Embracing JOMO

Recently, I’ve noticed a trend in my behaviour: I’ve been focusing on life at home, eschewing my traditional public presence. And I don’t regret it for a moment. You could say I’m embracing JOMO—the joy of missing out.

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You’ve likely heard about the concept of FOMO— fear of missing out. The idea that you are missing out on fun being had by friends, family, even strangers, weighs heavily for some.


At the other end of the continuum is JOMO—the joy of missing out.


Here’s how psychologist Susan Albers describes JOMO:


“Think of JOMO as FOMO’s chill distant cousin. It’s the ability to focus on doing what truly makes you happy. That doesn’t mean you sit home alone with no social life. It means you’re selective with what you do without worrying about what others are doing.”


I fall firmly in this camp, more so now than ever. I am happier at home, and I do not feel like I’m missing out on anything. And it’s not just because we’re experiencing the darkest days of winter. I am not in hibernation mode.


Rather, I’m consciously choosing to eliminate certain activities from my life. This includes the relentless pursuit of relevance on social media and the constant need to create more and more content. I’ve also pulled back on public appearances for the foreseeable future.


I am quite happy with doing less in the professional/business realm. You see, I spent many years hustling—both for my own business and as an employee working for others. And I’m tired. I no longer want to be part of hustle culture.


A recent book that addresses this topic is You’re Not Lazy: Let Go of What’s Holding You Back So You Can Enjoy a Great Life by Lara Wellman. Lara is a fellow Ottawa entrepreneur and friend. Her book gets to the heart of what I’ve been feeling lately:

• Hustle culture is toxic.
• You’re not lazy just because you don’t want to do ALL THE THINGS.
• You’re not lazy for deciding to have boundaries and opt out of certain activities.
• You’re not lazy for opting out of hustle culture.

So if you’ve been noticing that my accounts have gone quiet, you would be right. And that’s a good thing.