An Inspiralized Calendar + A @Minted Giveaway!

An Inspiralized Calendar

I’m a big to-do lister and calendar organizer. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to...

An Inspiralized Calendar + A @Minted Giveaway!

I’m a big to-do lister and calendar organizer. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to write down my priorities or tasks for the day. If I didn’t, I’d probably forget to brush my teeth in the morning.

In honor of New Year’s resolutions and the New Year itself, I figured I’d start the year off right with a big beautiful calendar full of Inspiralized recipe shots – made by Minted! Also, they’re giving away two lucky readers a $75 gift card to use at Minted.com!

I went with a calendar full of my own recipe shots to inspire me every day to keep improving on creativity and my photography. Plus, I think that pictures of food are beautiful. Food energizes, nourishes and keeps us alive!

Minted creates beautiful products – I’ve been dreaming of ordering their business cards, menu cards and party invitations. Everything they make they do with such care and elegance, they’re really a wonderful company.

Let’s look inside the calendar, shall we?

Each month has a seasonal Inspiralized dish to go along with it. For January, I featured my Inspiralized Bun (the picture is so cool!)

An Inspiralized Calendar + A @Minted Giveaway!

In the bottom right corner of each page, I included the name of the recipe, for fun, like with this Butternut Squash “Risotto”:

An Inspiralized Calendar + A @Minted Giveaway!

An Inspiralized Calendar + A @Minted Giveaway!

For the summer months, I went with my Avocado-Basil Zucchini Noodles with Chile Lime Shrimp.

An Inspiralized Calendar + A @Minted Giveaway!

This calendar is going right next to my desk in my apartment. So pretty.

In the spirit of organizing, here are some of my tips for staying organized:

Make a daily to-do list and keep it somewhere near (a desk, a purse, a bedside table). My list lives in a notebook by my computer on my desk. I only use that notebook for my to-do lists. By designating a notebook solely for your tasks, you’ll automatically feel more organized and peaceful knowing that you always know where to find your to-do list. Keep your list wherever you do your work, whether that’s your desk, your coat pocket or on your phone.

Spend time making and prioritizing a daily to-do list. Don’t just scribble down things you “want” to get done that day. First, write down the things you absolutely MUST get done at the top of your list. Then, beneath those tasks, write down the things you’d like or want to get done. When you see a to-do list prioritized, it’s easy to keep focused.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get everything done on your daily to-do list. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed when my list for the day is 20 tasks long. By simply prioritizing your “Top 3” major tasks for the day, you can feel accomplished if that’s all you get done, in case the day takes an unintended turn (emergencies, special occasions, weather, etc). Just make sure that those “Top 3” tasks are the most important.

Always start your day with your to-do list. When I first wake up, I sit at my desk with my coffee and I look over my to-do list. Sometimes, based on ideas I’ve had that previous night or that morning, I’ll adjust my list. I’ll shift some priorities around or schedule a task for another day. While I sit with my coffee and finalize the list, it instantly brings me peace-of-mind. Instantly, you’ll start scheduling out your day and know what needs to get done.

Always end your day with your to-do list. I usually try to cut myself off from major work around 7pm. Around 6:45pm, I take about 10-15 minutes to look at that day’s to-do list and figure out what I got done, what I didn’t get done, what should have gotten done and what I did that I could’ve saved for another day. By spending a few minutes “debriefing” with yourself, you’ll find your groove and help you stay more focused and organized moving forward. Most importantly, I always make a to-do list for the following morning/day. Without this, I feel too hectic the next morning trying to sort out what I need/want to get done. It only takes 10-15 minutes and it saves you a big headache!

Keep your tasks simple and straightforward. Making an overly detailed to-do list can do more harm than good. Seeing a lot of detail on a short list can be overwhelming. If you need to add details, they should be necessary ones. For example, if your task is “Remote Sales Meeting at 8am,” then your “detail” would simply be the number you need to use to dial-in. Use bullet points to keep the list organized. In general, to-do lists shouldn’t be cluttered with ideas and brainstorms. Save those for other lists.

Try Evernote. Evernote is an incredible organizational tool. Once you figure out how to use it to its potential, it’s a life saver. If you don’t like hand-written to-do lists, I suggest you look into Evernote. I use Evernote for my ideas and brainstorms. It keeps me focused and it’s available on your mobile device, so if I’m ever somewhere without my handy Mead notebook, I can go into Evernote and add in the thought.

