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Hard: Upper intermediate level and above, B2 and above 

Introduction

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1      "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.

2      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?

3  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.

4  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.

Questions

1.  Match the heading to the paragraph.

Paragraph 1 ________
Paragraph 2 ________
Paragraph 3 ________
Paragraph 4 ________ 

a. The joy of missing out
b. Benefits of FOMO
c. The fear of missing out
d. JOMO experiences
e. How to embrace JOMO

2.    Choose the correct option based on the content of the article.

1. How does the writer portray FOMO in the text?

a. as something positive
b. as something negative
c. as something neither positive nor negative 

2. What can be inferred about social media from the article?

a. it always creates stress and anxiety
b. it presents a filtered version of reality
c. it has no impact on mental well-being

3. In the sentence 'This anxiety is rife in the age of social media…' in paragraph 1, which word could replace 'rife'?

a. common
b. scarce
c. large 

4. Kristen Fuller believes people should say "no" to all social events.

a. True
b. False
c. Not given 

5. What can we infer from this quote? "I don't have to be everywhere, I don't have to be with everyone and I don't have to know everything."

a. This person regrets missing out on social events and feel isolated.
b. This person feels a pressure to stay constantly updated on what's going on.
c. This person feels a sense of peace and acceptance after disconnecting from social media.

3.    Use the words from the list to complete the summary of the article.

Many people say that JOMO is 1) ________ to FOMO. JOMO encourages people to focus on 2) ________, rather than what everyone else is doing. To stop FOMO 3) ________, experts recommend a digital detox as part of 4) ________ routine. To live a happy life, we should ignore 5) ________ and focus on what really matters.

rearing its ugly head
the here and now
the smokescreen
unplug
the outside noise
rife
self care 

Vocabulary

rife
very common, usually unpleasant

smokescreen
something that hides the truth

highlight reel
the most exciting or interesting parts of something like an event or period of time

veneer
something attractive that hides something unpleasant

the here and now
(idiom) the present moment  

outside noise
distractions or opinions from other people that stop you focusing on what matters

rear its ugly head
(idiom) an unwelcome problem appears  

self care
the practice of looking after one's health

unplug
disconnect from technology and work in order to relax    

live life in the slow lane
(idiom) live in a calm, relaxed way without rushing

Answers

1.   Match the heading to the paragraph.

Paragraph 1 c) The fear of missing out
Paragraph 2 a) The joy of missing out
Paragraph 3 e) How to embrace JOMO
Paragraph 4 d) JOMO experiences

2.    Choose the correct option based on the content of the article. 

1. b. The writer describes FOMO as an anxiety, as something that needs an antidote, and something that should be stopped from rearing its ugly head.

2. b.Social media is often a smokescreen, where we only see the highlight reel and a veneer of perfection.

3. a. Many find themselves comparing their lives to others'

4. b. False. Kristen Fuller believes people should say "no" to social events if you feel like their request will have a negative impact on you.

5. c. This person feels a sense of peace and acceptance after disconnecting from social media.

3.    Use the words from the list to complete the summary of the article.

Many people say that JOMO is the antidote to FOMO. JOMO encourages people to focus on the here and now rather than what everyone else is doing. To stop FOMO rearing its ugly head, experts recommend a digital detox as part of self care routine. To live a happy life, we should ignore the outside noise and focus on what really matters.

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