this Buddha helps make a tiny corner of my yard feel peaceful

Because my heart feels a little heavy these days, a gratitude list to help lift my spirits... because there's always something to be grateful for.

sunshine and blue skies
D. and Cassie
corn on the cob + butter + salt
my books and home library nook
my local library
my art supplies
Arrested Development
L., and J., and J. and K., and A., and A., and J.... I could go on
Mud Lake, a nature lover's haven right here in the city
Hawk, Kingfisher and Osprey encountered at Mud Lake last Saturday
my little Honda Civic
having enough money set aside to put new ball joints on my little Honda Civic
a mechanic I trust
the sound of the rain falling outside my window
an upcoming road trip to New Brunswick
a clean kitchen counter
July's trip to Prince Edward County
my happy shoes: pink ballerina flats embroidered with fuchsia and turquoise flowers
my backyard Buddha
fresh strawberries in August, two bags of them in the freezer for January
Morning Pages
possibility
silence
this space
you

With gratitude,

Steph

This is the third in a series of weekly Productivity Prompts - quick, simple tips or practices gleaned from productivity-related books or blogs that have helped me better manage my work, my time, or move things forward.

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This week's prompt is directly from Scott Belsky's book, Making Ideas Happen (p. 59 - thank you Mr. Belsky!).

Out of all of my readings it was the first time I saw a tool like this to help me prioritize my work and I swear I was downright giddy. Not only is it visual, but it's based on managing energy and the premise that when it comes to taking action and completing projects, energy is our "most precious commodity."

Called the energy line, it's a visual prompt to help determine how much energy each of our current projects should receive at any given time based on its relative importance.

For example, booking the caterer for next month's art show opening may need extreme focus today while putting the finishing touches on yesterday's painting can sit idle until next week.

Simply plunk your projects in the applicable columns and voilà... priorities visually identified!

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Credits, references & inspiration:

Scott Belsky, Making Ideas Happen, Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision & Reality. I borrowed this book from the library and within a few days it was full of sticky notes. A productivity-related book geared specifically towards creatives, it's now part of my permanent collection. I suggest you check it out.
I also recommend that you check out the Behance Network if you haven't yet (it was new to me). Created by Mr. Belsky's company, it's a platform for creative professionals to connect across multiple industries.