I've moved a lot over the last 25 years, and taken even more trips. Whether it's an overseas move or a weekend getaway, I've had to decide over and over what I can take with me to be able to keep working on my current project(s). The usual limits are space and weight, so taking your collection of history books or all of the color-coded binders you've created about your story world is often not possible.

Neuroscientists have found that there is a limit to how many decisions the brain can make in a day. So the more we can create systems, lists, and habits that keep us from having to make the same decision over and over, the easier it will be to decide what to pack for our trips.

I share some tips from my experiences, from having a separate toiletry bag already packed with all your usual products to using a similar thought process in packing up writing stuff.