to simplify and just focus on the actual work, the actual ideas.
Did I Stick With It?
Well, yes and no.
The Time Timer? I still use it sometimes. When I really need to block out distractions and get one specific thing done, I’ll wind it up. It works for me in short bursts.
The big Sharpies and mass sticky notes? Not so much for everyday. It’s a bit too much chaos for my regular workflow. I found typing notes and using a simple digital board faster for organizing later. Maybe good for a specific workshop, but not my daily driver.
So, yeah. Tried the Jake Knapp bag thing. Some bits were useful, reminded me about the power of simple tools and focus. But like most things, you gotta figure out what actually works for you, not just copy someone else’s bag. It’s the idea behind the tools, I reckon, more than the specific items.
