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title: Wander
modified: 2026-04-03
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> “Not all those who wander are lost.” — J.R.R. Tolkienx

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Wandering is a deliberate permission to be aimless — to follow curiosity instead of a plan, to notice detours, and to prioritize discovery over productivity.

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1. Do the opposite of what you think you should.
2. Lose all sense of time and place.
3. If you start to think you are wasting your time, then you are doing it correctly.

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# How to practice wandering

* Walk without a destination: take a different street or turn at the next corner.
* Read sideways: follow citations, footnotes, and tangents instead of only main body.
* Micro-wanders: give yourself 20—60 minutes a day to explore a single odd curiosity with no output requirement.
* Create friction for plans: remove your navigation app for a short walk, or bring only one notecard and a pen.
* Keep a ‘‘wander log’’: capture one surprising observation or idea after each session.

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[Flânerie](https://www.google.com/search?q=Flânerie) is a person who lounges or strolls around in a seemingly aimless way; an idler or loafer.

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[Not caring lets us perform better](not-caring-lets-us-perform-better.md)

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[Boredom promotes creativity](boredom-promotes-creativity.md)

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[Lateral Thinking](lateral-thinking.md)