JOMO: time to embrace the joy of missing out
Move over FOMO, it’s a new age of JOMO.
A panel of economists recently presented their predictions for 2020 at The Executives’ Club of Chicago. This annual event is always thought-provoking, controversial, and occasionally funny. This year the major theme was the unusual level of economic uncertainty. Between the upcoming US presidential election, Brexit, the fraught US-China trade relationship, and on-going concerns about climate change, the experts were decidedly uneasy.
But the chief take-away for me was not some great tip about where to invest my fortune, such as it is. It was a toss-off comment by “Dr. Bob” Froehlich. In his usual witty manner, Dr. Bob proposed four important trends that would, in his opinion, affect the economy this year. One of them was “JOMO.”
The time for FOMO is over
By now you have probably run across the abbreviation “FOMO.” It stands for “Fear of Missing Out,” and it explains why so many people check their social media obsessively. Heaven forbid you should miss the latest news about whether Brad and Jen are getting back together, or which winter coat is most trendy, or what your friends ate for breakfast this morning.
But Dr. Bob says that the FOMO moment is over. Instead, people are starting to seek “JOMO,” the joy of missing out. You can see it in the proliferation of articles about a “Tech Shabbat.” This term is based on the practice of observant Orthodox Jews, who refrain from all work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Not only do they step away from the work they do for a living, but they also don’t cook, engage in commerce, or write, among many other restrictions. They definitely don’t use technology – no TV, computer, phones, etc. While most people are not going to commit to a such a strict day of rest, the notion of shutting off your technology for a specified period of time seems to be appealing to more and more people.
In my coaching work with over-burdened people, I’m going to introduce the idea of JOMO. I think it’s a powerful concept to help us unplug and take time to be present and conscious of where we are. If you’d like to learn about other ideas to reduce your burnout, email me at ggolden@gailgoldenconsulting.com.
