Frequently asked
What is SPONTANEUS?
SPONTANEUS is a digital wellbeing app that reads your mood and gives you one real-world thing to do, an alternative to doomscrolling. A personal reset, not a social or activity-finding app. You tell it where your head is, drained, restless, open, whatever, and it gives you one believable next step you can actually do. Built for real life, in any city. Not a screen-time blocker, not a productivity tool. More like a friend who notices you've been scrolling too long and suggests something better.
How do I stop doomscrolling?
Most apps try to stop doomscrolling by blocking your phone or guilting you about screen time. That usually misses the point. The problem often isn't discipline. It's inertia. SPONTANEUS takes a different angle: instead of stopping the scroll, it gives you something more interesting to do. Match your mood, get one specific suggestion, tap once, go.
What can I do when I feel stuck or bored?
That depends on where your head's at. If you're drained, it might point you toward somewhere calm with warm light and no pressure. If you're restless, it might suggest movement, noise, or somewhere unfamiliar. If you're open to connection, it might suggest a place where conversations happen naturally. It also depends on your time: short on time, you get a quick, doable micro-moment; with more than 60 minutes, SPONTANEUS surfaces hyper-local real events (markets, concerts, exhibitions, and more) matched to your mood and location. SPONTANEUS matches suggestions to your mood, your time, the weather, and the city around you.
How does SPONTANEUS handle different amounts of time?
Short on time? You'll get a quick, doable micro-moment. Have more than 60 minutes? The app will show you hyper-local real events (festivals, markets, exhibitions, concerts, etc.) matched to your mood and location.
What are hyper-local real events?
When you have more time available, SPONTANEUS surfaces nearby events and special spots (pop-up markets, live music, art openings, community gatherings, beautiful nature spots, etc.) that fit how you're feeling right now.
Do I need to know about events in advance?
No. Just share your location and mood. The app finds relevant hyper-local opportunities happening near you.
Which cities does SPONTANEUS work in?
Any urban city. The mood engine and self-led activities work wherever you are. We're building deeper local content city by city. Düsseldorf is where we started, with Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, London, New York and others expanding over time. The core experience works anywhere from day one.
How is SPONTANEUS different from Calm or Headspace?
Calm and Headspace help you slow down internally. SPONTANEUS helps you reconnect with the world around you. Different moment, different need. SPONTANEUS is for the point where you want a real thing to do, not another thing to consume.
How is SPONTANEUS different from screen-time blockers like Opal or One Sec?
Screen blockers create friction by pausing or blocking apps. SPONTANEUS doesn't block anything. It offers one believable real-world alternative that fits your mood right now. Positive redirect, not punishment.
How does SPONTANEUS use my mood?
You pick one of four mood directions: Brain off, Get me unstuck, Around people, or Roll the Dice. The app combines that with the time you have, the weather, and where you are, then gives you one specific thing to do. No quizzes, no journaling, no streaks.
Is SPONTANEUS free?
Yes. The core SPONTANEUS experience is completely free, no subscription, no account required. Open it in a browser, pick your mood, and get a suggestion in under 30 seconds. Bilingual in English and German. A native Android app is planned for 2026, with iOS planned to follow in early 2027.
Do I need to create an account to use SPONTANEUS?
No account, no sign-up, no password. SPONTANEUS opens directly in your browser with no installation or onboarding. The first match takes about 30 seconds. Pick your mood and go.
What makes SPONTANEUS different from other mood apps?
Most apps in this space want more of your attention, more journaling, more streaks, more check-ins. SPONTANEUS wants less. It gives you one specific real-world suggestion matched to how you feel right now, then gets out of the way. No routines, no goals, no notifications asking you to come back.
Is SPONTANEUS backed by science?
Yes. SPONTANEUS is grounded in a century of psychology and draws on three sources: Wilhelm Wundt's 1896 tridimensional theory of feeling, Jacob Moreno's 1946 work on spontaneity as a capacity people can train and recover, and Jessica Andrews-Hanna's 2023 neuroscience research at the University of Arizona on cognitive flexibility and spontaneous thought.
What is doomscrolling and how does SPONTANEUS help?
Doomscrolling is the habit of passively scrolling through numbing or negative content even when it makes you feel worse. The loop is driven by inertia, not choice. SPONTANEUS answers it with a better alternative: one specific real-world activity matched to your mood, city, time of day, and weather. Positive redirect, not punishment.
Which mood types does SPONTANEUS support?
SPONTANEUS supports four mood directions: Brain off (overwhelmed → quiet), Get me unstuck (off the screen → into something), Around people (you don't have to talk), and Roll the Dice (decision fatigue → hand the wheel to someone else).
Does SPONTANEUS work outside Düsseldorf?
Yes. The mood engine and self-led activities work in any city. Düsseldorf is where SPONTANEUS started and has the deepest local content. Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, London, and New York are expanding next. The core experience works anywhere from day one.
Can companies use SPONTANEUS as a team benefit?
SPONTANEUS is consumer-first. Team rollouts are planned once the core experience has proven itself. Contact joan@spontaneus.co to discuss the future offering.
Who created SPONTANEUS?
SPONTANEUS was founded by Joan Juwel Quartey-Papafio, a Düsseldorf-based entrepreneur with over a decade in B2B enterprise sales. She has published two books on attention and spontaneity, and built and shipped the SPONTANEUS PWA solo. SPONTANEUS UG is registered in Düsseldorf and validated by IHK Düsseldorf. The product is grounded in a century of psychology and draws on Wilhelm Wundt's 1896 tridimensional theory of feeling, Jacob Moreno's 1946 work on spontaneity, and Jessica Andrews-Hanna's 2023 neuroscience work on cognitive flexibility.
SPONTANEUS wurde von Joan Juwel Quartey-Papafio gegründet, einer in Düsseldorf ansässigen Unternehmerin mit über einem Jahrzehnt Erfahrung im B2B-Enterprise-Vertrieb. Sie hat zwei Bücher zu Aufmerksamkeit und Spontaneität veröffentlicht und die SPONTANEUS PWA allein entwickelt und veröffentlicht. SPONTANEUS UG ist in Düsseldorf registriert und durch die IHK Düsseldorf validiert. Das Produkt ist auf einem Jahrhundert Psychologie gegründet und stützt sich auf Wilhelm Wundts dreidimensionale Gefühlstheorie von 1896, Jacob Morenos Arbeit zur Spontaneität von 1946 und Jessica Andrews-Hannas neurowissenschaftliche Arbeit zu kognitiver Flexibilität von 2023.
Is SPONTANEUS available as a native app?
The current version is a progressive web app (PWA) available free at spontaneus.lovable.app, no download required, works instantly in any browser. A native Android app is planned for 2026, with iOS planned to follow in early 2027.
How does SPONTANEUS help with decision fatigue?
Decision fatigue happens when too many choices drain your mental energy. SPONTANEUS removes the choice entirely. You pick one mood direction and get one specific suggestion. No menu of options, no scrolling through lists. One thing. Right now.
