Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time optimizing my desk setup.

The goal is to make work feel as frictionless as possible.

A workspace optimized around my workflows is paramount to supporting deep work throughout the week.

So, from my first desk at Cancer Doctor;

…to my first sit/stand setup:

…to my first work-from-home setup:

…to my current home office:

I’ve always tried to optimize my space as best I can.

As time has gone on, I’ve learned how to be more intentional with my space and reduce the clutter so I can better focus on what matters.

However, as much as I love to optimize and dial in this space… I also really love working on the go.

There’s something about having to whip out the laptop for a quick 45m deep work session before you have to pick up the kids from music class.

So whether I’m sitting in a coffee shop waiting on the family;

…or whether I’ve just walked into the Better Way Health office about to get ready for a meeting;

The balance of optimization and flexibility has always been a fun one to figure out.

I’ve found that a couple of things have made working on the go much more efficient:

1. A really good backpack

I’ve tried everything from a messenger bag to an engineer’s best friend: an OGIO.

But honestly, this backpack from Bullstrap has my heart. Every time I go anywhere, I get asked “that bag is so nice, where did you get it?”

You just can’t fake real leather. Plus it’s really comfortable.

Also, their warranty is legit. $20 to fully replace my bag after I accidentally broke the zipper.

It’s super easy to toss in the car and to get the laptop out quickly when I need to get some work done.

2. A really good tech organizer

This is truthfully a game-changer. I used to toss all my messy cables into a single pocked in my leather bag.

But having a dedicated place to put each and every cable that I could possibly need is so freeing.

Instead of digging around in a pocket and tangling up a ton of cables just to get a charger, I can pull this tech pouch out and know exactly where the charger is and know that it’s perfectly wrapped (over and under for you production maniacs) and ready to go.

3. Wired apple headphones

This one is a sleeper.

Cut the Bluetooth and it’s EMFs, and it just works.

Pop the taplop (Laptop as I like to say) and plug these babies in and you’re ready for…

4. Brain.fm

I use Brain.fm every. single. day. It really has a near-instant impact on my focus and productivity as soon as I press play. It’s wild.

There is a lot of science behind how stimulating the brain with certain frequencies affects focus and productivity. And Brain.fm is focusing on providing those frequencies in a fun way.

I recently tried Endel, which is a nice change of pace, but it doesn’t compare in my opinion.

So overall, working on the go has gone from a cumbersome backpack full of tangled cables with bluetooth connectivity issues to a dynamic & streamlined process. Pull out the laptop, pop in some headphones, press play, and maybe grab a quick cable out of the tech pouch.

It’s fun, engaging, and helps me get work done when I would otherwise have more friction.

For example, yesterday, I had a haircut scheduled for the afternoon during naptime.

I had a lot on my list if I was going to really be able to unplug some this upcoming week as we head to the mountains for some family Christmas time.

I got to my appointment early and my barber was not ready yet.

Guess what?

Pulled out the Laptop, popped the earbuds, pressed play and knocked out a small project while waiting to get seated.

As soon as the barber let me know they were ready, I closed the laptop, wrapped the headphones and slid everything back into my backpack.

Sounds silly, but it really has been impactful for me over the last few months.

So, cheers to being productive while you’re movin’ & groovin’.