Why Spontaneity Is Great? 4 Tips To Reflect And Recalibrate

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Are you living a very planned life with little room for spontaneity? Why is Spontaneity good? What exactly is the role of spontaneity in today’s world?

At LifeVidya we usually take a retreat to pause, reflect and recalibrate twice a year. While the timing is always planned, the exact location and itinerary of the break is left to divine spontaneity. This has always benefitted us, and we are here as always to share our insights and learnings on “Why spontaneity is good?” for your careers and life.

First things first, “how much of your day is planned and how much is in the flow or living in the moment?

Are you one of those many people who works over 10 hour days on weekdays and then lives it up on weekends? That’s a structure that many professionals follow. It helps us earn our bread and have a social life over weekends too. This is default mode for many of us.

Now, think about how much you feel aligned with such a lifestyle? Do you want to have more flexibility, more time to engage in something spontaneous? Who are you at your core? Where is your joy? How much of a pre-determined or structured life do you want to lead?

In our work with students and professionals the MBTI parameters point towards this need for a structured or spontaneous approach to life. This is an essential and detailed discussion point. Some of us love spontaneity and live in the moment, while others are happy work to schedules and routines for most of their life. Typically, your choice of careers and lifestyle should reflect this need or predisposition.

There is no one good way. But there are ways that are more aligned for one person over another.

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Think, and be honest with yourself. Most of us in this urbanised world live to pre-decided schedules and plans so we can be more productive and have a certain idea about what to achieve etc. If you feel the need to pause and step back, you are left fearing a lost promotion or job opportunity often.

This mindset starts with our day care centers, timetables in schools and schedules thereafter. Honestly, these structures and schedules are great, and I have always liked to have more than 50 to 60 percent of my day or week somewhat planned. This makes meetings and trainings possible alongside time for self and family. However, the moment this magical routine is for more than 50 to 60 percent of my week or day my sense of well-being starts to fall short.

I start feeling the itch for a long walk in nature, a quiet day reading a book, more play time with my dog, or pick an upcycling project using waste in the house. So, I have learnt to become more aware of these nuances of my mood and how spontaneity is a very important facet for me.

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Now, I make sure that at least 30 to 40 percent of my or week is unscheduled. Now, unscheduled does not mean less productive. Very often it means giving space for your creative and intuitive side to guide you through the practical realities of life and work. Without this inner compass, we would be lost. It also provides for more heartful conversations with family and loved ones in the spur of the moment, something that enhances joy immensely.

I once read somewhere, “You can google anything, but you cannot google yourself!” And that hit hard. Spending time journaling, reflecting, painting, walking, praying, meditating, reading, playing, exercising is so important for me. And rarely will the world of work schedule adequate time for it. And for people who are creative and intuitive, rarely will they succeed if they don’t just go within. So, how do you know if you would like more spontaneity in your life?

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4 Tips to reflect on your need for spontaneity:

  • You feel robotic and out of sorts when you stick to neatly planned schedules and routines month after month
  • You find more joy in a simple cup of chai with a friend planned spontaneously than an elaborate 3 course dinner in a 5-star setting
  • You love spending time with children and animals who really have limited respect for schedules and time-tables
  • You get your brightest ideas when you are “not” working in the conventional sense

These are some indicators. They should be good enough to get you started.

Benefits of Spontaneity:

And now you may ask, “What exactly is the use of all this self-reflection? What are the benefits of spontaneity when the world is focusing on discipline, routine, self-regulation etc. I guess @lifevidya, the answer lies in maintaining a balance. The dominant state of the world is very planned, scheduled with little respect for intuition or doing things on the spur of the moment. But how about a world where you are disciplined and yet intuitive and open to possibilities. This is the magic of nurturing spontaneity in your life.

And you need creative ideas to convert into productive products and services. These ideas don’t emerge when you are burdened with deadlines and schedules. They need mental and emotional space.

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Tips to Recalibrate and Embrace your Spontaneity:

If this sounds like something you want to try, here are some tips to get started:

  1. Look at your schedule and see if there is space for reflection, rest or to “just be”
  2. Think of how much time you have for a spontaneous activity that is soulfully fulfilling
  3. Start with the intention of creating these buffers so you can afford to go with the flow when you want to
  4. Go to step 1 and repeat till you find the balance that works for you

To read more authentic content on creating more joy and alignment in your life, do check out the following links:

How Do You Transform Challenges Into Opportunities?

Overcoming Obstacles In Life | The Kubler-Ross Model [Personal Growth Series]

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