Is stress rotting your life? A concept that came straight from the United States could help you: the JOMO, ideal during this pandemic that has made the cursor jump with anxiety.
Stress affects 9 out of 10 French people to varying degrees, and in particular women, according to a survey carried out by Opinionway in 2017. In this context, a new concept could help us to get better: the JOMO, for Joy of Missing Out, or in French the “joy of missing out on certain things”: events, news … JOMO is the perfect opposite FOMO (the “Fear Of Missing Out”, that is to say the fear of missing things), this acronym popularized from 2004. On the contrary, the JOMO invites us to free our minds and to lighten our mental load. Indeed, our stress comes in part from the fact that we live in a society where everything goes very quickly and where there is pressure to never miss anything, neither information nor event. Screens can become a source of anxiety, especially in times of pandemic, where they are our almost unique link with the outside world. The JOMO then appears as a solution to let go without guilt. Let’s discover its benefits together.
What is JOMO?
JOMO is therefore the opposite of FOMO, this fear of missing something that very social, active and / or connected people know well. Over the years, your FOMO has intensified? The proliferation of screens does not help: our daily life is today punctuated by social networks, where publications are linked at a frantic pace. The fear of missing something leads to behaviors that prevent taking time to refocus on oneself: being hyper-connected and going out all the time cuts us off from ourselves and our basic needs, such as sleep, play sports, daydream …. FOMO can also lead us to constantly compare our life on the internet, without any hindsight. This permanent confrontation contributing to our anxiety.
It is in these situations that JOMO can help us. Forged by Anil dash, blogger and American entrepreneur in the field of tech, this term invites us to let go and tries to counter our dependence on permanent solicitations. A single watchword: disconnection. People practicing letting go no longer want to let stress overwhelm them. There are several steps to do this: slowing down or even abandoning releases, but also stopping monitoring of trends and news. No need to follow the latest fashion, to film yourself doing the latest Tik Tok challenge to appear cool or to be fully into the political debate of the moment: with JOMO, we cut.
What are the benefits of JOMO?
Take care of your mental health: switching to “off” mode is a good way to take care of ourselves on a psychological level. The news is rarely happy and even worse at this time of pandemic. So let’s not feel guilty for cutting ourselves off from the negativity of the world for a few hours. This does not mean that we close our eyes to the existence of the news but we must know how to dose so as not to suffocate. It is also an opportunity to meet up and take the time to get to know ourselves, as well as the passions that drive us, our tastes and our desires.
Take care of our loved ones: the JOMO phenomenon can be applied with family, couple or friends The principle is simple: turn off all connected objects to reconnect to reality and spend a real convivial moment with loved ones, without the presence of a smartphone in the hand or the TV in the background. What to strengthen strong bonds and nourish oneself thanks to quality moments.
This is the opportunity to refocus on what you want: through JOMO we can sort our life and focus on our future. Defining our priorities, asking ourselves what we really need to feel happy, defining if we feel good … It is also learning to say no when others insist, to participate in a party for example.
Illustration translation: “She thought she could but needed a break so she said no”
It feels good to the bank account: total disconnection means staying at home. No need to spend 5 euros for a soda on the terrace, which will soon be reopened, or for the traditional mojito-cigarettes duo. It is possible to have such a pleasant time relaxing on your sofa, reading a spellbinding novel or basking in a bubble bath.
JOMO, user manual
The first thing to do to let go is to ask yourself if, right now, we need a screen. Do you have to take your cell phone to the bathroom and stay there for 30 minutes? Listening to the news in a loop after an already busy day of work? The answer is no, unless you want to add stress and guilt. Better to define the times of the day when screens are essential and leave them when they are not useful.
Second important step, watch your screen time. For those who can’t help but take a look at digital content, it’s essential to assess how long it is taking you. After analysis (there are apps for that), all you have to do is limit your content consumption, reducing it from 30 minutes to 1 hour per day for the most stubborn. Consider what you could do instead of watching a crappy series or endless scrolling on TikTok. There are so many possibilities to take care of yourself than to make your eyes suffer in front of pixels! Walking, playing sports and reading will help you have a good time and feel like you enjoyed your day when you are in bed. Say goodbye to the feeling of having wasted your free time outside of work …
The third phase is dealing with the people around you. No need to be on the lookout for any message. Take the time to experience life and calmly finish your activity, then answer if you wish or wait as long as you want. The main thing is not to feel the obligation to respond within a minute. Do not hesitate to speak with those around you and explain to them your desire not to be constantly contacted.
JOMO has a little sister: JOSI
For those who have not yet heard of JOSI, know that we unconsciously discovered it during confinement. Stemming from the JOMO, the JOSI is the joy of staying at home (Joy Of Staying In). Certainly, for more than a year, we have been forced to stay more or less locked up.es With a positive effect for certain people: discovering the joys of working in super comfortable jogging and without a bra or even, no longer having to find excuses not to go out and have a night out all to ourselves.
The brands are not left out and are benefiting from this movement of JOMO and JOSI. Streaming platforms, meal deliveries, shopping, or even interior clothing brands are there to offer you all the services and products you want at home. Nothing better to indulge in the joy of missing something …
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In any case, the movement seems to be on the move: according to a Wattpad report On the theme of JOMO and Generation Z, 59% of young people say they want to improve their mental health by committing to adopting healthier lifestyles. The JOMO, a first step to achieve this?
Lea Lecuyer
Lifestyle editor, Léa enlightens you on the news related to well-being. From psychology to sexuality via fashion or cooking, she decodes just for …