The FOMO Monster — Productivity’s Number One Enemy.

FONUAR (Fear of not understanding a reference).

Recently, I deleted all social media platforms from my phone. I really wanted to finish reading this particular book, but my mind would constantly wander, and I would end up on social media instead of reading.

I started with Instagram. Almost everyone can agree that this is their most used app — it was mine for sure.

Suddenly, I started paying more attention to my Reddit notifications, and I would spend a ridiculous amount of time checking a platform I barely paid any mind to before.

So, I deleted Reddit. If I wanted to read something from there, I could just go to my computer; it’s no big deal.

But then I opened my Tumblr account again. After years of not caring about what was posted there, I was looking for new accounts to follow.

On a whim, I deleted everything.

Even Twitter was pissing me off.

My sole motive for doing this was to stop mindlessly scrolling when I had a few minutes to spare and get more productive with my time, as so many people feel inspired to do once in a while.

But I needed to be more intentional with my time. After all, having clear goals meant nothing if I was just waiting for blind luck to come to me.

With this in mind, getting rid of time-consuming apps seemed like the most logical decision.

But now I had the feeling I was missing out on everything.

Everyone wants to be part of something.

Everyone wants in on the joke.

Nobody likes feeling left out.

Nobody likes not understanding a reference; by the moment you understand, people will have already moved on.

Nobody likes to fall behind.

I wouldn’t even know if something was happening, yet I would assume I was missing out on it. There is this urgency to always want to be the first to know, the first to have all the details, and to be part of the conversation. Why?

I would reflect on this day in and day out:

Remember when you didn’t know about this topic because you had other interests and were more than OK with not knowing what happened 24/7 with that thing? You didn’t care because you weren’t aware of its existence. Now that you do, you can’t live without it.

Take Instagram, for example. How would I find out if my favorite store was having a sale? Or maybe I’m missing out on a cool event I want to attend!

But then I had to ask myself, am I actually looking to buy new clothes right now? Do I have the means to go to a “cool” event I don’t even know what it’s about? Or have people to go with?

It’s more fun when I actively search for the things I need rather than be forced to believe I need them.

The idea of wasting time when I could do something much more productive was more terrifying than missing out on anything.

You know when you have to go for a workout, or a run, or maybe a plan you are not really feeling like going to? Then you do, and it’s the best feeling ever?

I never regretted doing things that helped me level up as a person, or that brought me closer to my goal.

The serotonins I got from doing something I loved, even though I wasn’t excited to do it in the first place, are far, far more gratifying than the “instant pleasure” I would get from going on Instagram or TikTok and just scrolling away.

Don’t make a habit of breaking your own habits.

Being the best version of myself motivates me more than understanding a reference for something that will not matter in a few weeks or months.

I am not missing out. If I’m serious about accomplishing my goals, is it necessary to know what’s trending on Twitter?

Will that bring me closer to the person I want to be?

Every minute counts when trying to fulfill my dreams, and I’m taking control of how I choose to spend them today, tomorrow, and forever.