GET TO KNOW JOMO
Forget FOMO! Psychologist LOUISE ADAMS explains the Joy of Missing Out trend
We’ve heard about the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) effect. You know, your girlfriends go out to a concert or on holiday without you and you’re stuck wishing you were there with them – hanging off every photo they post online.
Well, now that mentality has been turned on its head – with the new craze being the Joy of Missing Out or JOMO.
Clinical psychologist and founder of Treat Yourself Well Sydney, Louise Adams, explains.
SO WHAT IS IT?
According to Louise, a night in on the couch with a good book is the new night out!
“JOMO is the antithesis of FOMO, [it’s] the art of selfindulgence,” she says. “Research from Uber Eats shows that we are not bothered about missing out on things, actually quite the opposite – we rejoice it! Aussies are now having some of their most memorable nights at home with 50 per cent saying they have more fun staying in than going out.”
WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE IT?
We’re now more about me-time than we-time, which is totally healthy and normal.
“We’re perfecting the art of saying ‘no’ and starting to put ourselves first, which is really great to see,” says Louise.
“Modern life is so incredibly busy and it’s easy to overlook the importance of downtime. There’s also a relentless pressure to be ‘social’ all the time, and we can sometimes bow to that pressure, pleasing everybody else and forgetting about our own wellbeing. Overdoing things socially can really impact on our psychological health. Sometimes, you just need to order your favourite meal, sit down on the couch and relax with a book or your favourite TV series or movie.”
CAN IT BECOME A PROBLEM?
While there’s no recommended amount of “you time” you should be having each week (it’s totally up to individual needs), there can be a point where cancelling plans becomes a problem.
“None of us are perfect, and it’s very human to cancel plans – it’s even OK to let other people down if you need to look after yourself,” says Louise. “It only becomes a problem if it’s happening all the time, or if the cancelling is impacting on your relationships. If it’s happening regularly, ask yourself why it’s so hard to stick to these plans.”