The Zen Habits blog listed ten questions that can help you take action. In this series of posts I suggest how to apply those specifically to writing more. You can easily adapt them to drawing or whatever other creative activity you'd like to increase.
4. Does this have major meaning in your life?
I've never been a fan of musing about the regrets you might have on your deathbed. I suspect the main thing you'll wish is that you'd had a better doctor. That's assuming you have the luxury of a deathbed instead of being squashed by a number 14 bus.
More important is what you are thinking right now--is there something you're putting off doing that would have meaning for you?
If writing doesn't have any particular meaning for you, let it go. Find something that does. Maybe you already have.
However, if the fact that another month has gone by and you still haven't dedicated any time to what matters to you bothers you, then this is a great question to ask not only about what you want to do, but also about what you are doing.
You're ironing the sheets. Does that have meaning in your life?
How about watching that box set of Doctor Who?
How about cooking for your family every night?
I'm not suggesting that these things are necessarily bad or trivial. It may be that ironing the sheets is your form of meditation. It may be that you watch that box set with your kids and afterward you discuss it and that's a way for you to spend time together. It may be that cooking is your favorite creative outlet.
On the other hand, you may be ironing the sheets because that's what your mother and her mother before her did. You may be watching that box set to kill time. You may be doing all the cooking because you haven't realized it won't kill your spouse to cook one night a week or that the world won't end if you get pizza delivered once in a while.
You can't spend 100% of your time doing deeply meaningful things but if you're not spending at least 20% of your time on those, then maybe it's time for a re-think.
