Being spontaneous can be good for you. 6 ways to ditch the plans and play it by ear.

Between work, chores and the constant expectation to be available online or via text, who has free time anymore? And, if you’re a parent, the added full-time job of child-rearing makes it easy to feel like you’re scheduled within an inch of your life. In fact, a 2023 OnePoll survey distributed by CBS found that 6 in 10 Americans feel like they don’t have enough time to do everything they need to do in a day.

Being so booked and busy means there aren’t many chances for spontaneous activities, like grabbing a drink with a friend you just ran into, or simply breaking out of your daily routine. But some unplanned time has benefits, such as reducing stress, experts say. And working some spontaneous moments into your day can be easier than it sounds. Here’s what to know.

What even counts as spontaneity?

According to Edward Slingerland, who literally wrote the book on spontaneity (Trying Not to Try: Ancient China, Modern Science, and the Power of Spontaneity), it means “doing something in a way that’s not forced or overly thought-out,” he tells Yahoo Life. “That doesn’t mean it’s mindless necessarily, it just means it’s not overly effortful.” A spontaneous activity could be something as lavish as taking a last-minute trip. But for most people, it’s as simple as having some unscheduled time on your or your family’s calendar, says Slingerland, who is also a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia.

What spontaneity isn’t, however, is using that unstructured time to scroll. “I think the biggest barrier to spontaneity is the smartphone because it captures your attention,” Slingerland says. “A big part of spontaneity is actually internal,” he adds. Our minds need time to wander, or to simply be free from the distractions of social media or news articles, he explains.

The benefits of spontaneity

Having every hour planned may seem like the way to be our most productive selves, but that’s not necessarily the case, experts say. “We’re often optimal when we’re not trying to be optimal,” says Slingerland. “And trying too hard actually leads to poorer outcomes than just relaxing; there’s a lot of modern psychological evidence that supports that.”

Being spontaneous can help to keep your brain healthy as you age too. “When we’re doing something new and novel, our brain has to be as fully present as possible,” says Katina Bajaj, a psychologist and co-founder of Daydreamers, a platform aimed at fostering creativity. “It’s really helping us to build these new neural pathways that ... should build the density of the brain, which helps us as we age.”

In the shorter term, unscheduled time and new, unplanned activities can help alleviate the stress of a packed schedule, while helping us get better at coping when unexpected challenges come up. “The more we do new and exciting things, the more we’re able to draw from that knowledge and trust” that everything will be OK, even when things don’t go as planned, says Bajaj.

And most importantly, it’s just more fun to be spontaneous, according to science. Studies have found that people simply enjoy activities more when they are unplanned. “When we give ourselves that moment to say ‘anything goes here’ ... it allows us to have more fun while we’re doing it,” Bajaj says.

6 ways to be more spontaneous

Ready to play it by ear? Try these tips.

Set down the smartphone

As previously stated, just putting away your smartphone is a good first step. Your default distraction won’t be immediately available, leaving your mind more open to whatever strikes your fancy at the moment. Doing this in a structured way may make it easier to stick to, says Slingerland. For example, his 18-year-old daughter self-imposed “smartphone fasts,” establishing set times during which she isn’t on the device each day. “We can set up rules that ... [later] help us be more spontaneous,” says Slingerland. “My present self can help my future self by taking certain steps.”

Go for an ‘awe walk’

But if that falls a bit short of your definition of “spontaneous,” try an awe walk, Bajaj suggests. Instead of mapping out a careful route, she says, pay attention to what you see and let your curiosity guide you. When you experience awe from seeing unexpected beauty or details, “it’s really rewiring the brain,” says Bajaj. “It allows us to be more present in everyday life, and that kind of lengthens our experience [of time].”

Save a day for adventures

If possible, block off one day a week (ideally a day when there’s no work, school or other commitments) for spontaneous activities only. Think: Explore a neighborhood near you that you haven’t spent much time in; go for a hike; play whichever board game calls your name. Or maybe just take a nap. Slingerland says he and his partner reserve one day a week to do whatever they feel like — and sometimes that’s just cuddling up for a snooze.

Finish the sentence ‘I miss...’

When you have a couple of free hours, think about how you mostly spend your time. Then, think about how you’d like to be spending it, and the things you miss from a less busy era, suggests Bajaj. Now, try doing those things! If you miss dancing, all you need is some headphones and a good playlist. If it’s a friend, give them an impromptu call.

Say yes to last-minute invitations

While planning some unscheduled time is a good way to build your spontaneous muscle, you’ll get the most reward from letting spontaneity happen. Next time a friend invites you to go see a movie or grab a drink at the last minute, go for it rather than turning down the invitation because you still have too many items on your to-do list.

Eat more adventurously

Try a new restaurant without poring through online reviews (or deciding in advance what you’ll order). Instead, try just driving (or, better yet, awe walking) around until you spot a place that looks good to you, suggests Slingerland. “Maybe it’s going to suck, and then you won’t go back there, but we need to guard against the desire for everything to be optimal,” he says. “Sometimes it’s going to be suboptimal, but at least you weren’t reading reviews for an hour.”