Yahoo Finance How to embrace workplace JOMO — the joy of missing out
If you’re the kind of person who spies colleagues going into a meeting and thanks your lucky stars you don’t have to join them, you probably appreciate JOMO – the joy of missing out.
According to a survey of 2,200 people, 78% of millennials actively take part in JOMO at the expense of socialising with friends and taking up new activities.
It’s about taking a break from the demands of day-to-day life. One in three of those polled said they loved staying in to watch Netflix and a fifth said they liked to switch off from social media.
Making time for ourselves is important. But can – or should – JOMO ever be applied to work?
To better understand the benefits of JOMO, it’s important to look at the problems associated with FOMO, the fear of missing out.
Burnout, a state of chronic stress, is a growing problem in the workplace and can be linked to FOMO. Last year, a study of more than 1,000 US workers found that many “highly engaged” employees were exhausted and ready to quit as a result.
If we’re afraid of missing out on opportunities or career progression, it can be tempting to put in extra hours and overwork. It can also prevent us from taking much-needed time off, too.
And while some might be impressed by an eagerness to take on extra tasks, putting in extra hours and spreading yourself too thin can take its toll on your work and on your productivity.
Research has also shown FOMO can be detrimental to mental health, negatively impacting self-esteem and leading to feelings of loneliness. Thanks to the rise of social media and other ways to stay in contact, we have a window into other people’s lives. Yet most of the time, we only see what others want us to see.
As we scroll past people’s holidays, parties and promotions, we’re invited to compare our own lives with theirs – and worry that everyone else is having more fun and more success.
A 2016 study by the University of Houston explored the links between the fear of missing out, depressive symptoms and mindful attention. The researchers asked 386 students to answer questions about their social media use and a range of mental and physical health outcomes.
“Results of this study demonstrated that FOMO was positively associated with time spent on social media,” the study found. “Furthermore, experiencing higher levels of FOMO was associated with more depressive symptoms, less mindful attention, and more physical symptoms.”
In 2015, a study by the Australian Psychology Society found that FOMO triggered by high levels of social media use can lead to mental health problems, such as anxiety.
It’s important to note that a bit of FOMO isn’t always a bad thing, however. Seeing someone get a promotion or succeed at work can be inspiring and encourage us to work a little harder – or give us a boost if we’re in a rut.
There are also certain circumstances when you may benefit from “joining in” at work, too. If there’s an opportunity to jump on a project that may well further your career in the long-run, it might be worth getting involved.
Crucially, though, it’s important to say “yes” to the work for the right reasons – not just because you’re afraid of missing out.
Instead, think about the positives of undertaking a new project while weighing up the negatives. On the one hand, a new project might be interesting and fun, and help push your career forward. On the other, it might lead to working overtime, which may impact your personal life.
Rather than just saying no, it’s worth thinking carefully about it first. And if you decide to miss out on something, remember why you did – and make the most of the time you saved.
