Toolbox

Erin Mikail Staples -

I've always admired how folks document the tools and workflows they have established.  Welcome to my new series, Uses, where I document various workflows and tools I use daily.

Stay tuned as this updates from time to time.

Last updated: Oct 4, 2022

The Dailies

My everyday carry of productivity tools.

Bullet Journal

I'm an avid bullet journaler. I have been for years. There's something about being able to physically write down what I'm up to, my habits and reflect on them that make it easy to reflect on.

For my bullet journaling supplies: I've relied on the following, mostly purchased from Yoseka Stationary in Greenpoint, NYC.

  • Stayology 365 Grid or Dot Notebook: it has a good feel to it, opens up to a whole page, super durable, and has thin, great paper pages.
  • Midori Notebook Cover: Because my bullet journal comes with me everywhere, I keep this cover on top of it.  Covered with stickers, of course. 😉
  • Otho Horizon Ballpoint Pen: I picked up this pen at Yoseka a while back, and now own multiple of them. This pen is the one I keep tucked into the pen loop in my bullet journal and has become my go-to lately.  The heavy metal feels durable yet has a fine enough point to be delicate. Oh! and the ink doesn't smear! 🎉

Software

While I'm a big physical tool person, software tools are undoubtedly in my everyday toolset too.

On the Go

My line of work has me doing a lot of travel and work on the go; here are my favorite items I use on the go.

  • iPhone 13 Pro, 256 MB:  I find myself using and conducting a lot of work from my phone, and this becomes a good place for me to store information and then information.
  • Forest App: Blocking time becomes my own best friend to stay focused and on task with what I'm doing.
  • Baboon to the Moon, City Bag: I used to use the Calpak bag, but recently switched to this because of the simple ability to hold more stuff and easy for travel and carrying on.
  • Anker MagSafe phone charger: my phone typically drains quicker than I'd like, but this keeps me up and charged as I go.