It’s time to talk about JOMO — the joy of missing out

Humans are social beings. There is an underlying need and drive to connect with others, if only minimally. As part of the human experience, there is a desire for meaning and relevance. Enter JOMO.

In a previous column, we discussed FOMO — the fear of missing out. This feeling often is triggered, particularly on social media. You can feel like your life is less than everyone else’s. You see wonderful vacations, amazing homes, what appear to be perfect families. While much of that largely is illusionary, you can feel left behind.

But let’s look at the other side of the coin. Have you ever been tormented by missing out on something, only to find that it wasn’t so great after all? An event appears a certain way in your mind; then you learn that it didn’t go so well. In that case, you may have experienced ROMO — relief of missing out. You felt reassured that you weren’t really left out.

Now there’s JOMO — the joy of missing out. In this paradigm, you feel joyful that you aren’t expending needless energy participating in activities you actually don’t wish to be involved in. Trying to keep up with everybody and everything can be exhausting, can’t it?

Isn’t it great when you give yourself permission to miss out?

Joy is cultivated in the here and now. You can experience JOMO more fully by taking time to regularly disconnect from the endless stream of emails, beckoning social media and doing, doing, doing.

The American Heart Association points to numerous benefits of JOMO, such as deeper connections with those around you, better sleep, less anxiety and more creativity. Enjoy JOMO by creating technology timeouts. Resist after-hours business when possible. Enjoy restful weekends and minimal social activities. Check news headlines once a day vs. constantly. Have more fun and laughter with those you love.