Experience JOMO over FOMO
You scroll until you can’t anymore only to put your phone away for five minutes so that you can pick it up again. The five minutes of no social media are filled with feelings of anxiety, feelings of being left out, and not being in the loop with the world around you. That is the fear of missing out or as digital citizens call it Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). This fear is not just present in our social media interactions but also in our real-life social interactions.
FOMO includes two processes: the first perception of missing out, followed by compulsive behavior to maintain these social connections. This fear keeps us engaged and hooked to the world of likes, comments and stories. It is essential to be mindful of this habit and consciously choose not to live on a negative stream of autopilot regarding digital wellness. Especially because in the current state of information overload it is hard to maintain a state of Joy of Missing Out (JOMO). There is infinite information and content available literally at our fingertips which is why it is important to consciously experience JOMO and try to be happy with what one has.
In the research done by World Journal of Clinical Cases the concept of FOMO explores social exclusion and through the use of social media there is a constant awareness of what an individual is missing in terms of a good time which researchers phrase as “causing a distorted perception of the edited lives of others”. The highlight sections on Instagram are just “highlights”, the edited photos, and cherrypicked events. All of these create a perception of a “good life” that is hard if not impossible to achieve in the real world. Furthermore, the round-the-clock nature of these constant communications may lead to feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. The research further highlights that FOMO correlates with the amount spent mindlessly on social media sites as a predictor of emotional distress.
In a world where FOMO is widespread the art of enjoying the moment and cherishing the present can come at the cost of some lifestyle changes. Think of the times when you cancel plans that you don't want to go to, stay at home and enjoy the present moment, this is when you engage with JOMO. The Joy of Missing Out is the healthier answer to the Fear of Missing Out. But how does one attain JOMO? How does one stay in this state? The art of JOMO is like maintaining a mindful practice and it requires a certain amount of conscious effort in the beginning to get it. JOMO is an invitation to choose a life that does not entail anxiety and the fear that FOMO brings with it. It is the satisfaction one feels in the current moment. Take a moment right now to visualize how it would feel to cancel all your work and plans to be completely present at the moment. Expressing gratitude for one's life has been shown to increase the feeling of being present. The feeling of JOMO might be one step away from the practice of gratitude.
There are some easy ways to start making this choice and choose JOMO:
Keep time for self-reflection
Understand what habits are adding to feelings of FOMO and what are adding to feelings of JOMO. Self-reflection is important to implement change.
Set aside intentional offline time
If you find it difficult to take off time from screens and social media, keep intentional time aside and fill that time with non-screen activities.
Stop multitasking
Multitasking can stop one from fully living in the present moment. Pay complete attention to one task at a time so that you don't feel bogged down by the massive information overload.
Stop comparison
We have to understand that social media is only showing the best of everyone’s lives. It is like looking at someone passing on the street for a second and comparing our whole lives to that momentary glimpse of a person. Isn't that unfair to do? Our lives are so much more than the 20-second tailored glimpse and once we start fully focusing on our own lives & who we want to be it becomes easier to not compare ourselves to those we see online. Taking us one step further to being okay with missing out.
Moderating social media (screen time measurement apps)
It’s important to moderate the amount of time spent online as per our job demands or day-to-day requirements. Apps like Social Fever: App time tracker and Offtime are some good examples of these.
Self Compassion
Above all other things, it is important to understand that no matter who the person is everyone experiences FOMO. It is important to be self-compassionate and strive towards JOMO most of the time. With the excess stimulus all around us, this journey can be rather difficult so be easy on yourself and show some self-compassion.
It can be a freeing experience to not be chained to our phones and be able to live our lives fully in the present moment without feeling like we are constantly missing out on something if we don't pick up our phones. Instead of trying to find events that one wants to be a part of why not create events in our own lives that keep us tied to our reality in the most visceral way possible? What are the steps you will take to reach one step closer to the JOMO?
-Chaitanya Nair & Rijul Arora
