“We know the world only through the window of our mind. When our mind is noisy, the world is as well. And when our mind is peaceful, the world is, too. Knowing our minds is just as important as trying to change the world. What our mind focuses on becomes our world. Seen this way, the mind does not seem so insignificant in relation to the world out there, does it?”
Haemin Sunim
Paradoxically, slowing down to focus on one thing at a time—and resisting the urge to multitask—can actually boost our productivity, allowing us to channel our energy toward the most important tasks.
Think back to moments when you:
– Enjoyed a delicious meal without taking a photo of it
– Put your phone aside before going to sleep
– Misplaced or forgot your phone somewhere
– Visited a place or went on vacation without posting anything on social media
– Cancelled an appointment to stay home
– Spent a wonderful evening with friends
This time of year is always an opportunity to connect deeply with ourselves—through meditation and mental exercises, with our creativity through reading, writing, and curiosity, and with nature through all our senses.
What holds us back?
A few months ago, we explored the theme of well-being and reflected on FoMO and JoMO.
At first glance, they may seem light or even harmless—two acronyms, one recalling the need to eat, the other a famous yogurt brand, almost as if one were the solution to the other.
FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) and JoMO (Joy of Missing Out)—but what do they really mean?
FoMo
FoMO is the fear of being left out or missing meaningful opportunities.
It’s fueled by anxiety about not attending important events or not staying up to date with what’s happening around us. This can lead, for example, to compulsively checking social media feeds to avoid missing anything. People who live with FoMO experience feelings of inadequacy and frustration because everything seems too important to miss.
How to recognize FoMO:
FoMO represents the fear of being left out or missing meaningful opportunities. It is fueled by the anxiety of not attending important events or of not being up to date with what is happening around us. This can lead, for example, to compulsively checking social media feeds to avoid missing any news or event.
The symptoms of FoMO include compulsively checking social media, struggling to stay focused without being distracted by notifications, and feeling fatigued and stressed due to lack of sleep caused by the constant search for connection.
And then there is stress. We feel overwhelmed, unable to respond satisfactorily to external demands or expectations. We lose our sense of control and feel at the mercy of the situation.
Whether the threat is real (actually present) or imagined (remembered, fantasized, or projected into the future) makes no difference.
The transition to JoMO
JoMO, on the other hand, is the joy of missing out – the pleasure of taking time for oneself without the pressure to participate in everything. It allows us to live more fully in the present moment, appreciating what we already have rather than focusing on what we might be missing.
Embracing JoMO can bring several benefits. For example, it reduces stress: relaxing and feeling satisfied with our choices diminishes the tension associated with the pressure to attend everything. At the same time, it enhances our presence in whatever we are doing, improving concentration and productivity at work.
Well-being in the workplace
In global rankings of the most important trends in human capital management and development, well-being consistently occupies the top spot.
This is driving organizations to design and implement new initiatives aimed at fostering the kind of well-being that more and more people consider essential for a fulfilling professional experience.
How work is changing
The evolution of work is dominated by the progressive automation of tasks: technology increasingly offers solutions to replace work previously done by humans.
Digital tools, robotics, and AI are now automating not only manual, routine, and executive tasks, but also cognitive tasks, and partially even creative ones.
What remains for us?
In reality, many activities remain: creative work, relationship-building, caregiving, complex decision-making, and continuous adaptation. These are tasks difficult to define precisely or evaluate purely through rational criteria. While in the past there may have been little attention to the well-being of those whose role was “simply to execute,” today there is far greater focus on the individual.
It is undeniable that technology increasingly permeates our lives, creating a form of dependency that contributes to the phenomenon of technostress. One of the most insidious sources of stress we face is technostress.
“Any negative consequence that affects attitudes, thoughts, behaviors, or psyche, caused directly or indirectly by technology.”
Michelle Weil & Larry Rosen
The constant flow and variety of information from all the devices we use exposes our bodies to nearly continuous stimulation. This disrupts the natural balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, compromising the latter (responsible for energy recovery during rest periods).
As technological devices (smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches…) have become extensions of our bodies, we are continuously stimulated virtually anywhere and at any time, even coming to perceive this condition as desirable, in a manner typical of addictive behavior.
As a result, private life invades work life and vice versa, fueling a reactive craving that feeds the fear of missing out or being excluded. This creates a vicious cycle that has become pandemic, highlighting the urgent need for strategies to improve the physical and mental well-being of employees.
We cannot expect people to be creative, kind, and constructive in relationships, proactive team members, or capable of making good decisions if they are not well.
The role of organizations in promoting well-being
Organizations can play a fundamental role in supporting a culture of well-being that integrates strategies for managing FoMO and embracing JoMO.
This can start with awareness: educating employees about the risks of FoMO and the importance of balancing digital connectivity with moments of disconnection.
An important step is supporting disconnection: creating company policies that encourage active breaks and reflective time without digital devices.
Finally, fostering empathetic leadership is crucial: leaders can model healthy behaviors, promoting a workplace culture that values mindfulness and overall well-being.
