The Joy of Missing Out

Last weekend, I wanted to ‘do nothing’, and relax well to recover from the tiredness of a week’s hectic schedule.

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On Saturday, by the time it was noon, I felt tired again. I wondered and looked at my mental time-keeping journal which said ... I was very busy the whole morning. ?My morning looked like this – I got up at 630 am, WhatsApp till 730 am, went out for a walk(constantly checking my emails while walking), came back by 9.30 am, and then the rest of the morning I was busy on Email, calls, WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn and so on.

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The rest of the day, as well, went by the same way.

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Sounds familiar?

?I am highly aware of FOMO(Fear of missing out) in today's hyper-connected world. I consciously keep my notifications off for most of the apps. However, the urge to touch my phone wins over me all the time even when I am determined not to do so. ?

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I wondered what I was trying to achieve the whole day. What was I trying to 'know' that would give me so much useful information? ?What would have happened if I had not scrolled through my phone every other minute?

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I had no answer.

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That next day, I decided to practice, at least for a day – JOMO( Joy of missing out).

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Last Sunday, hence, I intentionally disconnected myself from the world of news, updates, social media notifications, etc .....I wanted to choose what I wanted to do, to be in the moment and embrace life.

I must admit...every moment, I felt irritated but this time I was determined not to be a victim of FOMO.

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I must say I had a fulfilling Sunday, I was super fresh on Monday morning ready to take on another week ahead.

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I have no intent to preach, but I thought of sharing a few of my realizations about JOMO ......

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1.??? I was more aware of myself: I did not feel overwhelmed with all the information that I was constantly engaging with. I was more present 'at the moment' and could allocate the time that I truly enjoyed e.g. having quality time with my loved ones. ?

?2.??? Quality over quantity: I was more selective about what to connect with and what to leave out. My conversations with myself and with others were more engaging and meaningful.

?3. Learned that it is okay to miss out: No one can know everything in this world, everyone is missing out on something every moment. Why bother? I learned to let go.

?4.??? I felt rejuvenated: At the end of the day...I felt energized. I could rest better, my mind and body felt refreshed. There was no sign of physical or mental stress on the next day.

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I indeed had FOMO in mind most of the time as the day went by, but I realized embracing JOMO would probably give me more time and happiness, I will be able to utilize my time better which will bring a deeper sense of fulfillment & joy in my life & I be sharper as a professional.

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I also learned that – Not doing anything is also doing a lot of things – it is okay to slow down, even machines need downtime.

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Today is another Sunday, I will be practicing JOMO again.

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Thoughts? Looking forward to your comments, please.

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