when i woke up today i knew there were many pending projects awaiting attention. after savoring two sensory-filled days up north, it’s time to settle back into the writing practice with vengeance. my hope is to have many checked boxes before the sun fades today. good news, it happens around 10pm in paris.

tackling a few projects at once can feel daunting, so i tend to break them out into workable pieces. and ensure ample tranquility tools are nearby such as tea, favorite pens, lavender oil, a candle, and water.

i begin by penning them into my daybook to help stay focused in case i find myself going down a tangential rabbit hole. hello facebook. and then i’ll determine which one to tackle first based on deadlines and excitement.

although productivity experts often encourage we conquer the biggest, most complicated task first, i find myself gravitating toward smaller, quicker ones so that i can open up brain space for the others. i also try to bundle similar tasks together such as writing, email responding, or social media.

next, i’ll gather all the information necessary to work on the project and hunker down with the plan of hitting a milestone such as completion, five written pages, or a thoughtful email response.

one key part of the process includes regular stretch breaks and a possible dangling carrot. for example, mine today is to take an afternoon stroll to the montparnasse monoprix {a parisian version of target} i loved so much last year to pick up gifts and postcards, clear my head, move my body, and grab a treat for tonight.

although our to-do lists can look daunting, it’s helpful to break projects down into action steps and to reward ourselves along the way with a walk around the block, a favorite iced tea, or a juicy read. do you have a project routine that you love? if so, please share it in the comments.

here’s to moving forward in a mindful way. bisous. x