There's something analogous here to a Sprint (in software development), and a lot of this resonates. Outside of work, I generally have a creative Goal, which might take one week or ten, and check in with myself twice a day to plan what I'm going to do towards it.

Each morning, while working, I have the One Essential Thing I Need to Do Today, and then just take everything else as it comes. Some days I'll do nothing else, other days, I'll tick a dozen or more items off the list.

Then in the evenings, I do the same again: will I draw/paint/code/write or play/watch TV? I'm not doing the same thing every day, but I'm making continuous increments towards the Goal.