Fear of missing out (FOMO) is that feeling that you are missing out on information, experiences or life decisions that could make your life better. The term FOMO was first identified in 1996 but the concept has been around for much longer. We used to call it ‘keeping up with the Jones’. Our increasing connection to social media has exacerbated FOMO in society as we are fed a continuous stream of others doing cool and interesting things. It causes some of us to want to always be in the know and always connected. When not connected, it can cause an increase in anxiety or depression.

A 2016 Forbes article, Career FOMO: How to Stop ‘Fear of Missing Out’ From Ruining Your Happiness, identifies an offshoot of FOMO called Opportunity FOMO or the fear of missing out when it comes to career and professional development. I can understand how easily many in the legal profession can fall prey to Opportunity FOMO, particularly as we progress through our careers. As our skills and experience grow, so do the opportunities to participate on more boards and projects.

To determine if you may suffer from Opportunity FOMO, the article asks the following questions:

• Do you say yes to every single work-related opportunity that comes across your plate, justifying it by saying this may be a potential “big break”?
• Do you over-schedule yourself, committing to networking events or learning opportunities like webinars, classes or workshops because you’ll feel like a failure if you don’t devote every second of free time to propelling your career forward?
• Are you constantly questioning your work-life balance choices (like distractedly wondering what’s happening at the office while out to lunch with a co-worker, or checking your work email while relaxing with your spouse), thereby not fully being present in either area?
• Do you often have doubts about your professional path in comparison to those you see on Linkedin, hear about over happy hour with your college friends or read about on blogs?
• Do you frequently feel left out when you’re not included in a meeting or consulted on a decision?
• If you’re unable to attend a conference or event, are you anxious that won’t make valuable connections that could take your career to the next level?

The article also provides as few options for overcoming Opportunity FOMO such as:

• Do A Social Media Reality Check – Remember social media presents the best of someone’s life only.
• Remember That Work Is Infinite, Bur Time Is Finite – Accept you can’t do it all.
• Dismantle The Delusion of Career FOMO – If you fear you’re missing out on an opportunity, do research to see what it really is. It may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

If you want to do a deeper dive into the FOMO phenomenon and are looking for help to overcome the fear of missing out, take a look at “The Joy of Missing Out: Live More By Doing Less” by Tanya Dalton. The author claims the book will help you discover “how to reject the pressure to do more, be more, and achieve more”. I’ll admit that I have not finished the book but will provide my review at a later date and welcome feedback from those who have.