I spend weeks, months, years just noting ideas. The rate at which I've gotten new ideas has accelerated recently. I write down the ideas. sometimes I outline on paper. All of it is simply to keep my ideas straight. I don't want to forget them, and there have been many ideas that I've lost in the past.
then I eventually feel like an idea has to be written out and turned into a story/novel. At that point, I need to think up several scenes so that I can actually go. I outline it in my head by deciding how I'm going to get to that scene. That generally tells me where I have to go out of it (or at least lets me know what my options are).
I sometimes find myself needing to talk about it with other people so I can figure out what my options are. Lots of conversation, usually in writing, are needed. as I go through.
As for daily prep, nto much is needed. Usually a game or two of something, an hour usually being too much, is enough. I then just open the document to where I was and pick it back up.
What is your daily prep like EUOL?