what's in my bag #25: my work backpack by sweaty betty

The majority of my work days, I carry this Sweaty Betty quilted backpack. It's pretty functional and quite well built and considering that it's on the pricier end for a backpack, I would hope so! I also really like the two pockets at the side. On rainy days, one side is useful for an umbrella and the other side usually has a folded up tote bag. 

Contents (top left, clockwise): work ID and pass, a pair of socks (as I wear theatre clogs at work with scrubs on the days where I'm in theatre), pencil case (usually a fountain pen, a gel pen and a biro are its core contents), a one litre flask, my work notebook (a surgical mask enclosed within it of course), chocolate covered rice cakes, a rollerball of peppermint and lavender essential oils gifted to me by one of my seniors a few months;' ago and a tote bag. 

I feel like I've managed to really decrease how much I carry around in my bag which my back will be grateful for in years to come. 

My work bag often has my lunchbox in as well - I like to meal prep as the lunch options are not great at the hospital I work at. There's usually a fair few more snacks in my bag including a piece of fruit. If I'm on-call (which are usually 12.5 hour shifts), they are often hectic and I find myself craving something sweet or salty and definitely not good for me. As a result, I try and carry a healthy sweet and a healthy salty snack. 

Unfortunately, we don't get allocated a locker at work otherwise my socks and snacks could be stored at work.

bullet journal collections of mine

Collections are a core part of most bullet journals I've seen online and mine is no exception. Today, I'm going to talk through a few of mine, how they are used and why they are useful to me.  

Mood Tracker

Pretty self-explanatory! We've had a tough two years or so and a mood tracker has been good for me to reflect on what can affect my mood positively and negatively. This is so I can keep doing the stuff that makes me happy and minimise the stuff that makes me unhappy. It's also good to see if my bad and good days all come at the same time or if they are just here and there. 

As I've got older, I've figured out what things help my mood (for instance, sport, running, baking!) and what things do not (going to bed super late, not exercising and the early, dark nights in the winter). This helps me figure out an action plan to maximise the happiness-inducing activities to try and give my mood a boost. I find doing this right at the beginning of the week helps the most. 

The Worry Tree and a Master Packing List

The worry tree has been a core part of my bullet journal over the last two years and I'm not transferring it to my 2022 one. My mental health is much improved and as a previously self-confessed worrywart, I'm definitely a lot more laid back than I used to be.

A master packing list is useful as I often head away for a weekend at the last minute. I tend to pack the same things for each trip so this is useful. Later this year, I'll be doing on-calls at the hospital which will require an overnight stay, if not longer, so this list will be useful then too. 

Reading!

My reading has been terrible this last year and I don't know why. I think I've poured all of my effort into running and fitness and my concentration levels when it comes to reading have dropped off a lot. I'm hoping to rectify that in 2022 though...

My 100 goals for each year

Each year, I keep a list of 100 random things I want to do. They can be easy and instant or may take a bit more perseverance or effort. It's to keep me motivated as there's nothing better than checking something off a list! I've written one for 2022 already so hopefully I can achieve at least 60% of it. 

These are the core collections in my bullet journal from 2021 and it will be interesting to see how these evolve in 2022. I've left off my Animal Crossing ones (i.e. fossils, statues, paintings, fish, insects and sea creatures left to find for the museum!) as it's a little too nerdy...! 

What collections do you have that are essential to your bullet journal?