Everyone is busy. But who is actually present?

Before joining a meeting, do you check Slack, glance at your emails, and at the same time wonder, “Am I missing something more important somewhere else?”

In modern working life, this feeling is no longer the exception. It has a name: Workplace FOMO - Fear of Missing Out.

Although the concept of FOMO was initially discussed in a social context, it is rooted in an individual’s fundamental need to belong, avoid falling behind, and preserve their sense of value. In the workplace, however, FOMO manifests not as the fear of missing work itself, but as the anxiety of missing opportunities, visibility, influence, and even the risk of being perceived as “left behind.” This anxiety becomes especially pronounced in organizations where access to information is limitless and communication channels continue to multiply.

Recent research shows that a large proportion of employees check work-related communication channels even outside working hours and struggle to maintain full focus during meetings. Studies in the literature confirm this pattern: constant connectivity tends to create attention fragmentation, decision fatigue, and an increased risk of burnout, rather than higher productivity (Budnick et al., 2020).

This leads to a striking paradox: People are busier than ever, yet cognitive depth is steadily declining.

This situation reflects not merely an individual habit, but an organizational culture. For professionals at the early stages of their careers, visibility gradually turns into a survival reflex. A recent study focusing on Generation Z reveals a significant relationship between workplace motivation and FOMO (Fitria, 2023). Mid-level managers, in trying to keep up with everything, begin to lose their priorities, while leaders struggle to determine whether their teams are truly focused or simply appearing busy.

Alongside FOMO, another quieter yet equally powerful concept is becoming more widespread: FOBO - Fear of Better Options. Patrick J. McGinnis uses this term to describe the difficulty of decision-making created by an abundance of choices. In a world of expanding options, making decisions becomes harder, clarity is postponed, and the question “Could there have been a better option?” continuously occupies the mind.

Perhaps the issue is not being present in more places.

Perhaps the issue is what we consciously choose not to engage with.

At this point, it may be valuable for both individuals and organizations to pause and ask the following questions:

Researchers and thinkers who study focus, attention, and conscious choice converge on a shared conclusion:

Access to more information does not necessarily lead to better decisions. In today’s working world, real value emerges not from deciding what to follow, but from consciously choosing what to leave out. Overcoming Workplace FOMO begins precisely at this point.

Perhaps the most important question this month is this: While trying not to miss anything, are we missing what truly matters?

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References

Budnick, C. J., Rogers, A. P., & Barber, L. K. (2020). The fear of missing out at work: Examining costs and benefits to employee health and motivation. Computers in Human Behavior, 104, 106161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106161

Fitria, N. (2023). The relationship between FOMO and work motivation with employee performance in Gen Z. Jurnal Ilmu Manajemen Advantage, 7(2), 189–198. https://doi.org/10.30741/adv.v7i2.1208

McGinnis, P. J. (2020). Fear of missing out: Practical decision-making in a world of overwhelming choice. Sourcebooks.