Kyle MacDonald on getting through summer FOMO free

Working through summer? You might be feeling a bit of FOMO - fear of missing out, here's how to get through it. Photo / Getty Images

Summer FOMO (fear of missing out) is at an all-time high this year.

We all love a summer vacay, sea salt in your hair, a cheeky wine and dine at lunchtime, guilt-ridden sunburn, the forgetfulness of who, what, where and how.

And best of all, the nine to five life ceases to exist for a few blissful weeks.

But if you've drawn the short straw and picked up a couple of shifts, or decided to work through the Christmas break so you can vacay at a later date, you may be familiar with the feeling of fear of missing out.

It's all fun and games deciding to work through Christmas – hello stat day pay, but when push comes to shove it's tough watching everyone else dancing their way into the NY while you're setting a 6am alarm.

Thankfully, psychotherapist and relationship counsellor Kyle MacDonald knows what's up and after begging him to help a girl out, he came to the summer FOMO party and filled me in on all the secrets to get through summer regret-free.

From parent guilt to Covid anxiety, and all the FOMO in between here is how to get through the days that feel longer than usual.

Q. If someone has put off their vacation due to Covid restrictions and is working through the break, how can they stay positive and find work/life balance?

A. The main thing is to have something to look forward to and make plans for when you can have a break. It's also possible to make the most of a "staycation" and treat your own city like it's new to you, discover places you haven't seen before, be a tourist in your own city. Cultivate a sense of novelty and wonder for where you are.

Q. For parents who are working through the break and have had to find childcare options, how can they avoid working parent guilt?

A. Focus on quality not quantity - make the most of the time you do have with your kids and make it as special as you can. Challenge the guilt - you're not doing anything wrong - odds are you're working to support your children.

Q. How can we rationalise feelings of anxiety while Covid is circulating the community?

A. It's important to acknowledge that some fear and trepidation is real and understandable. But it's also important to trust the rules, and take responsibility for doing all the things you can to keep yourself safe - masks, hand washing and scanning in. But don't let the fear limit you from doing what you need to - that's when it tips into being a problem.

Q. What are your tips for avoiding unnecessary feelings of FOMO? Eg. will staying off social media help?

A. For me, it's mostly about gratitude. Combating the "grass is greener" feeling it's important to keep turning our attention to where we are, and finding ways to be grateful for what we have, and what we can do. Having said that envy can be useful in that it points us towards what we want, so make plans and work towards them.

Kyle's answers should have put you at ease but if not, I have some great news. Out of all the summers to decide to work, this is possibly the best one because due to Covid and the new traffic light system loads of events are being postponed.

The iconic Rhythm & Vines festival – you know the place where everyone is shirtless and covered in glitter? Has been postponed until Easter 2022 so it's quite literally impossible to have FOMO for that soiree this summer.

And speaking of events taking place later in the year, The Great Kiwi Beer Festival is kicking off in Christchurch on January 29, but if you're not into drinking, never fear, New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty Queenstown Marathon has been postponed until March 19.

So while working through summer might not be the vibe you were after it will pay off when you can attend all the fun events later in the year and take advantage of a queue-less holiday.