Note: While Minted.com provided the calendar and giveaways for this post, all opinions are my own. All Minted links are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

 

with love, Ali

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comments

  • I would design a calendar :)
  • I love your recipes and a calendar with pictures of them would be fun in the kitchen!
  • I would design some children's art prints for my son's room.
  • I love your recipes. I have your thai sweet potato noodle dish on my menu plan for tomorrow night!
  • I love your recipes!! I could definitely use this for my upcoming wedding! :)
  • I love your recipes!!! I could definitely use this for my upcoming wedding!! :)
  • I would probably design some journals. I love your recipes! I have your thai coconut curry sweet potato noodle dish on my menu plan for tomorrow!
  • I love your recipes! I could definitely use this for my upcoming wedding!! :)
  • I love all the ideas on how to be productive each day!
  • I would design a 365-day desk calendar, each page featuring a recipe, gorgeous Inspiralized photo and inspiring quote or health tip from Ali.
  • Wow! Definitely a photo backdrop.
  • I would use this towards wedding invitations! And I LOVE all of your creations!!
  • I made my first inspiralized recipe last night and it was delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this blog!
  • I would design a journal.
  • I love Minted! I have had my eye on some of their stationary, so that's what I would use it for!
  • I am new to inspiralized and I ordered mine yesterday! Should be here tomorrow and can't wait to make something!!! All of the recipes look so amazing!
  • We are moving, so maybe new address announcements!
  • Love you more than coffee book! Or the heart picture colage under the love and marriage.
  • Good ideas for staying organized! I make a to-do list every day at work, but I hand write mine.
  • Zucchini noodles are the fav in our house!!
  • Love inspiralized and this calendar what a great idea. I would love to design a calendar and to do list!
  • I would design Valentine's Day Cards!
  • Valentine's Day Cards
  • A calendar!
  • Photo calendars for my friends and family - they make for a perfect gift! And maybe some stationary for myself :).
  • Prob something for my kiddos :)
  • Great calendar! I would love to design one of those custom art pieces on minted.com, but there are so many cool options!
  • I would design some beautiful personalized party decor!
  • An Inspiralized Calendar in the kitchen would be a perfect way to keep motivated!
  • I'm getting married this summer and have never hear of minted, WHAT is wrong with me!!! I'd love to win :)
  • I'm getting married this summer and have never heard of minted... WHAT is wrong with me!!! I'd love to win :)
  • So many cool options! My first choice to design would be a calendar, then some stationary.
  • Hi, I love your blog. Thanks for the chance to win! :)
  • I love your blog, thanks for the chance to win!
  • I have my 10th wedding anniversary coming up this June, so I would LOVE to design an invitation/card to have friends and family help my husband and I celebrate 10 years of being married.
  • Haven't stopped using my Spiralizer since the day I got it in the mail, all thanks to your inspirations! I would use mine for save the dates! :)
  • I would love the Heart Snapshot Mix!
  • I love your recipes and calendar!
  • Love the calendar you made! Not as much as I love spiralizing though :) Your blog is easy to read and your photos are wonderful...you inspire me to keep creating. Thank you!
  • Thanks for offering this - I would put this towards my wedding save the dates that I'm hoping to get from Minted!
  • Love your site, your imagination, and your recipes! Thank you so much for inspiralizing me! The $75 would be great for Graduation announcements.
  • Minted makes such great stuff! I'd order a calendar or turn some of our photos into wall art.
  • I love snail mail so I'd like to get some thank you cards with pictures of my family on them!
  • I would want a journal or stationary (:
  • This is super!! I love finding new ways to organize my life. The more planners and calendars the better!
  • Oooh, so many cute prints at Minted - I'd probably buy more art for my walls!
  • I'd definitely get some sort of wall decor! Or maybe journals for my girls.
  • I ordered my Christmas cards from minted.com this year. I'd definitely use them again if I win!
  • I would love to design some party decor!
  • I would get a print or calendar
  • I like their calendars and business cards
  • I like their calendars and business cards!
  • I admire organized people! Perhaps I could get "to-do" lists!
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