THE IMPACT OF FEAR OF MISSING-OUT AND JOY OF MISSING-OUT ON WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AMONG WORKING WOMEN

Abstract

Social media is a dominant force in women's lives in terms of their daily activities and feelings. The two newly developed digital habits, known as Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Joy of Missing Out (JOMO), have started to play a part in women's personal and professional life balancing. FOMO is the fear that one is missing out on good experiences or activities being participated in by others, and this leads to the excessive checking of social media and emotional upset. The opposite of FOMO is JOMO, which is the pleasure and comfort of being off the grid and not being disturbed by social or digital distractions. Digital psychology has elaborated on both experiences, but very few studies have investigated their impact on the work–family balance of working women, particularly in cultural environments such as Pakistan, where women have to face additional responsibilities and live up to greater expectations. This qualitative study aims to explore the impact of FOMO and JOMO on work–family conflict among working women aged 22 to 50. Using semi-structured interviews with participants from diverse professional backgrounds, the study investigates how digital engagement influences emotional well-being, time management, and role performance. Thematic analysis was used to identify key patterns in participants’ experiences, focusing on how FOMO increases emotional pressure and blurs boundaries between work and home, while JOMO offers relief and supports healthier boundaries.