Updated 2024.09.04

The Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) is a concept that exists in response to the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).

FOMO can contribute to negative emotions.

In a state of FOMO, you may experience feelings of inferiority, low self esteem, increased social anxiety and loneliness.

You may feel compelled to respond to emails after work hours, check updates in the news cycle constantly or stay connected with social media even when you’re supposed to be resting.

FOMO can foster an inner environment of jealousy and envy, because you’re constantly worried about missing things that others appear to be experiencing and enjoying.

The antidote for FOMO is JOMO.

JOMO requires that you stop comparing yourself to others and just enjoy what you have right now.

You shift your attitude to contentment and appreciation of the moment, and focus on the benefits of opting out of certain things.

If you don’t go to the XYZ coveted event, you save gas money. If you don’t do this errand right now, you don’t have to drive in the rain. If you don’t go on vacation, you don’t have to plan it and burn out working to afford it.

If you aren’t invited to the fancy dinner, now you have more money in savings. If you aren’t invited to the birthday party, now you don’t have to stress about buying a present.

You’re free from the obligation of researching and obtaining the next hottest toy that will be tossed aside in favor of the next one after that.

You don’t rush to the next thing, acquiring experiences and resources at a rapid pace, you just breathe and appreciate what is happening.

JOMO puts greater emphasis on consciously choosing what you participate in and what you don’t. When you pick and choose what you participate in, you get to savor and deeply enjoy what experiences you do find yourself in.

Below are 8 more benefits of embracing JOMO:

1 - You slow down enough to enjoy life

When you embrace JOMO, you have time to make deeper connections with others and stop to smell the roses because rather than rushing to the next thing, you’re lingering where you are now.

2 - Your sleep may improve

When you accept JOMO, you may drop the habit of scrolling social media and the news. Due to a decrease in screen time and less digital overstimulation, you may find yourself getting better sleep.

3 - You’ll get better at saying no

“No” can be a liberating phrase. When you opt out of the next big thing, you get to say no, which automatically takes tasks off your future self’s plate. 

With fewer incoming tasks bogging you down, you may have the space to focus on an important creative project you’ve been putting off.

4 - You’ll have increased creativity 

Choosing to be alone and not out at every social gathering has been shown to increase creative thoughts.

According to research from 2017, “anxiety-free time spent in solitude may allow for and foster creative thinking and work.”

5 - You’ll have greater productivity and focus

When you aren’t trying to fit it all in, you’re not stretched thin, so you can be more productive and able to focus on achieving what matters most.

6 - You’ll experience positive feelings around absences

We often associate positive feelings with the presence of something, but did you know the absence of stuff can be a source of happiness too?

JOMO is all about cultivating positive feelings for when you don’t have to participate in something. You get practice enjoying the absence of things rather than the presence of things.

The easiest way to start practicing the positive feelings of JOMO is to recall a time when an event you had to attend was canceled and you were relieved. This is JOMO! 

7 - You’ll no longer need to stress about turning over every rock

It can be exhausting to be on the feverish wheel of turning over every rock in the desperate search for the gold underneath. In JOMO, you choose which rocks you turn over and it doesn’t have to be them all.

8 - You experience quality not quantity

Rather than chasing a quantity of experiences, you pursue quality. Quality experiences require your focus and presence, and can be slower events that you want to soak in.

Instead of taking fifty steps in fifty different directions, JOMO is more like taking five intentional steps in one desired direction and letting that be enough.

How To Embrace JOMO

One of the easiest ways to embrace JOMO is to set boundaries on your calendar. Know your limits for what is too much for you, avoid saying yes just to please others and be selective about how your time is booked.

Second, stay off social media. Social media is advertising. If you don’t know about what’s being advertised, you can’t be sad that you missed out on it, couldn’t afford it, and that it didn’t happen to you!

Use the time you aren’t scrolling through social media or going to undesirable events to focus on enjoying your alone time. Take up a craft, curl up with a book, deepen your relationship with nature or simply rest.

All in all, JOMO is about appreciating being here now and embracing the silver linings of not being everywhere, trying everything and doing all the things.

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