For most of us, the rise of social media has led to an over-reliance on technology platforms for connection. Whether you’re browsing through Instagram or Facebook or sending a video on Snapchat, it can seem as though social media consumes every moment of your free time. We spend most of our downtime “connecting,” yet many of us still feel lonely at the end of the day.
As human beings, we’re born with an innate desire to connect to others, and our heavy reliance on social media just isn’t cutting it when it comes to satisfying those needs. That’s why JOMO, or the joy of missing out, is fast becoming the emotionally intelligent way to combat our obsession with technology. It allows us to turn away from superficial means of connection and open ourselves up to more meaningful interactions.
Read on to discover how JOMO is quickly becoming the remedy for our fear of missing out and how we can embrace it in the age of social media.
JOMO vs. FOMO
While FOMO refers to the anxiety that we’re missing out or that other people have better lives than us, JOMO encourages us to do what we want without the nagging worry that we should be doing something else.
We can blame the fear of missing out on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter, Tumblr and more. If you were born within the last 40 or so years, you’re probably all too familiar with the rush of dopamine that hits after someone likes your photo or adds a cute comment to your post on any social media platform.
Consistent rushes of dopamine can turn into an addiction, and soon, it may seem as though you can’t last a couple of hours — or minutes — without checking the latest breaking news stories, Instagram posts and status updates from your “social network.” We become addicted to likes and constant updates, so we go back for more.
Another driver of FOMO is societal pressure. We want to be viewed as hanging around the right people in the right places to fit in. We may become fixated on the prospect of getting ahead or attending certain events to appease friends, coworkers and family members.
JOMO pushes us to find pleasure in doing things that lend fulfillment or excitement to our lives. The joy of missing out is about understanding our needs and wants and vowing to embrace the people and activities that energize us rather than draining us.
How to Embrace JOMO
To embrace JOMO, try:
- Disconnecting from your devices: A great first step to fully embracing JOMO is to step away from your phone, tablet, laptop and other electronic devices.
- Creating space for unstructured time: Plan some time in your schedule to do things you enjoy. This time can include going for a drive, writing in a journal or re-reading your favorite novel. Use this time to reflect on what you enjoy versus what drains you.
- Reconnecting with yourself and others: Reconnect with friends and family by cooking them dinner or going for a walk. Or, reconnect to yourself by doing something you enjoy or re-introducing a pleasurable pastime.
Embrace the Joy of Missing Out
Embracing the joy of missing out comes with many benefits, including decreased anxiety and extra time for spontaneity and the surprise of chance encounters. By embracing JOMO, you can slow down and allow yourself to feel the full spectrum of human emotions — from excitement and joy to anger and despair.
Sometimes, solidifying JOMO in our daily lives seems like a far reach. Fear of missing out can seem like the norm in an era of excessive social media use and substsance abuse. In fact, a recent study in the Journal of Behavior Addictions postulates that social media use is comparable to drug addiction.
If you’d like to talk to someone about what you’re going through, contact 7 Summit Pathways or schedule an appointment today. From the moment you reach out, you can be sure that we’ll address your individual concerns and work alongside you as you overcome all obstacles in your path to a better life.