<p>This study explores the adherence practices of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users in Norway, focusing on how adherence work enables sexual freedom and spontaneity. Using qualitative interviews with 25 participants (24 gay cisgender men and one transgender man, aged 19–54), we investigate the tensions between the structured routines of adherence and the spontaneity facilitated by PrEP. Our findings highlight two key themes: routine and freedom. Routine adherence practices involved strategies such as using alarms, pill organizers, and synchronizing dosing with daily activities, emphasizing the temporal discipline required to maintain PrEP adherence. These “cold moments” of planning and routinization were essential to enabling “hot moments” of spontaneity, allowing participants to experience sexual freedom with reduced anxiety around HIV risk. The study demonstrates a temporal paradox where structured adherence practices afford spontaneity and autonomy, reframing adherence as an active and embodied labor rather than passive compliance. These findings underscore the importance of addressing the temporal and practical dimensions of adherence in designing PrEP implementation and support strategies. By conceptualizing adherence as work, this study informs public health policies and interventions aimed at enhancing PrEP accessibility and fostering sustainable adherence practices, especially in diverse socio-cultural contexts.</p>