I’m a list-maker.

It’s not just the thrill of crossing something off the list that drives me to this method of organizing my days.

It’s the fact that I will forget about things if they are not there in front of me, on paper. (Digital lists don’t work for me. I’m a paper gal.)

When I’ve burned out on one task, or when I have a few minutes before an appointment, I’ll check my to-do list to see if there isn’t something I can knock off, or at least get started on.

I still sometimes have problems getting everything done, though. I’m still trying to figure out how to structure my writer’s life to best effect.

I kind of like the idea I bumped into today, via an article in The Muse. It highlights a work habit of Jack Dorsey (of Twitter and Square fame): identify a “theme” of each work day, and keep returning to that focus, even if you get distracted by day-to-day tasks.

It also made me think of a Podio infographic I saw come through my social media feed recently, which invited readers to match their daily routines with those of famous creative people. (I probably most resemble Victor Hugo.)

And, in my search for the above infographic, the rabbit hole o’ the Interwebz led me to another book to add to my to-read pile: Daily Rituals by Mason Currey.

What does your daily routine look like when you are at your most productive? What elements are necessary for your writing life?