Routine and Spontaneity

(me hiking the La Jolla trail in Malibu last weekend 03/10/2012)

I was just doing a little breakfast time reading on Cryptography and different encryption methods on Wolfram Alpha (which is one of my favorite websites, by the way) when I stumbled upon Stephen Wolfram's blog! I had read the guy's wikipedia page before, so I knew he was awesome. But then I read his latest blog entry and it totally blew my mind.

Mr. Wolfram has been collecting data about himself since 1989 - data like incoming/outgoing emails, keystrokes, meetings, hours on the phone, number of steps taken, latest modification dates on files. Then he analyzed the data and the results are quite amazing. You have to see the "average daily rhythms" graphs that he posted.

So, it's all really cool, but what really spoke to me was this sentence:

"[M]y consistent experience has been that the more routine I can make the basic practical aspects of my life, the more I am able to be energetic—and spontaneous—about intellectual and other things."

I love that. I've heard so many people identify as either spontaneous or routine, and I cringe at both. But I never really had anything to say about which I am or would like to be. This morning I read the ideal description of routine and spontaneity that I want for my life.