No matter the name, the struggle is real—and backed by science. In a recent report, Stanford communications professor Jeremy Bailenson says video-chat apps have design flaws that make virtual interactions especially draining. CHICAGO (WLS) — Many workers are feeling what’s being called “zoom fatigue” as they continue to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. And if the pressure of keeping up a professional image while joining video calls from home is getting you down—install Krisp for free to experience noise-free calls with free virtual backgrounds. Remote work became the “new normal” for us during the pandemic. And while many of us have returned to the office, the work world is forever changed.

You might also consider making a rule at your company where each employee can choose whether to have their camera on or off during meetings. If you’re hosting a meeting or attending one, make sure you have the agenda to study beforehand. So even if you can’t make direct eye contact on Zoom, there are ways you can “simulate” making direct eye contact and boost levels of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for feeling connectedness. This is the part of the brain that allows us to have genuine social interaction. When the social part of your brain lights up, you can tell jokes, have fun, and smile without faking it.

Communicate about communication!

Set your default joining experience to audio-only in the Video tab in your Zoom settings. Learn from these experiences and book a five, 10, or 30-minute slot for offline work or taking a break. In his book, The One Thing, Gary Keller explains how focussing on a single thing per day, per hour, per sprint, or per call can lead to extraordinary results. When you focus on one activity at a time, you stand a better chance of that one thing being successful. It shows that Zoom fatigue doesn’t apply to only introverts or extroverts. There are varying levels of fatigue, but ultimately it can be a significant contributing factor to burnout.

If you absolutely must have a discussion with your team, schedule a conference call that won’t force your coworkers to crack open their laptops and scramble to create a professional look. Given the shift toward working from home, telecommunication tools like Zoom have become integral to workplace operations. As we enter the third year of the pandemic, many workers find themselves drained, unfocused, and burned out from all of the teleconferencing and virtual interactions. Luckily, workers can combat these symptoms by taking breaks, remaining present, and prioritizing their mental health. Working from home removes many of the positive aspects of workplace culture and can lead to burnout over time.

Reduce stimuli on the screen

Given the circumstances, though, our options are very limited. While virtual instruction was once viewed as a flexible option, it has recently become a staple of our academic and professional lives. Video is the go-to way to engage in a meaningful meeting with plenty of context. Video offers a similar experience to face-to-face contact, which means that many companies are using it to replace virtually every conversation they might have in person.

Medical student Gabriela Asturias brought health information to millions of Guatemalans during the COVID-19 pandemic with the help of a friendly chatbot. Hancock said results from the scale can help change the technology so the stressors are reduced. After working myself to the bone pitching 300 people each day for one year, I came out of that experience as a new man — but surprisingly, an unhappier one. All this boils down to our brains working harder than they usually would in a conversation, and leaving us tired and worn out by the end of the day. Video calls force us to focus and concentrate more intensely than we usually would – for example, if we lose concentration for a moment, it’s not as easy to say a quick, ‘Sorry, I didn’t catch that’.

How to avoid Zoom fatigue

If you’re exhausted from a long day in front of the screen, you might want to suggest an audio call or postpone it for another day. Reduce stimuli on the screen by keeping your Zoom window on speaker view and closing all other programs and browser windows. It’s easy to get distracted in Zoom meetings — there’s so much happening on the screen. Remove all distractions, such as your phone, and keep your browser windows closed to reduce the temptation to multitask. Multitasking burns extra mental energy, which can leave you feeling frazzled. As we slowly move into the post-pandemic world, Zoom meetings are likely to continue to be a prevalent form of communication.

Imagine your brain as a battery that can only run for so long before it needs to recharge. Trying to power through fatigue doesn’t lead to more productivity—it just leads to more fatigue. As we saw above, even the most productive employees stop work after 52 minutes to take a 17-minute break. For less stressful and more efficient meetings, keep them as small as possible.

To make video calls less exhausting for yourself, try using a few research-based tips. These days, video meetings can drag on because it’s the only time we feel we can socialize with remote coworkers. For that reason, try creating social activities outside of work meetings to bond with your colleagues. As WFH continues, many people within the workforce are noticing the blurred lines between work and home since they now belong in the same space. Zoom fatigue can worsen this effect as seemingly every work-related interaction is virtual and easily accessible. Between quick calls to coworkers and larger department meetings, a daily meeting schedule quickly starts to overflow with Zoom appointments.

It’s also best not to use video if you have to take a call outside the office, as this can make the situation stressful and counterproductive. This will help reduce the chances of them developing Zoom fatigue from your background. It can be tempting to do something else during Zoom meetings, but it’s best to resist the urge.

The following tips can help to ease the more tiring aspects of video conferencing and introduce more healthy practices into your meetings. Our tips and tricks for mental exhaustion from video conferencing can help you with treating and preventing future Zoom fatigue and improve the way you use this useful tool. Video conferencing https://remotemode.net/blog/remote-work-burnout-fatigue-and-how-to-avoid-it/ eye contact means that rather than making occasional eye contact with the person speaking, as is natural, you’re constantly observing a number of people. This also gives you the impression that you’re being observed by several sets of eyes at once. Start creating “no meeting zones” where no one can schedule meetings with you.

This makes for an unfriendly cocktail that makes talking in video calls not so appealing. Gestures could also mean different things in a video meeting context. A sidelong glance to someone during an in-person meeting means something very different than a person on a video chat grid looking off-screen to their child who just walked into their home office.

After all, video calls can seem like the ideal way to communicate – you get to see your colleagues and talk in real-time, just as if you were in the same room. A meeting that drags is much more stressful than a well-structured one… and increases the likelihood of developing Zoom Fatigue. Assigning a fixed time slot to individual topic points, and setting a realistic time limit on your meeting duration will help to avoid digressions and naturally limit the stress of video conferencing. If you are in longer calls, try to take a break from looking at your screen.

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