What’s Better Than One? Easy…Two!

Recently I had a chance to take advantage of a great productivity trick I’ve been trying for the past couple years.

It’s incredibly simple:

If I find something I know I like and can reasonably expect to use again, buy 2 (or more!).

In a rush to get out of the office for the weekend I left both my mouse and laptop charger at the office. Fortunately I’ve got backups of both at home, so I didn’t think twice about it.

Had I not had extras this would have been an extra ~45 minutes wasted over the weekend. Instead, both basically paid for themselves on the spot (PS – Do you already know how much your personal time is worth?)

Here are some other places I’ve doubled down on goods:

  • Travel Kits – When I’m on the road I want to make the best of wherever I am and this includes spending 0 time purchasing something I already own but forgot. Anything I travel regularly with – toiletries, chargers, etc – gets duplicated.
  • Medicine – When I need medicine I’m usually in a crappy mood at best. Getting more medicine ain’t making that mood any better. Always buy extras and refill when you’re healthy and have time on your side.
  • Clothes – With our busy schedule laundry happens when it happens. That’s why I always have an extra Less Meeting t-shirt, extra pairs of soccer socks, or any other unique clothes that I might need, ready to go.
  • Chargers – You cannot have too many of these. Phones, computers, tablets, etc. Keep a charger anywhere you work.
  • Sunglasses – One pair for my car, one for my wife’s.

What about you? What do you buy extra of?