Article #66 : FOMO(Fear Of Missing Out)

Did you ever feel guilty for taking leave at the workplace? If yes, did you try to analyze what could be the reason(s) for it? Well, recent studies suggest that FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) could be the major reason. 

Today we have an interesting story in this article that highlights the recent social issue FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) 

Our story is about Maha, a passionate software engineer whose world revolves only around her work. 

Maha is a brilliant student in college, she tops her class and gets placed in a reputed MNC straight after her college. 

Maha loves her job; she does not have any thoughts apart from her work throughout the day and the strange part is even during weekends, she thinks of her work. She does not mind going to office on weekends or public holidays and keep working to meet her targets. Her colleagues call her workaholic. Her manager is super impressed with her work and keeps appreciating her every now and then. Her family is also happy looking at her professionalism. But no one is aware of the fact that Maha’s obsession with her work can impact her personal life. 

One fine day Maha happens to fall sick, her family asks her to take sick leave and rest for the day. But surprisingly, Maha wants to go to office taking tablets along with her. The reason being a critical day for her deliverables. She ignores the concerns raised by her family and reaches office. Even her manager becomes surprised on seeing Maha performing at her workplace although her physical condition is not so good. At the same time, he senses something wrong in that attitude. However, as he knows how important is that day for their work, he stays silent. 

Maha gets quickly promoted compared to her peers and in just 5 years, she becomes the project manager at her workplace. Additional work, Additional responsibility, Additional management, Maha becomes quite excited about everything. She takes up the project, learns everything from scratch, builds the things and attains major progress. 

In the meantime, wedding bells ring in her life. Her engagement happens and the wedding date starts arriving soon. At this moment, Maha is confused whether to proceed with her wedding for which she has to take a long leave or proceed with her project and postpone her wedding. This time her family gets shocked listening to Maha’s daze. They try to explain her how wedding is important in one’s life at least highly important than her so called project, but nothing goes to her mind. Discussions keep happening every day. At last, she agrees to take 2 days of leave from work for her wedding and not a single day beyond that. 

While distributing her wedding cards, Maha meets her manager and with lot of hesitation, asks for 2 days leave. Her manager gets shocked just like her family and this time he feels like having an open discussion with Maha.  

He asks, “Why are you taking only 2 days of leave for your wedding? Do you think it is sufficient?” 

Maha replies, “Sir, there is so much to do in the project and I am afraid I may lose out on the progress that I made so far. That’s the reason I can’t afford to take a long leave now” 

Then he says, “But Maha it’s your wedding that happens once in a lifetime” 

She responds, “Yes Sir, that’s the reason I am taking 2 days of leave. Frankly speaking, I am feeling guilty about it too” 

Her manager says firmly, “Maha, you are suffering from FOMO” 

Maha gets puzzled and asks, “Sir, what is this FOMO?” 

He responds, “Fear of Missing Out, let me explain. When was the last time you took a leave, may it can be casual or sick leave?” 

Maha thinks for a while and realizes that she didn’t take a leave from a long time. 

Her manager continues, “What is the point of not taking enough leaves even during your wedding? You think the project is more important? No, my dear, irrespective of your presence the work continues whereas it is not the case in your wedding. Moreover, we work, we earn, we do our job only to lead a better personal life and not the other way around. There is nothing to feel guilty about taking a well deserving break from your work. After all, we are humans, not machines to work 24/7” 

Maha starts thinking on the lines and asks her manager, “Sir, I think you are right. But how could I overcome this FOMO?” 

Her manager replies, "It's very simple. You need to raise your self-esteem. As long as you are able to justify your performance and contributing to company goals, you don’t have to worry or feel guilty about your time off your work” 

That’s the moment when Maha realizes work is important, but personal life is even more important. Work is part of the life, but not the complete life. 

Coming out of the story, did you know that there are 35-40% employees in India who feel guilty, stressed out, anxious and suffer from FOMO about taking time off from work? This is happening equally with the under performers as well as the ones performing well.  

The statistics are more or less similar in U.S. wherein 39% employees feel guilty for leave and 43% employees are worried about workload and don’t take leave. 

FOMO is effecting the mental health and ruining the performance of the employees globally. 

So, the bottom line here is let’s work effectively to lead a better life and, in the process, let’s not forget to take a pause from our work whenever required to live and create some best moments in our lives. 

As the saying goes, “In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, but it’s the life in your years” 

What do you say? Let me know in the comments below.