Bags, Boxes & Binders – My experience

[benewb]

When Marilyn first diagnosed me, one of her big clues was my man bag. I’d started our conversation telling her that I was never quite registering for any official diagnosis of depression or anxiety, and yet always felt some level of depression or anxiety.

Then she asked me about my bag.

I explained all my systems for tracking everything from my business cards, my smart phone, note taking, cash, ID, down to the small toothpaste tube I carried with me and refilled.
Everything had a specific pocket, and everything I needed to walk out the door on any given day was right there, ready to go.

I’d never really thought about that technique as a coping mechanism for ADD because until that moment, I’d never thought of myself as having ADD.

Before the bag, I was constantly misplacing keys, wallet, money, cards, phone. Just getting out the door in the morning stressed me out.

Worst of all, I would just be either slightly enraged or catatonic trying to figure out where those things were.

When I was younger, I would frequently fly into rages, accusing everyone in my house of stealing my hat or mittens or wallet or glasses, only to find that the item was exactly where I left it. The experience throughout my life was like having a personal poltergeist, hiding things from my view. I still experience that daily – looking at something I’m desperately looking for right in front of me and not seeing it. The practiced calmness of reminding myself that I will find what I’m looking for, overriding the constant worry over loss, helps me overcome that moment of dread and clear the metaphysical fog hiding whatever I’m seeking.

So the idea of Bagging and Tagging just comes down to providing just the right amount of organization for those day to day items that you need to tend to.

I also keep my laptop bag organized with everything I need for up to an overnight trip, including display adapters for projectors, a power cord that just stays in the bag, charging accessories, and toothpaste and toothbrush. When I have to go to DC or New York for work, I can just go. If it’s an overnight, I’ll just roll up some clean boxers, underwear and socks and I’m ready to go.

My other essential bags include my workout bag, my swim bag, my hiking bag, my beekeeping bag, and when I trained actively, my karate bag. My workout bag is ready to go at all times, same with my swim bag. If I’m late taking the kids to school and don’t have time to change into workout clothes beforehand, I can just go. If I have a window at work that allows me to slip in a workout, I’m not wondering if I have what I need to work up a sweat and shower up afterwards.

My karate bag includes sparring gear, padded practice clubs, and an extra gi and protective cup for Kenpo, and bag gloves (for heavy bag punching), elastic workout tubing and a small towel for MMA workouts. If I don’t have time to change before hand, or I’m at a workshop where my gi gets grossly sweaty, I had everything I need right there

• This topic was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by benewb.

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