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lifestyle || why you should make a priority list for your free time, too

IoanaMay 4, 2020

Happy first Monday of May! Let’s chat about mindful priorities today.

In my view, there are 3 states of productivity: the first is a positive Flow State – you’re getting things done AND enjoying the work. The second is when you’re getting things done (maybe it’s mostly admin tasks/busywork) but you’re not in the mood so you’re relying on a system to push you through. For both of these, making a prioritized list and then going through a few steps to pump yourself up can help LOADS.

The image in this photo is by Grant Snider! He is an incredible illustrator whose work I love!

The third is a state where you don’t HAVE urgent things to get done. But you also don’t have a particular motivation to be “busy” again, either. This could happen if you’ve finished school, or got home after a long day at work. How do we make the most of that time then?

Rather than make fake-work up for yourself to feel productive, or spend your day on a screen to “relax”, THIS is as important a time as any to revisit priorities.

Your new list of non-urgent priorities is going to take some hard inner thinking. Here are my 3 rules for these priorities:

  1. They involve some kind of MASTERY or ACCOMPLISHMENT.
  2. They ALREADY inspire an intrinsic motivation.
  3. They are CHALLENGING enough to keep you interested.

If you’ve managed to create a set of priorities that are a TRUE match for your sub-conscious priorities, then the “mindless” things you do now become a source of growth and mindfulness!

Maybe it’s becoming an expert at a new hobby, like gardening. Now you’re watching YouTube and reading articles targeted towards that.

If it’s completing a painting, then your time is now utilized towards an accomplishment.

If you’ve decided to prioritize using your body to stay active, you’re now choosing your tasks MINDFULLY based on that priority.

What do you think of this short tip? Also, what would your priority be for your free time?

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Happy first Monday of May! Let's chat about mindful priorities today. 🌿 There are 3 states of productivity: the first is a positive Flow State – you're getting things done AND enjoying the work. 💪 The second is when you're getting things done (maybe it's mostly admin tasks/busywork) but you're not in the mood so you're relying on a system to push you through. 🤞 For both of these, making a prioritized list ⬆️ and then going through a few steps to pump yourself up can help LOADS. The third is a state where you don't HAVE urgent things to get done. 🤭 But you also don't have a particular motivation to be “busy” again, either. This could happen if you've finished school, or got home after a long day at work. How do we make the most of that time then? 🧐 Rather than make fake-work up for yourself to feel productive, or spend our day on a screen to “relax”, THIS is as important a time as any to revisit priorities. Your new list of non-urgent priorities is going to take some hard inner thinking. There are 3 rules for these priorities. 1. They involve some kind of MASTERY or ACCOMPLISHMENT. 2. They ALREADY inspire an intrinsic motivation. 3. They are CHALLENGING enough to keep you interested. If you've managed to create a set of priorities that are a TRUE match for your sub-conscious priorities, then the "mindless" things you do now become a source of growth and mindfulness! 🥳 Maybe it's becoming an expert at a new hobby, like gardening. Now you're watching YouTube and reading articles targeted towards that. 🌿 If it's completing a painting, then your time is now utilized towards an accomplishment. 🌿 If you've decided to prioritize using your body to stay active, you're now choosing your tasks MINDFULLY based on that priority. 🌿

A post shared by ioana | bujo & organization (@mistralspirit) on May 4, 2020 at 8:28am PDT

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Nice to meet you!

Hi, it’s Ioana! I’m a blogger, brand marketer, and recent Queen’s Commerce alumni. When I’m not drinking coffee, reading, studying or exploring the city, I dabble in creative projects like this one!

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ioana | mistral spirit | organization & creativity
Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market t Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market this Saturday for another @usktoronto sketching meetup! Always a great time with this group. 🥳 I’ll admit I didn’t do much sketching this time around… was *very* busy making the rounds at the farmers market. 😜

#usktoronto #torontosketching #evergreenbrickworksmarket #urbansketching #travelsketch
little cup, GIANT smile 🥳 Totally in my elemen little cup, GIANT smile 🥳

Totally in my element at the @usktoronto exhibition reception event at @atoriginto a couple weekends ago. The exhibit showcases sketches by local artists that are primarily done on-location in places we travel to or live in. I’ve tagged a few of the artists so you can tap through to their profiles!

You might remember helping me choose which two sketches to submit to the show application back in December. Check them out hanging right there on the wall in slide 3! 

