How to get over FOMO?

It is common for most of us to scroll through our Facebook walls while sipping our morning coffee. The first thing that we do is to update ourselves with what’s happened when we were sleeping. Our mornings are all about the new images and status updates about what people are doing; be it attending fabulous parties or exploring new destinations or catching up with old friends.

Thanks to the Internet, we are now able to mourn at our lives by just looking at the amazing pictures posted by other people, and unfortunately, it sums up our everyday morning routine.

But why are we doing this? Why does our hand automatically reaches out for the phone instead of the switchboard in the morning? Why do we not switch off the Whatsapp notifications? Is this a problem?

It certainly is and is called FOMO, the fear of missing out.. This surely isn’t a disease but is definitely not less than an addiction. Social media is all about keeping us updated of what others are up to, and therefore the moment you aren’t updated, you fear that you have missed out on something of much value in your life. Fortunately, this is not true, and here’s how you can get over your FOMO.

#1. Keep It Slow

In this fast-moving world, it is important for us to keep it slow. Try to give enough time to things that you practice; be it eating, talking, walking or even sleeping. Enlist the support of those who are a part of your peer group. Having them around will surely benefit you.

#2. Switch Off Your Phone

If you have recognized your fear of missing out and hence cannot stop your fingers from browsing through the social media updates, you definitely need to switch off your phone. An uncontrollable urge to using social media will eat up your mind sooner or later, so better get rid of the problem before it makes you one for people around you. Instead of completely giving up on your phone, you can fix the hours in a day when you let yourself savor the pleasures of scrolling through your facebook wall or peeping into the latest update on your Instagram.

#3. Focus On The Experience

We are used to admiring and perhaps envy what others have. This is called ‘the grass is greener on the other side’ syndrome. Envy can very easily convert into resentment if we fail to recognize the opportunities that are available to us. It is better that we focus on the experience that gives us a feeling of accomplishment, connection, self-respect, and freedom. Experience teaches us to distinguish between what is truly fulfilling from something that only provides us temporary feelings of pleasure. Pleasure may be wonderful, but an obsession with the same can shrink your ability to experience the deeper fulfillment that nourishes the soul.

#4. Practice Mindfulness

Chasing after what may be an illusion of joy and happiness, we can strive for the deeper satisfaction that comes from cultivating mindfulness. Practice being present in your life and be non-judgmental about your moment-to-moment experiences. Cultivate the pleasures of mundane activities instead of focusing on achieving rock start recognition.

#5. Be Judgmental

It is important to differentiate between what is genuinely significant and necessary from what is just desirable. It is advisable to eliminate those things which do not contribute to improving the quality of your life. This will help you in making out more time for things that are important and will facilitate quality in your living experience. Focus on things that stimulate the quality and not the quantity of your experience.

#6. Limit Your Needs

Desires are endless, but your needs should be limited. Accept that wanting to fulfill all your desires is futile and hence you should not indulge your impulses in gratification. Learn to prioritize the activities that enable us to let go of others. Decide on your priorities and focus on achieving them.

#7. Do Not Put Your Hands In Everything

Multitasking is a quality, but you do not have to indulge in it all the time. Studies have suggested that subjects (participants in the experience) exhibited severe interference when asked to perform simple tasks simultaneously. The human brain can only respond to one action at a time. While trying to focus on multiple tasks at the same time, we are most likely to fail at achieving our targets. Focusing on one task at a time will make sure that you succeed in them.

#8. Attitude Of Gratitude

The practice of paying gratitude allows us to appreciate what we have rather than what we desire deeply. FOMO is a fear of missing out on things that we think are necessary for our well being and gratitude allows us to count our blessings and be happy with what we have. Which one do you think is better?

#9. Prioritize Your Relationships

For a being to enjoy his/her to the fullest, they need someone who can help them and support them during their low points. Relationships that are based on love and friendship are your prized possessions and therefore should be prioritized over anything else. Investing time and energy in relationships to cultivate the skills that require is one of the best things we can do. Also, it works as a great antidote to the fear of missing out, FOMO.

#10. Live The Moment

Instead of cultivating the fear of missing out, one should take out time to linger over the pleasurable experiences. Do not always think of rushing through things in an urge to experience everything at once. In doing so, we miss out on the good things that life has to offer. Take out time to savor the tastes, sights and other sensations that you enjoy in your daily life.

#11. Enjoy The Process

Integrating these practices into your life can be a labor of love and should, therefore, be considered a blessing and an opportunity, rather than any obligation. Let yourself lose and take pleasure in the finely tuned level of relaxation and ease that comes into your life when you embrace your experiences. Everyone is sure to enjoy the benefits of losing FOMO!

The acronym FOMO wrecked our lives in the year 2013 when it was recognized as a word in the urban dictionary. FOMO, which stands for the ‘fear of missing out,' is an anxious feeling which arises out of an exciting opportunity that you are unable to access.

Social media isn’t a devil. But it makes us compare ourselves to others, and we all know where that leads us all to. It has just become a medium where everyone is cutting edges to look their best. With the accessibility of social media on our smartphones, we are bound to take a sneak peek now and then. Your friend liked a picture, ting a notification; they checked in to a café, ting another notification, your bestie updated her status, another ting and that’s how the day passes by.

It is not the social media to blame; it is you who prioritize it in your life. The fear of missing out is pushing you towards missing out on the real things in life. It is better you get over your FOMO before it takes you away from your real world.

Do you think that FOMO is a real thing? Let us know in the comment section below.

(Image Courtesy:1. Babe, 2. Reader's Digest, 3. Reader's Digest, 4. iStock; ; Twitte(Featured Image Courtesy)