Did you take a break this summer? I mean a serious break – away from the day-to-day happenings of work and home. Well, I haven’t yet but need to soon. I can feel the need to completely unplug and chill out creeping into my bones (not to mention my neck muscles).
Don’t get me wrong, having a laptop and a smartphone is a great convenience allowing us to work almost anywhere. However, it gets to a point where this technological convenience becomes a ball and chain – or a temptation – always calling us back for one more thing, one more post or one more email to check.
Did you know there’s even a gripping condition called FOMO – Fear of Missing Out that keeps us all checking our phones, emails, social media, and texts on a far too regular basis? Have ever experienced a bit (or more) of FOMO?
Well, I am hoping to embrace a little JOMO – JOY of Missing Out (credit Mari Smith for introducing me to this) – over the next few weeks while I am in England visiting family. I am looking forward to feeling present (not distracted), to trying new adventures, to doing some long overdue “fun” reading and hopefully doing some nothing with my phone and laptop nowhere in sight.
The time has come. Difficult as it might seem, it’s imperative to unplug and switch our brains into idleness. I know it and you know it too. You certainly don’t need to go far to find articles everywhere challenging us to take a break:
- So Long, FOMO – Here’s Why 2014 Will Be Year Of The JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out) – Huffington Post
- 6 Popular Summer Resolutions You Should Never Do – Dumb Little Man
- #Unplug: The Complete Printable Guide – Fast Company
- Why A Meditation Workshop Might Be A Necessary Antidote To The Ticking Alarm Clock Of Life – Financial Times
So if you haven’t done it yet, PLEASE take some time off for yourself and find the joy of missing out (JOMO!). You will feel better for it. I know I will! Please leave a note in the comments below and tell me about your JOMO experience this summer – Thanks!