Have you seen how frequently young adults use “Do Not Disturb” on their phones? People are deliberately opting to cut off or log off of social life for the first time since smartphones became popular. We have heard of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), the feeling of missing out on events and the compulsive need to maintain social connections (Gupta & Sharma, 2021),
which was the driving force behind the internet for many years. By embracing JOMO, the Joy of Missing Out, Gen Z are now changing the narrative. Individuals are choosing more deliberate experiences due to the digital fatigue that follows FOMO incidents. This creates a place for solace, prioritizing well-being and establishing personal boundaries in this “hyper” connectedness.
Read More: The Rise of Dumbphones: A Shift Towards Simplicity in a Hyperconnected World
The Shift from FOMO to Fatigue
Ten years ago, psychologists recognized FOMO as a fear that one was missing out on fulfilling experiences that others were enjoying (Przybylski et.al., 2013). Users eventually were compelled by this concern to keep an eye on their social media accounts to know about “trendy” happenings. When, finally, the constant and continuous updates were too much to partake in, it led to digital fatigue.
When the brain encounters cognitive overload from digesting too much information at once, it results in digital tiredness. According to a recent study on Gen Z students by Hidayat (2026), constantly switching between social media and group chats results in eye strain, insufficient sleep, and mental exhaustion. Even everyday decisions become overwhelming when the brain is constantly multitasking and attending to various updates. Eventually, psychological well-being worsens as digital overload rises (Sun & Yoon, 2025).
A relatively new emerging trend of sorts, JOMO presents a counterweight to the constant FOMO experiences. The decision to disconnect and discover contentment right where you are instead of constantly worrying about missing any more social happenings. JOMO was first made popular in literature by Brinkmann (2019). A person practicing JOMO finds more relief while remaining at home enjoying noodles and a thriller series rather than worrying about missing some packed weekend event. It is a step away from the constant pressure to perform. Researchers note that individuals who embrace JOMO experience positive mental states because JOMO stops relying on screens for emotional comfort (Choi et al., 2021).
Read More: FoMO to JoMO – Experience the Joy of Missing Out
Setting Boundaries and Reclaiming Autonomy
A key reason for JOMO is the human need for autonomy. Self-determination theory states that feeling in charge of our choices is important for good mental health (Deci & Ryan, 2000). When the phone pings with fifty group chat messages and three invites, time stops feeling subjective and personal. Answering only because of social pressure or the need to belong takes away that autonomy. For Gen Z, choosing JOMO means taking back the control and setting limits. Limits are the lines we draw to keep our time, our energy, and our mental health safe, hopefully stopping burnout from happening.
In life, this means setting certain times to look at emails, removing apps that are difficult to stop using on weekends or just saying “no” to parties without making up elaborate reasons. A study about ways to deal with stress found that young people who regularly use these organized rule-setting actions get over feeling worn out much better (Hidayat, 2026).
The Psychological Benefits of Disconnection
Before understanding the ‘benefits’, it is important to understand what disconnection means in this particular context. Disconnection can look like complete avoidance and withdrawal due to anxiety, for example. However, when practicing JOMO, disconnection suggests scraping out the experiences that add to the anxiety. Choosing the joy of missing out offers benefits that go beyond simply catching up on sleep.
Mentally, this joy encourages stepping back from social activity and, in doing so, helps stop some of the “subjective negative experiences” of socializing (like comparing oneself to others, digital fatigue, etc.). This choice to “miss out” is completely within the individual’s needs and wants. Chan and his colleagues (2022) found that practicing JOMO helped people judge their happiness by their own rules instead of the opinions of their peers.
Recent clinical research shows mental benefits from this way of thinking. A study by Coyne et.al. (2023) looked at how JOMO, social media use and mental health are connected. They found that young adults who had JOMO traits also had much lower social anxiety than other people, less depression and better self-esteem. Since they didn’t always need approval from others, these people could be alone without worrying they were missing out or lagging behind their friends.
Furthermore, JOMO naturally supports being aware in the moment, the activity of paying attention to the now without thinking of it as good or bad. When people are always looking at their phone to find out what other people are doing, their body is in one place, and their thoughts are worried about something else. Choosing JOMO brings the brain back to the present life.
Conclusion
In an era where technology demands our attention, Joy of Missing Out is more than a passing internet trend. It serves as a shield against the endless stream of notifications. As Gen Z faces levels of digital fatigue and cognitive overload, choosing to disconnect is a healthy assertion of autonomy (Brinkmann, 2019; Hidayat & Farhan, 2026). By replacing FOMO with intentional boundary setting, young adults are taking back their time to restore solitude and protect mental well-being from the constant pressure of performative indulgences. Although this area is still in need of much “evidence gathering”, some still suggest that the autonomy that JOMO brings with it has a positive effect on one’s well-being.
References +
- Brinkmann, S. (2019). The Joy of Missing Out. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.perlego.com/book/1504019/the-joy-of-missing-out-the-art-of selfrestraint-in-an-age-of-excess-pdf
- Chan, S. S., Van Solt, M., Cruz, R. E., Philp, M., Bahl, S., Serin, N., Amaral, N. B., Schindler, R., Bartosiak, A., Kumar, S., & Canbulut, M. (2022). Social media and mindfulness: From the fear of missing out ( FOMO ) to the joy of missing out ( JOMO ). Journal of Consumer Affairs, 56(3), 1312–1331. https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12476
- Choi, E. Y., Wisniewski, K. M., & Zelinski, E. M. (2021). Information and Communication Technology Use in Older Adults: A Unidirectional or Bi-directional Association with Cognitive Function?. Computers in human behavior, 121, 106813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106813
- Coyne, P., Voth, J., & Woodruff, S. J. (2023). A comparison of self-report and objective measurements of smartphone and social media usage. Telematics and Informatics Reports, 10, 100061. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teler.2023.100061
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
- Gupta, M., & Sharma, A. (2021, July 6). Fear of missing out: A brief overview of origin, theoretical underpinnings and relationship with mental health. World Journal of Clinical Cases; PubMed Central. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v9.i19.4881
- Hidayat, A. I., & Farhan, F. (2026). Digital Fatigue and Psychological Well-Being among Generation Z Students. Pattimura Proceeding: Conference of Science and Technology, 198–205. https://doi.org/10.30598/pcst.2026.iconbe.p198-205
- Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841–1848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.014
- Sun, T., & Yoon, M. (2025). The impact of digital transformation on faculty performance in higher education: the mediating role of digital self-efficacy and the moderating role of task-technology fit. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1693375
