The Key to Living With More Spontaneity Is Planning Ahead
In a 2020 study, 72% of people said they feel happier after a spontaneous act. Those who described themselves as a “spontaneous person” were 40% more likely to consider themselves a “happy person.”
Of course, free time for spontaneity is hard to come by. That’s why I say the key to spontaneity is timeboxing, a powerful method for getting things done that involves planning out periods of time each day to focus on distinct tasks.
But suggesting that people need to schedule spontaneity earns me some pretty weird looks, not to mention a lot of resistance. Often, people balk. “You want me to plan every minute of my day?” they gasp. They remind me that the very definition of a spontaneous act is that it is not planned.
Still, I stand by timeboxing as a surefire way to make spontaneity happen. Here’s why.
Only people with time can be spontaneous
People find the idea of timeboxing restrictive, as if it’s policing their time. But the truth is, timeboxing is liberating because it makes more time for spontaneity.
When we’re frazzled and distracted, the joy of spontaneity goes out the window.
