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A chat with a cafe owner in Medellin shifted how I see my work setup
I was working from a small cafe here for about three weeks, and the owner, Carlos, asked me a simple question. He said, 'Why do you need so much gear to do your job?' I had my laptop, a portable monitor, a special mouse, and noise-cancelling headphones spread out. He pointed out that his nephew, a graphic designer, works from just a tablet and a foldable keyboard. It made me realize I've been carrying nearly 15 pounds of equipment 'just in case' for years, adding stress to every move. I'm starting to question what I actually need versus what I'm just used to having. Has anyone else successfully cut down their core work gear to something much lighter?
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violar351mo ago
That "just in case" gear is a real trap. I travel with one bag now and it forces you to only bring what you'll actually use. You'll figure out what's dead weight fast.
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corablack1mo ago
Man that "just in case" feeling is so real, right? What's the one piece of gear you thought you needed but actually never use?
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the_lisa1mo ago
Funny how that works. My husband bought a fancy water filter straw for our camping trips years ago. It's still in its plastic wrap, tucked in a drawer. We always end up just boiling water or bringing enough from home. It felt so smart to buy, like we were being prepared survivalists. Now it's just a reminder that we overthink things sometimes.
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