What do you fear the most? Some might be afraid of heights or whatnot. Some have the fear of missing out on activities and, well, life.
But did you know that there’s actually a fear of knowing more about something?
The Fear of Finding Out or FOFO is plaguing a lot of individuals. And it might be affecting your productivity as a remote worker.
Here’s how.
What is FOFO?
Commonly experienced in the medical field, FOFO is a psychological fear that stops a person from finding out more about a potential problem. Out of sight, out of mind as some may say.
If you don’t know the problem, you wouldn’t be worried about it, right?
So, they don’t come in for medical tests and check-ups because they’re afraid of what they’ll find.
Similarly, FOFO has troubled the ranks of remote workers.
For example, as a social media manager, why bother analyzing why Facebook ad conversions are low when you get a lot of likes from the posts?
Why check the root of the bad reviews when your engagement is at its all-time high? Or maybe, you’re afraid to get feedback on your work because it might make you feel bad.
The examples above are all issues that need to be addressed at some point. But you’re scared of what you’ll find out if you dig deep, so you just ignore it for another day. And then another. Until it’s too late.
Ultimately, you’re hired to bring in value. And if you don’t figure out how to increase the stats that matter, your client might replace you with someone who will.
Why Are You Experiencing FOFO?
But how do we fight our FOFO? First, let’s understand why we experience it. There are multiple reasons:
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Don’t Know How to Fix It
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- What would you do to fix the problem? People just don’t look into it because they wouldn’t know how to solve it.
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Don’t Have the Resources
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- How much will it cost to fix the problem? Will it be time-consuming as well? People don’t probe further because they don’t have enough resources to fix it.
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Don’t Want the Responsibility
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- You might already know how to fix something. But then again, who wants to take on more responsibility at work?
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Don’t Want to Reveal Lapses on Your Part
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- Sometimes, you know that there’s a problem and that it may have been caused by a lapse on your part. So people just ignore it to avoid blame and guilt.
How to Fight Your FOFO
Sooner or later you have to face your fears. And these circumstances will have ramifications on your career.
So how do we fight FOFO? Your emotional intelligence will play a big part. It all has to do with understanding and managing your emotions.
You Never Know When FOFO Will Strike
You can’t really see FOFO coming. Our fears just manifest almost instinctively.
How can you stop that? Well, you don’t.
It’s about having the courage to face it. As the saying goes, “Courage is not the absence of fear. It’s having fear but doing it anyway.”
You Can Control How Long You Process It
So, what can we do then? Well, you can control how long you process it.Let the fear flow and acknowledge your emotions. And afterwards, you can ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the potential consequences if you continue to ignore this problem?
- What’s the best-case and worst-case scenario?
- What’s the risk if you indulge in your FOFO?
With these questions, you can pivot your mindset towards the long-term effects of your FOFO. And most of the time, that’s compelling enough to spur you into action.
Create an Action Plan
Almost all problems have a solution. So after you face the facts, it’s time to create an action plan.
Brainstorm about all the possible solutions. And then, determine the short-term and long-term changes you can start to implement.
Ask for Help
You’re not alone. When a problem arises, you might want to notify your direct supervisor. Letting your client know might help as well.
With this, you can collaborate further to solve the problem and nip things in the bud.
So are you ready to face your fears in your future remote working career? Worry not, Remote staff offers support to help you in your remote working journey.
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Sign up today to take advantage!
