7 Ways to Handle FOMO When You’re Freaking Out

Remember that one night you stayed in while your friends all hit the town – and you missed something amazing?

Yeah, us too. (It was last night.)

And we vowed to never let it happen again.

Fear. Of. Missing. Out. 

Those four words just gave you anxiety. You’re welcome.

1. Don’t Overcommit
FOMO can lead even the most skilled, multitasking millennial to overcommit to events. And loosely committing to a handful of social engagements on a particular night only leads to flakiness when you don’t fully commit to anything until you’ve assessed EVERYTHING and found the best option. If you want to save friendships, accept the unfortunate reality that you can’t always do everything you want or be in more than one place at the same time (yet).

2. Don’t Lament
Once you’ve made up your mind, stop thinking about it. Don’t debate whether or not you made the right decision or wonder what you’re missing. In fact, don’t think about it in a negative way at all; don’t let the feelings of disappointment overcome you. Dwelling on what you’re not doing makes the situation worse than it needs to be and can lead to feelings of inadequacy.  

3. Remember the Potential for the Opposite 
To avoid FOMO, ask yourself how many times you’ve gone out for the sake of it (even when you’re getting sick or are trying to save money) and…nothing happens. The place is too crowded, you get some d-bag’s drink spilled all over you, you don’t meet any sexy strangers, and you blow a ton of money. It ends up being nothing more than a waste of time, an outfit, and a bank account. All because you let FOMO take over just in case something awesome were to happen. Instead of FOMO, remember the likelihood of the opposite happening, aka: nothing special.

4. Stay Away from Social Media
FOMO existed long before social media, but being constanly connected has only heightened the problem. Seeing pictures of your friends at events or on fabulous vacations can be enough to make you wonder why you weren’t at that party or why you didn’t just splurge on that vacation. The feeling of inadequacy can lead to anxiety when logging in and an addiction to being perpetually connected. Want an example? We know you sleep with your cell phone and Instagram is the first thing you check in the morning.

5. Make it Positive
Use the time that you would have spent on the night out to do something to benefit you. Catch up on sleep, hit the gym, work on that business plan, or call an old friend. Take the time for yourself. If you’re sick, make the best of it by putting on your comfiest sweatpants, making your favourite tea, and indulging in some shameless Netflix. In general, try to savour the moment, the company, and the positive outcome of declining an invitation.

6. Remember: There Will Be Other Opportunities
Even if you’re stuck at a work event the one-day the man or lady of your dreams is in town, or home sick on the evening of the hottest charity event of the year, remember that there will be other opportunities. There will be other networking events, parties, and moments that can be recreated. Plus, maybe there’s a bigger reason why it didn’t work out for you tonight.

7. Remember That There are More Important Things in Life 
Unless your FOMO is the result of missing a funeral or family dinner, remember that there are more important things to life than hitting that party, charity event, or pub-crawl with your friends. If FOMO is the only thing you have to deal with, you’re doing just fine.


#NOTABLE

Want more updates on the most Notable things happening so you know before your colleagues do? Get our exclusive newsletter here and follow us on Twitter for all the latest.