I'd say I'm 75 percent setting a routine and schedule and 25 just make it up as i go. What say you internet?
I'd say I'm 75 percent setting a routine and schedule and 25 just make it up as i go. What say you internet?
Great question!
I like to engage in what I think of as "planned spontaneity." I used to live in a place where there were several things to do or see a few hours a away, so I loved it when friends would be suddenly say, "Want to go (to such-and-such) tomorrow?" or just a local coffee shop after work that night. It didn't happen often, but it was enough to leave a lasting impression and sense of withdrawal when it ended. I miss the days when things seemed a little more carefree.
Even though life became a lot more structured as more and more responsibilities were added on... One of my goals for the upcoming years is to try to get back a little bit more of that last-minute adventure.![]()
I’m definitely a planner.
The only time I’d be spontaneous is when it’s night time and I have the midnight giggles or if I’m feeling random.
Make one day a week the random stuff day. Wait, that's planning it...
A good friend and I have a "dream trip" planned hopefully for sometime next year.
P.S. I always find it fascinating that God makes us all so differently. Although I still get bit by the procrastination bug, doing everything at the last minute all the time would give me panic attacks. But I love the fact that God puts people together to play off each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Last-minute people help keep me balanced by reminding me not to take things too seriously and loosen up once in a while.![]()
I hope you have a wonderful time. I’m moving overseas for several years for school and will be traipsing Europe with a friend.
I have much latitude in my day but the absence of planning would hinder my productivity.
I know many sing the merits of spontaneity. But I’m privy to the challenges many face when greater responsibilities arrive. Like marriage and children. There’s a reason homemaking, cooking and organizing are popular topics on social media. Orderliness brings a measure of peace and satisfaction that can’t be ignored.
And the bible tells us to count our days and addresses the perils when vision is lacking. We see the continual outworking of God’s plan from start to finish. He didn’t throw it together.
I'm not saying I'm a compulsive overplanner, but I do tend to pack my suitcases a week in advance of a trip.
I used to think this was extreme as well, but now know that it's a necessity (for me, maybe not for other people) to pack well in advance (can I claim to be more obsessive compulsive than you if I admit that I packed over a month in advance for my last trip?)
I also have a regular checklist I made up a long time ago of basic things that are divided into categories ("Clothes," "Toiletries," "Entertainment," "Documents," etc.) so I'm less likely to forget anything.
The past few trips I've made, I not only had to pack far in advance, but also write down some specifics of what I packed ("red ninja t-shirt") because otherwise I'll forget if I included something to wear to church or not, etc. I'm also a chronic over-packer, so packing in advance gives me time to see what I use in my current normal routine and hopefully swap a few things out.
While I'd like to tell myself I'm just "being organized", perhaps "going stupid crazy" would be a more accurate description.![]()
Thank you so much and I hope you have an amazing experience studying overseas! I think that's one of the most daring and enriching experiences a person can embark on. I've had friends and family who have done this and while I haven't done so yet myself, maybe someday.
You sound like an absolutely fascinating person and I really hope you'll tell us more about your experiences and adventures.![]()
I'm more spontaneous and too much planning bothers me (especially coming from another person, unless it's for professional reasons, and even then, I like to have a measure of flexibility in my work).
For example, if you ask me "What are your plans for this weekend?" or next week, or next month, or this summer, etc. I will literally not have anything to tell you unless there's a particular event that I want to attend or a particular situation that's extra-ordinary that requires me to make a plan for it beforehand (a friend visiting from far away, etc.).
My closest physical friend and I are similar in this regard and we just randomly decide to do things together, kind of on the spot. And we never get upset if either of us somehow changes their mind right before the meeting or if we arrive late, etc. It probably helps that we're in very similar situations in life and live kind of close to each other, though.