I struggle with FOMO. There…I said it. Like just about everyone else I know, I spend summer looking at social media and seeing everyone else’s perfect vacations, exciting trips, and exhilarating lives! Wow…they really do have it great! Why can’t I take more trips like that? And for me, it’s not just vacations. Because I am a nerd about work, I also have FOMO when I see people in my industry jet-setting around the country to different events. They are learning and networking and growing…and I am mowing the lawn. FOMO at it’s finest. That’s why I was really intrigued when I came across this headline on Linkedin.
JOMO is the new FOMO
Instead of living in perpetual fear of missing out, many are embracing a new approach to our always-on, tech-dependent lives. They are taking the time to tune out. Call it JOMO, or the joy of missing out.
As this article in the New York Times explains, the new JOMO is a way to explain the “Joy of Missing Out.” There is a mounting fear among many (and I am among them) that we are becoming way too reliant on our mobile devices to entertain us. Every time there is ANY type of downtime in our lives, we turn to the phone. We don’t look around and talk to the people around us (ick). We don’t pause and consider the cosmos. We don’t meditate. We mindlessly scroll through our social feed. We all do it. I do it too. It is (very literally) addictive. Every time we get a notification or a new update in the feed, we get a boost of dopamine. It’s the same chemical that is released in our body when we use alcohol or gamble. Now let’s be clear. This is not a “get off my lawn” moment. I believe there is way more good than harm from being more connected. But on the other side, it’s also important to remember that these tools were designed to make us feel more connected…not the other way around. So on this Sunday it might be time to discover the power of JOMO. Disconnect. Go for a walk. Meditate. Go for a run. Walk your dog. Talk to your kid. Who knows? Maybe when someone sees you, they will feel like they are “missing out” on your adventures. Make sure you never “miss out” on any of the content we are creating! Sign up for our VIP newsletter today! Once a week, we email you with all of the content we create during the week. Sign up here.
