Routines Are Great, But Spontaneity Is The Key To Brain Expansion — Here’s Why

This piece was originally published on Mindbodygreen, but you can read more on these topics on our newsletter, Head in the Clouds.

Have you ever felt like all of your days look exactly the same — like you’re running on a hamster wheel? In many cases, linear life paths void of spontaneity can leave us feeling empty, uninspired and sometimes even worse, burned out. It’s as if we’re just checking off boxes in our life, constantly preparing for the next best thing.

This robotic mentality has even been seeping into our well-being habits. These days, it seems like you can’t scroll on social media for more than a couple of minutes before seeing yet another person share their detailed routine rundown; their perfect “5 to 9” ritual.

As a clinical psychology researcher and co-founder of a mental well-being company, I’m all for finding consistency in structured habits — they can be a great way to turn our well-being into an unconscious, integrated part of our lives. That said, routines aren’t the end-all-be-all when it comes to supporting our overall wellness.

In fact, I believe there is one crucial component missing from our current well-being conversations: the importance of openness and spontaneity.

The benefits of being spontaneous.

Let’s be honest: Spontaneity is often framed as frivolous, or worse, irresponsible. In a world that’s…