for me:
1: open up my last finished, or nearly finished project, that has a similar setup to what i want to use. (correct type of distortion busses etc).
2:change the lead into something that doesnt remind me of the previous track (both melody and sound design)
3:start working on the main fullon section of the track, modifying the lead, and any available pads and blip making synths i have loaded. i'll stay on this section until i got something that i think can carry a track. sometimes its just getting the lead sounding nice, and sometimes i'll get some pads to harmonize with it. there will be some eq work in this stage too
4: take a step back, and look at the current structure of the track, and decide what areas need to be rearranged for the curent track. do i want the lead to filter in at bar 48, or to hit hard at 129, after a 32 bar chillout.
up to this point i havent touched the drums in any way, but now they will get rearranged to match what i want with this track.
5: the melody is sounding nice and i've arranged things into a structure that i like, though this might and probably will get changed at a later stage. now i'll start changing the drum sounds that i was using in the previous track, so that the track doesnt remind me of the previous track in any way. these drums will probably also get changed again later, but some might stay.
6: at this point, its now a bit of everything, just rearranging and fine tuning, more and more. eq, sound design, move things etc, and maybe work on a second melody for the lead, and see if i can improve it. things like that.
have to stop typing now, but hopefully that was helpful to someone!