And HUGE thanks for helping me narrow it down. 🥰

If you’re in the area come check it out. (Or better yet, let’s go together!) 👯‍♀️

#urbansketching #travelsketching #urbansketchers #usktoronto #usk #travelsketchtoronto #urbansketchersexhibit
Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketch Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketchers meetup this Sunday in Toronto at @theonlycafe!

Instantly loved the interior of this cafe. 👌 I feel like maximalist interiors speak to my soul. Its late and maybe this isn’t quite it, but … they sort of remind me of my favourite people.

#urbansketchers #torontoart #urbansketch #sketchbook #sketching #artjournal #travelsketch #drawyourday #watercolor #urbansketching #sketchjournal #finelinerdrawing #moleskine #moleskinesketchbook #watercolortraveljournal #watercolordrawing #traveljournal #travelwatercolor
The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup w The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup with @usktoronto at @theonlycafe 🥰 Art + chill + new friends + coffee = happy soul

Thanks for organizing @satori3000! Check out these talented artists: @deshpande.shardul @maragulens @aish_cj @april.sketchedthis @sarawenn17 @beverleydaniels5 @hirtescufineart @sonalipraharajarts @satori3000 @sonyapadovani @michaeltsouras
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Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market t Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market this Saturday for another @usktoronto sketching meetup! Always a great time with this group. 🥳 I’ll admit I didn’t do much sketching this time around… was *very* busy making the rounds at the farmers market. 😜

#usktoronto #torontosketching #evergreenbrickworksmarket #urbansketching #travelsketch
little cup, GIANT smile 🥳 Totally in my elemen little cup, GIANT smile 🥳

Totally in my element at the @usktoronto exhibition reception event at @atoriginto a couple weekends ago. The exhibit showcases sketches by local artists that are primarily done on-location in places we travel to or live in. I’ve tagged a few of the artists so you can tap through to their profiles!

You might remember helping me choose which two sketches to submit to the show application back in December. Check them out hanging right there on the wall in slide 3! 

And HUGE thanks for helping me narrow it down. 🥰

If you’re in the area come check it out. (Or better yet, let’s go together!) 👯‍♀️

#urbansketching #travelsketching #urbansketchers #usktoronto #usk #travelsketchtoronto #urbansketchersexhibit
Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketch Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketchers meetup this Sunday in Toronto at @theonlycafe!

Instantly loved the interior of this cafe. 👌 I feel like maximalist interiors speak to my soul. Its late and maybe this isn’t quite it, but … they sort of remind me of my favourite people.

#urbansketchers #torontoart #urbansketch #sketchbook #sketching #artjournal #travelsketch #drawyourday #watercolor #urbansketching #sketchjournal #finelinerdrawing #moleskine #moleskinesketchbook #watercolortraveljournal #watercolordrawing #traveljournal #travelwatercolor
The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup w The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup with @usktoronto at @theonlycafe 🥰 Art + chill + new friends + coffee = happy soul

Thanks for organizing @satori3000! Check out these talented artists: @deshpande.shardul @maragulens @aish_cj @april.sketchedthis @sarawenn17 @beverleydaniels5 @hirtescufineart @sonalipraharajarts @satori3000 @sonyapadovani @michaeltsouras
So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward th So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward this book being about video games. It’s a delight for my brain so far and I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent all of this morning and afternoon reading (it was glorious) and I’ve learned 3 new words I adore:
- dilettante
- Weltschmerz
- palimpsest

Pls note: photos taken “while reading” are obviously not as impromptu as they may appear on Instagram. They’re usually when (a) you’re on a reading intermission because you either haven’t started or are getting a bit tired of reading for so long or (b) there’s a long period of descriptive text that doesn’t necessarily represent the quality of the book and is a good time to hashtag let-me-take-a-selfie. So don’t read this one page and form an opinion about the book. Instagram isn’t reality. 😜

Pls also note I’m only 40% through the book so my review isn’t definite. I’ve been burned before by jumping too excitedly to recommend a book (in this case, TV show) to everyone around me before realizing it gets WEIRD later on. So take my moment of excitement with a grain of salt - more thoughts to come!
Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and @leuchtturm1917 @leuchtturm1917canada! 👀 Here’s a closer look!

Can you tell I had so much fun unboxing this 😅 It’s my new desk pen for days that I want to feel a little ✨fancy✨

#gifted #pen #amwriting #bulletjournalleuchtturm1917 #gelpen #journal #journaling #planner #studygram #aestheticstudy #bujo #bulletjournal #bulletjournalpen #bujopen #minimalistplanner #bulletjournaling #bulletjournalcommunity #penlover
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