With an ever-increasing digital age, users are starting to experience FOMO, a fear of missing out, with many of their social media accounts. These symptoms have always been the driving factor for social media use among younger generations but now adults using social media are becoming overwhelmed as well.
According to the MyLife 2013 Connecting and Communicating Online: State of Social Media study, “42 percent of online adults manage multiple social networking profiles. More than half of all respondents belong to more social networks or visit their networks more frequently than they did two years ago. The average adult also manages 3.1 email addresses, up from 2.6 last year. Because of these growing numbers, nearly 3 in 5 of respondents wish for a single tool to help them manage their online lives.”
These statistics show how many people are becoming overwhelmed by the digital age of social media while also trying to balance other things in their lives. There are however, a few ways to combat FOMO. The first being, pick one or two social network sites that suit you most and devote your social media efforts to those sites. This helps you control the consistency of the information you are putting out into the web. Second, designate a specific time for social media. You will see a change in productivity and focus while also realizing that the world goes on even when you aren’t checking your apps every five minutes. Lastly, take a break from social media when you feel it is starting to overwhelm you. It is good to detox every once in a while from the craziness that digital apps and networking sites can create. These breaks also help people to reconnect with the real world, and other demands such as careers and families.