JOMO is the joy of missing out
In an era where social media never sleeps and notifications arrive one after another, switching off seems almost impossible. Every weekend there's a party somewhere, every evening there's networking, every day someone is heading somewhere – and everything is of course documented on Instagram. It is precisely in this oversaturated environment that a phenomenon has emerged which psychologists and cultural commentators are watching with growing interest: JOMO, or the Joy of Missing Out.
You may have heard of its opposite – FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out. That feeling when you scroll through someone else's Stories and suddenly get the impression that your own life is boring, empty and full of wasted opportunities. JOMO sits at exactly the opposite end of this spectrum. It is not about resignation or social isolation – it is about a conscious and joyful decision to stay home, decline invitations, switch off your phone, and feel completely content while doing so.
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Why FOMO is ceasing to work as motivation
To understand why JOMO has been gaining popularity in recent years, it is worth pausing for a moment to consider its counterpart. FOMO – Fear of Missing Out – was popularised as a term around 2004, when marketing strategist Patrick McGinnis used it. At the time, it was an academic term describing a psychological phenomenon. Today it is the everyday reality of hundreds of millions of people around the world.
Research repeatedly shows that excessive use of social media is closely linked to feelings of anxiety, inadequacy and chronic dissatisfaction. A study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology demonstrated a direct connection between time spent on social platforms and the level of depressive symptoms in young adults. In other words – the more we watch other people's lives, the less satisfied we are with our own.
And this is precisely where the story of JOMO begins. It is not a new trend invented by marketers – it is a natural human response to overload. Writer and entrepreneur Anil Dash, who is often cited as one of the earliest advocates of this concept, described it this way: "JOMO is the joy of doing what you want to do, rather than doing what you think you should be doing."
This distinction is crucial. Because JOMO is not passive – it is an active choice of presence.
What JOMO looks like in everyday life
Imagine Markéta, a thirty-four-year-old graphic designer from Brno. Every Friday evening she received invitations to various events – vernissages, birthday parties, after-work gatherings. For a long time she went to everything, because she was afraid of missing out on something important – contacts, fun, the feeling of belonging. The result was that every weekend she came home exhausted, drained of energy, and with the feeling that she hadn't really been fully present anywhere.
Then came one Friday when she decided to stay home. She made herself a cup of tea, watched a film she had wanted to see for months, and went to bed early. She woke up in the morning rested and – surprisingly – happy. She hadn't missed anything of substance. The world had carried on, her friends weren't offended, and she herself felt more like herself than she had in a long time. This is JOMO in practice – not a grand philosophical revolution, but a small, conscious decision to prioritise one's own wellbeing.
The joy of missing out, then, is not about cynicism or indifference towards other people. It is about understanding that not every opportunity is your opportunity. That not every event deserves your presence. And that time spent in peace – with yourself or with people who truly matter to you – has a value that cannot be measured in likes or Instagram photos.
In the context of a healthy lifestyle – and not just the physical kind – JOMO is a natural ally. The stress of constantly feeling like you're not keeping up, and the pressure of social comparison, are among the most significant factors that disrupt mental balance. The World Health Organization repeatedly emphasises that mental health is an integral part of overall wellbeing, and that chronic stress has measurable effects on physical health – from the immune system to cardiovascular function.
Slowing down is therefore not weakness. It is an investment.
The art of saying no – and feeling good about it
One of the greatest obstacles preventing people from embracing JOMO as a life approach is social pressure. Declining an invitation is often perceived as a lack of interest, an insult, or a sign that someone simply "can't be bothered". Yet there is a fundamental difference between saying no out of fear or laziness, and saying no as a conscious decision.
A conscious refusal – one that stems from an understanding of your own needs and a respect for your own energy – is one of the healthiest things a person can do for themselves. Psychologists describe this as part of the concept of healthy boundaries, which has been increasingly discussed in recent years in connection with burnout prevention.
Interestingly, the ability to say no and feel good about it is closely connected to how well a person knows themselves. People who have a clear sense of what gives them energy and what drains it find it much easier to decide what to give their time to and what not to. JOMO is therefore not just about declining events – it is about self-knowledge.
In practice, this can look different for everyone. For some, JOMO is a Sunday morning without a phone, a walk in the forest instead of brunch with colleagues, or reading a book instead of scrolling through a feed. For others, it is an entire weekend free of obligations, silence, cooking, gardening, or simply doing nothing. The key is not the specific activity, but the awareness that this choice is right for you – and that you don't owe anyone an explanation for it.
Material choices also play an interesting role in this context. People who adopt the principles of JOMO often naturally gravitate towards simpler, more sustainable ways of living. They consume less, appreciate what they have more, and seek joy in quality rather than quantity. It is no coincidence that interest in an ecological lifestyle, slow living and conscious consumption is growing in parallel with JOMO entering wider public awareness. These approaches share a common foundation – the conviction that less can be more.
This is precisely why concepts such as sustainable fashion, natural cosmetics and eco-friendly household products are becoming part of a broader life attitude rather than merely a passing trend. When a person stops chasing every new thing and begins to choose consciously, they naturally reach for things that make sense – both for themselves and for the planet.
So how do you start? No radical change is needed. Next time an invitation or notification arrives, simply ask yourself one straightforward question: Do I genuinely want this, or do I just not want to miss out on something that might be good? If the answer is the latter, perhaps this is exactly the moment to allow yourself to stay home – and discover that what you "missed" wasn't something you needed at all.
JOMO is not a life philosophy for loners or for those who have given up on social life. It is an approach that is gradually finding its way to people of all ages and lifestyles – from overworked parents and young professionals to seniors who have finally stopped feeling the need to justify their pace. It is a quiet revolution in an age that never sleeps. And perhaps that is precisely why it feels so refreshing.
Next time you find yourself at home on a Saturday evening in your pyjamas with a cup of tea, looking at photos from a party you didn't go to – try to smile. Perhaps you just gave yourself exactly what you needed.
