How to Conquer FOMO: 4 Ways

Do you sometimes find yourself experiencing FOMO, or the fear of missing out? This phenomenon has become more prevalent in recent years as social media makes it easy to keep tabs on people’s activities.

The fear of missing out gives you the idea that others are having a fun or enjoyable experience without you. It can leave you feeling sad, frustrated, and lonely. It causes you to focus on the things you aren’t experiencing instead of what you are and often breeds negativity.

It’s important to learn how to cope with FOMO so that, when it does strike, you’re prepared to overcome it. You don’t want to feel like someone else is always having a more fun, fulfilling, or exciting time.

In this post, we’ll share 4 ways you can learn to conquer FOMO so it doesn’t negatively impact your life. Let’s get started.

Decrease Social Media Use

While it’s easier said than done, decreasing the amount of time you spend on social media can greatly reduce your FOMO. It’s easy for a few seconds of scrolling to turn into minutes and hours of wasted time. It’s critical to take action so you can prioritize other things and make your time useful.

According to a 2018 study from the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, reducing time on social media decreases loneliness and depression. You’re less likely to compare yourself to others when you aren’t concentrated on their life and, instead, focus on your own.

You can delete your social media apps from your phone and other devices. Or, set timers to keep you on track. It also helps to monitor your social media usage to see how much you use it over time.

Pick up a Hobby

We’re all guilty of spending more going through social apps than we originally planned. It’s easy to get sucked into bite-sized pieces of content that lead to a rabbit hole of neverending scrolling.

But if you have other things to look forward to in your day, you’re less likely to spend as much time on your phone. Instead, you can do other things that bring you joy and fulfillment, such as cooking or starting a blog.

If you choose to, you can even monetize your hobby to earn an income from doing something you love. When you’re passionate about the work you do, it shows in the results. You’d be surprised at how much you can make from something you enjoy creating.

Practice Gratitude

It’s harder to focus on the positive aspects of your life if you’re constantly thinking about the opportunities you’re missing out on. FOMO can warp your sense of reality to believe that everyone else’s life is perfect but yours. This is because social media normally only shows audiences the highlights of a person’s life, but rarely the struggles.

Practicing gratitude daily is essential for harvesting a healthy mind and looking at things from a more confident, positive lens. For every assumption you make, try to challenge that thought. Do you have facts or evidence to support your thoughts or feelings? Or are you overthinking the situation?

You can keep a journal and write something you’re grateful for every day or even keep a note on your phone if that’s easier for you. But making a conscious effort to be thankful for the good in your life is crucial to a healthy perspective.

There are many different ways to practice gratitude too. You can:

• Go for a walk and appreciate the beauty and serenity of nature.
• Tell your friends and loved ones what you love about them.
• Buy yourself flowers or a cup of coffee and write down 5 things you appreciate about yourself.

Think About the Bigger Picture

Experiencing FOMO can lead you to nitpick about the smaller details in life instead of stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. When you do that, those minuscule issues become less significant and hold less of a weight on your shoulders.

Practicing mindfulness, as well as meditation, is a great way to take control of your anxious thoughts when FOMO occurs. Being present in the moment takes away from the need to chase an idea of happiness that doesn’t really exist.

Mindfulness also allows you to sharpen your awareness without placing judgment. This makes it easier to change your thinking patterns and correct your negative, repetitive thoughts and habits.

Over to You

If you struggle with FOMO, there are steps you can take to overcome it so it doesn’t affect your daily life. Many people experience the feeling of being left out and wishing they were part of something. But you can change the way you look at these situations so they don’t affect you negatively. How do you conquer FOMO?