Every day I think to myself that there I need to update my blog. At the moment, I could run about five blogs on difference topics and keep them all full. My problem isn’t content, it’s routine.

I’m out of the routine of keeping this blog up to date.

I’m out of the routine of a bunch of things. I looked at my ‘to-do’ list today, and I think that “book into the dentist” has been on there for six months.

Is it just me, or did we never have to-do lists as kids. Why was that? We still had things to do. We just did them when we wanted to. When we felt like it. This wasn’t always a good thing, because homework was often left to the last minute, chores were rarely completed on time, and I once forgot my mother’s birthday. But we all made it through. We all grew up. Here we are, living proof that we didn’t need a to-do list to get through those difficult years.

Today, however, I have a list. Each item has a neat square box drawn next to it, awaiting the tick of completion. The tick of success. The tick of approval. Well done. You did it. Next.

I wish there were more interesting things on my to-do list. At the moment it’s a list of people to call, emails to send, problems that need solutions.

Wouldn’t a more exciting to-do list read:

[ ] Have fun today
[ ] Listen to some kick-ass music
[ ] Watch a great movie
[ ] Hang out with your friends
[ ] Spread the love

Would I be more compelled to tick those boxes. I think so. The first two are easy enough. The third as well, as I have taken to putting films on my iPod and watching them on the bus in the morning (today I’m watching Garden State). We should all make time for number four. Five. I’m not sure about five. I’ll keep you posted.

So, I need routine. I need the routine of doing the things that matter, the things that are important, and not the things that exist simply to fill the gap between today and tomorrow.

I’m going to write a new to-do list. A list with things actually worth doing. Or maybe I’ll through my to-do list today and live on instinct. It worked for me as a kid. Perhaps it’ll work for me now.

So…

Anyone for a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos?