The Japanese Maple – late to turn but right now those tiny, delicate star leaves are falling all around.

I’ve worked at the dining table for the past few days and watched the grey sky settle in and stay a long, long while. Winter habits have been well and truly established: tea drinking, thick sock wearing, procrastinating. Daydreaming fits in there somewhere too; before and after the incessant procrastinating.

Today I read an interesting article about distraction (ironically I discovered it on facebook, the greatest distractor of them all). I’m going to put my hand up really high and admit: I am so easily distracted – by phone messages, a bulging inbox, a whistling kettle and the overwhelming to-do list that seems, on most days, never-ending. However, the beauty of such a discovery has prompted me to really criticise think about how I go about my days and, more importantly, how I can make them more productive.

Every Monday for the next few weeks I’m going to write about living a less-distracted life. Note I used the word “less” – distraction can sometimes be incredibly inspiring, to erase it completely would be boring. I’m going to start with my inbox which is currently in a dire state (apologises if I owe you an email). It’s going to be a one-small-step-at-a-time attempt to add a little of the practical to my otherwise dreamy creative days.

I suppose it’s a wabi-sabi way of living – getting rid of the unnecessary to really appreciate and benefit from the necessary. Practicing simplicity.