I find that photo projects have helped develop my photography hugely. It often gives me a direction and reason to go out with my camera, keeping my interest going when often it could wane.
I tend to have a number of projects on the go at one time so that, in theory, I’ve always got the possibility to add to one of them photographically depending on how much time I’ve got available or on the weather. Just now I’ve got 4 long term ones on the go. 2 coastal and 2 inland. The coastal ones are Sands of Forvie, Aberdeenshire (shown here) which is 20 minutes from my home, and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides which isn’t so handy at 8 hours drive and a ferry journey. 
The inland projects are of the woodland near my house which is 2 minutes walk and a wild area in Moray on the edge of the Cairngorms which is 40 minutes drive …. so a good variety of landscapes and enough to keep my enthusiasm going for most of the year. I do struggle with July and August though- it’s so green!
Shona Grant visual artist 