FOMO

FOMO, or Fear of missing out is “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent”. This social anxiety is characterised by “a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing”. FOMO is also defined as a fear of regret, which may lead to a compulsive concern that one might miss an opportunity for social interaction, a novel experience, a profitable investment, or other satisfying events.

In other words, FOMO perpetuates the fear of having made the wrong decision on how to spend time since “you can imagine how things could be different”.

This definition of FOMO is particularly interesting because in modern world managing time is considered to be ‘the’ most important thing. Hence its not surprising that most people fear doing it wrong.

From an evolutionary perspective fear exists a life saving emotion in rare situation. Fear helps us out run a lion when we come face to face, but being in fear continuously is not a good thing. As time management is a regular task being stressed about may have health consequences.

So what to do, you just need to ask. One can do the following to keep their FOMO in check.

1. Slow down.
2. Practice discernment in regard to distinguishing what is truly important and necessary from what is merely desirable.
3. Be willing to not have it all. Needs are limited. Desires are endless. Accept the essential futility of trying to fulfill every desire.
4. One thing at a time.
5. Practice Mindfulness. Rather than chasing after what may be just an illusion of happiness, we can gently strive for the deep satisfaction that comes with the cultivation of mindfulness — the practice of being present in our lives and giving non-judgmental awareness to our moment-to-moment experience.
6. Savour the moment. Take time to linger over pleasurable experiences rather than rushing through them in quest of the next thrill.
7. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Instead of chasing fantasies we believe will fulfill us, we can cultivate gratitude.

But be careful that using these above prescribed level can also be harmfull. The goal should not be to make ourself free from FOMO, it is to controll FOMO and use the fear to our advantage. The aim is one must be able to chose what is Fears Missing Out and thus try hard for that cause, by not getting distracted by every desire that one experiences.