Zoom Fatigue! Yes, It’s a Real Thing. Here’s How to Avoid It.
Has Zoom lost its "newness" for you?
Chances are, if you’re like at least 50 per cent of the population, what was once a "lifeline" for most communicators has turned into the cause of unnecessary stress. Zoom started out as a great tool to stay connected with colleagues and friends at the beginning of the pandemic. However, after nearly 6 months of quarantine, many of us have been forced to settle into working from home for the long haul, leading to burnout and exhaustion from relentless video conferencing – a phenomenon that's been rightfully dubbed "Zoom fatigue."
And it's not just at work. With lockdown, quarantining and social distancing a continued part of our everyday, video calls have become one of the only safe ways for people to feel connected, participate in social gatherings, celebrate milestones, "attend" a fitness class or even take part in remote learning.
But, has watching life through a screen begun to wear thin?
Zoom fatigue is definitely real, but Zoom isn't the only culprit - Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Houseparty and Skype all have their hand in the video conferencing pot.
Why has this mode of communication grown tired you ask?
It's simple, we all have to work harder! Our brains are always "on" these days, especially when we’re staring at our colleagues’ faces (and our own) for so long. Not to mention, when our technology fails us in front of colleagues or clients—which it inevitably will at some point—the result is justifiable stress.
So, what can we do about it?
The good news is that you are not alone on the island and, other than simply cutting down the number of video calls you have each day (which may or may not be an option), there are a few options for minimizing the level of video calling fatigue in our lives.
Designate a Meeting-Free Day
Set aside one day each week that becomes a "no video call" day that everyone on your internal team and in your family can agree on.Schedule "Anti-Meeting" Blocks in Your Calendar
Don't be afraid to block of 1-3 hours (I know it sounds ambitious) in your day where no one can book you for a video call. You can label it as "DO NOT BOOK," "KEEPING MY HEAD DOWN," "TAKING A MENTAL BREAK," or even "GONE FISHING." This will help not only reduce “Zoom Fatigue,” but also give you a solid break of time to focus on whatever task you have at hand.Turn Off Your Camera
Imagine being forced to stare at yourself in the mirror for an hour straight. It sounds weird until you realize that's exactly what happens on a video chat. Inevitably, you'll end up noticing every little hair out of place, even "that weird thing you do with your lip when you're stressed" for example. It'll drive you mad.
Start by doing a quick check that your lighting is good, then hide self-view to minimize the need to watch yourself present. Or, give yourself and participants the permission to turn off the camera all together. Trust me, you won't be presented with much opposition.Cut Down on Timing
We've all been on that video call that was scheduled for 30 minutes and you find yourself approaching the 60-minute mark and going strong. Just because we might be missing that one-on-one facetime doesn't mean we have to draw out our video calls. Try and stick to 30 minutes and come prepared with an agenda to keep you on track. If the call runs late, take it offline, or reconvene another time that works for everyone.ACTUALLY Log Off After Work
And lastly, but probably the most important point to remember: don't forget to log off and schedule some screen-free time to your day. Working from home comes with its perks (e.g. conference calls in your PJs), but it also creates some very bad habits, including one I'm notorious for - forgetting to adhere to "somewhat reasonable office hours."
Designating video-free time, or screen-free time all together will help you from feeling overwhelmed. Grab a book. Stretch. Take the dog for a walk. Just leave the screen alone.