4189: Planning Ahead Is the Key to Living With More Spontaneity by Nir Eyal on Intentional Living

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[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01] This is Optimal Living Daily. Planning Ahead Is the Key to Living With More Spontaneity by Nir Eyal of nearandfar.com. And with that, let's get right to it and continue optimizing your life. Planning Ahead Is the Key to Living With More Spontaneity by Nir Eyal of nearandfar.com.

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_01] It may seem counterintuitive, but spontaneity often can't happen without a bit of advanced planning. 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.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_01] That's why I say the key to spontaneity is time boxing, 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.

[00:02:32] [SPEAKER_01] They remind me that the very definition of a spontaneous act is that it is not planned. Still, I stand by time boxing as a surefire way to make spontaneity happen. Here's why. Only people with time can be spontaneous. People find the idea of time boxing restrictive, as if it's policing their time. But the truth is, time boxing is liberating because it makes more time for spontaneity.

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_01] When we're frazzled and distracted, the joy of spontaneity goes out the window. For instance, when I used ineffective productivity tools, for example, a to-do list to finish everything I wanted to, I tried to do too much in a day. When my daughter would ask to play, I tried to be spontaneous, but would end up checking work emails on my phone in the middle of our time together. By trying to do too much at once, I failed at being both productive at work and attentive to my daughter.

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_01] Today, although it sounds like an oxymoron, I plan spontaneity. By using a time box calendar, I have time apportioned for spontaneous fun with my daughter. During the four-hour block of time we have planned most weekends, we're never sure what we'll do. Maybe we'll go to the park, fly a kite, or stop by the science museum. Who knows? We're free to be spontaneous because I know what I will not be doing during that time. Since it was planned in advance and is on my calendar,

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_01] I know I'll not be checking my phone or giving in to any other distraction during our time together. If we don't plan our time, someone else will. Scheduling spontaneity doesn't lessen the joy of spontaneity. It enables it. You still have the freedom to do whatever strikes you in the moment, even more so because you know that's exactly what you intended to do. If anything, time boxing lets you enjoy your spontaneity guilt-free without feeling as if you should be doing something else,

[00:04:29] [SPEAKER_01] like checking another box off your to-do list in the name of productivity. Getting started with time boxing. To create a weekly time box schedule, you first have to decide how much time you want to spend on each domain of your life, yourself, your important relationships, and your work, according to your values. Your values are the attributes of the person you want to become. Kindness, generosity, and being a good friend are all values, to name a few.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_01] Ask yourself why spontaneity is important to you. How does it help you become the person you want to be? Maybe doing something spontaneous with your family meets your value of being a better parent and partner. Or maybe the happiness you feel afterward helps you achieve the healthy lifestyle you want. Then, turn your values into time by creating a weekly calendar template for your perfect week. Allot of time for spontaneity in your time box calendar.

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_01] Each week, you can reassess or fine-tune your calendar to best suit your values. Be indistractable. Making a time box calendar is an important step to becoming indistractable. When you know exactly what you want to be doing every moment of the day, then you more easily recognize when distraction is pulling you away from that. Then, rather than fall victim to the vicious cycle of distraction that eats up your time for spontaneity, you're better equipped to escape it.

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_01] You can quell any internal or external trigger that nudges you off course from your time box calendar. What's more, by making time for spontaneity, you enhance your ability to focus on work. Taking good breaks from work can reduce mental fatigue, boost brain function, and keep us on task for longer periods. If your spontaneous act involves laughing, exercise, or exposure to nature, it can improve your attention and refresh your focus.

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER_01] Time boxing spontaneity, therefore, leads to a better life by making time for traction, actions we do with forethought that move us toward what we really want. So, the next time you find you need some extra spontaneity in your life, remember to plan for it. You just listened to the post titled, Planning Ahead Is The Key To Living With More Spontaneity by Nir Eyal of nearandfar.com

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[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_01] you'll also find great prices on monitors and accessories and perks like Dell rewards, fast free shipping, and financing with flexible payment options. Visit dell.com slash deals. That's dell.com slash deals. Take it in here. I will admit, I am not much of a planner. Obviously, some things require planning, but if it's not mandatory, then there's a good chance

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_01] I won't bother planning it. I tend to be more spontaneous by nature, which, like he said, can be a good thing for happiness, but I like this idea of planning for spontaneity. There's a good quote in there, we're free to be spontaneous because we know what we'll not be doing during that time. I think that's very true. When we pack things in without any sense of time or how long things will take, they'll tend to fill up whatever time it is we have. So as an example,

[00:09:18] [SPEAKER_01] if I know I have about three hours of work to do before a dinner reservation, no matter how much work I have to do that day, it'll probably fall pretty close to those full three hours. Even if I finish early, I'll probably find work to fill the rest of the time. So I think that's where time boxing can help. And another good suggestion in there, he said, you first have to decide how much time you want to spend on each domain of your life, yourself, your important relationships and your work

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_01] according to your values. Something we should revisit every once in a while for sure. Oh, and a long time ago, just 15 days into this show actually, I read an article titled Time Boxing by Steve Pavlina. So if you want to hear more about that idea specifically, how to time box, all that fun stuff, you can check out episode 15 way back in the day. But I'll leave it there for today. Thank you for listening and being here. Have a great rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow

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