BBC随身英语｜从“害怕错过”到“享受错过”

From FOMO to JOMO

"They're all at that party without me… I've got such bad FOMO." The fear of missing out, or 'FOMO', is what you might feel when you aren't present when something exciting or enjoyable is happening.

This anxiety is rife in the age of social media, where we're exposed to an avalanche of updates about other people's holidays, social events and achievements. Many find themselves comparing their lives to others', forgetting that social media is often a smokescreen, where we only see the highlight reel and a veneer of perfection.

As an antidote to this constant pressure, many are embracing 'JOMO' – the joy of missing out. According to Svend Brinkmann, author of 'The Joy of Missing Out: The Art of Self-Restraint in an Age of Excess', the difference is that where FOMO gets us to worry about things outside of the present moment, JOMO brings us back to the here and now, encouraging us to enjoy life offline with people we truly care about.

Embracing JOMO means switching off outside noise and focusing on what really brings us happiness. So, how can we stop FOMO from rearing its ugly head?

In her book 'The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less', Tanya Dalton suggests making a list of activities that bring you joy and displaying them somewhere obvious to remind you to include them in your day. She also suggests a regular digital detox and carving out time for self-care, whether that's a warm bath, a solo nature walk or your favourite movie.

Kristen Fuller, a physician and mental health writer, says it's about being intentional with your time. This involves scheduling activities which are important to you and practising saying "no" to people if you feel like their request will have a negative impact on you.

A 2019 article by Ana Jorge, published in Social Media + Society looked into the experiences of people who purposefully disconnect from social media. Some of them felt they were living more mindfully, and that the disconnection allowed them to be more creative and productive. About JOMO, one participant told researchers, "I don't have to be everywhere, I don't have to be with everyone and I don't have to know everything." Perhaps it's time to unplug and try living life in the slow lane.

词汇表
FOMO (fear of missing out) [ˈfəʊməʊ] 害怕错过，错失恐惧症
JOMO (joy of missing out) [ˈdʒəʊməʊ] 享受错过，错失的快乐
rife [raɪf] 普遍的，盛行的，猖獗的
an avalanche of [ˈævəlɑːnʃ] 铺天盖地的，大量的，雪崩般的（形容大量的事物或情况突然而来）
smokescreen [ˈsməʊkskriːn] （掩盖真实意图的）烟幕，烟雾弹，障眼法，幌子
highlight reel [ˈhaɪlaɪt riːl] 精彩片段，精华集锦
veneer [vəˈnɪə(r)] 虚假的外表，虚饰
antidote [ˈæntidəʊt] 解药，对策，矫正方法
self-restraint [ˌself rɪˈstreɪnt] 自我克制
the here and now 此时此刻，当下
offline [ˌɒfˈlaɪn] 离线的，线下的
switch off outside noise [swɪtʃ] 屏蔽外界的纷扰
rear its ugly head [rɪə(r)] （令人不快的事情）出现，发生，抬头
digital detox [ˈdɪdʒɪtl ˈdiːtɒks] 数字排毒，电子脱瘾（指一段时间内不使用电子设备）
carve out time [kɑːv] 抽出时间，腾出时间
self - care [ˌself ˈkeə(r)] 自我关爱，自我照顾
solo [ˈsəʊləʊ] 独自的，单独的
intentional [ɪnˈtenʃənl] 有意的，有意识的，故意的
disconnect from [ˌdɪskəˈnekt] 与…断开连接，与…分离
mindfully [ˈmaɪndfəli] 专注地，留心地，有意识地
unplug [ˌʌnˈplʌɡ] 关闭电子设备，拔掉插头
live life in the slow lane [leɪn] 过慢节奏的生活，不慌不忙地享受生活

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