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zoom fatigue

Today, we are dealing with a rather new topic in team collaboration, we all know by now: Being tired of working from home, seeing your colleagues just as little squares on a screen. Although there are a trillion video communication platforms, zoom Inc. rocked the market during the pandemic, so this phenomenon is just called “zoom draining”. I wonder whether this is good or bad fot them!?! 🤔

When you spend too much time using video communication instead of in person meetings, you may be suffering from zoom draining (sometimes also called “zoom fatigue”). This condition manifests itself in several ways. Physical symptoms may include irritability and snapping at family and friends. Your emotional state can be negatively affected, too, as you may become overly critical.

zoom draining

How do you define zoom fatigue?

If you’ve ever sat through a Zoom meeting and wondered: “Why do Zoom meetings make me so tired?” then you’re not alone. This phenomenon is called Zoom Fatigue, and several different factors can cause it. For one, you might be doing more than one thing. This can cause your brain to be overworked, causing you to become irritable and feel low energy.

If you use Zoom video call for a long time, you may experience Zoom fatigue. Unlike traditional burnout, zoom fatigue can be quite difficult to cope with. Many people experience fatigue, similar to traditional burnout. When it comes to working from home, using a Zoom video conferencing application can cause extreme stress and fatigue.

Why Virtual Meetings Are Exhausting

In person meetings can be tiring but why are virtual meetings so tiresome? One reason is that participants are not physically present. While they can connect via webcam, it doesn’t guarantee that people will be fully engaged. Furthermore, multiple alerts and various other distractions can cause people to multitask and become fatigued. Here are some of the major causes of zoom fatigue:

Cause of zoom fatigue

The cause of fatigue during virtual meetings is Zoom fatigue, which results from the high-frequency use of the video conferencing service Zoom. Zoom users experience this fatigue when they use the platform too much. This fatigue is linked to the depletion of brain glucose, fueling brain cells. In normal circumstances, the brain replenishes this supply through sleep. Zoom meetings are also extremely tiring because of the high mental effort they require.

Increased cognitive load

A common reason people feel drained after using Zoom is because of increased cognitive load. People who frequently use the service may develop problems with mobility and coordination. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this and avoid it. A good first step is to consult with your managers. They may suggest passing on some meetings altogether.

Excessive eye contact

Another cause of virtual meetings being exhausting is excessive eye contact between participants. While staying focused on the other person may be easy, maintaining eye contact for too long can make you feel uncomfortable and exhausting. People who remain glued to their screens for long periods can feel anxiety about the meeting, making them even more anxious. By preventing these problems, participants can avoid exhaustion. These problems can be solved by practicing effective ways to fight back against the effects of the video.

Multitasking

Zoom fatigue is caused by people who multitask while participating in video meetings. Zoom users overloaded with other activities are more prone to suffering from this phenomenon. Instead of focusing on their work, they feel tired and unproductive. To avoid experiencing this problem, you need to make sure that Zoom is optimized for you and a good working environment. The best way to reduce Zoom fatigue is to avoid multitasking, which can drain your mental energy.

Video calls

Another common reason for feeling fatigued during Zoom meetings is that video calls can cause anxiety. Video conference can also make people worry about their appearance or sound or act the way they do in real life. Similarly, people who aren’t used to video conference calls may not have moved for hours or may be unused to engaging with others through a screen.

How to identify zoom draining?

When Zooming, people who don’t have to travel might feel more tired. Despite its benefits, virtual meetings are tiring. They require intense focus, which can wear people down. As a result, people may find it difficult to multitask. They may even snap at family members. Consider scheduling an alternate time for Zoom meetings if you’re facing mental exhaustion regularly. It’s a good idea to have a break now and then, but don’t vacation.

If you frequently use Zoom for business purposes, you should be aware of the symptoms of Zoom fatigue. It can impact your physical and mental health and be considered a serious problem. This problem can also be caused by a new way of using Zoom for business. As a result, fatigue can affect work performance. Here’s how you can identify zoom fatigue:

Exhaustion

One of the most common signs of Zoom fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion after making too many video calls. Video conference calls can increase your cognitive load, and a long meeting can cause exhaustion. While Zoom is useful for some jobs, many users experience virtual fatigue and negative body language. The increased cognitive demands can cause people to feel tired and anxious after using the software. As a result, the use of Zoom has increased exponentially, and so have the risks of exhaustion.

Lack of concentration

Another symptom of Zoom exhaustion is that it can cause your concentration to drop. It has been reported that this can affect your ability to focus and cause emotional fatigue. The mental fatigue caused by video conferences has led to a spike in negative driving statistics.

Eye strain and headaches

Another disadvantage of back-to-back meetings is eye strain and headaches. If you’re sitting for hours on end, this can lead to soreness and headaches. It’s difficult to concentrate when your eyes are tired. Try to schedule breaks every ten to twenty minutes or so to avoid motivational fatigue. You can also take a brief gaze break in between. Audio-only breaks are often stigmatized but are okay if they’re not too long.

video conference tired

How to combat zoom fatigue?

In the digital age, we’re all surrounded by screens, making it easy to develop a mental and physical dependency on the technology. Unfortunately, this pandemic has also increased our unhealthy reliance on digital devices. Luckily, you can do several simple things to avoid becoming a victim of motivational fatigue and psychological address. For starters, it’s a good idea to limit your use of social media and online games. These activities contribute to our cognitive overload and can affect our overall health. Taking a break from the digital world can also help alleviate the effects of Zoom fatigue.

Shift to audio or video conference and take breaks

If you find that your Zoom meetings take up a large portion of your day, consider making audio or zoom calls instead. If possible, conduct Zoom meetings from your office rather than a public place. Make sure to take regular breaks. If possible, avoid spending your breaks on the computer. Otherwise, you may find that these are a waste of time. By making changes in your environment, you can prevent Zoom burnout before it begins.

Plain background

Another reason you might be experiencing Zoom fatigue is that you have a lot of visuals on your screen. The problem of visual overload can be very frustrating and hinder your ability to focus on the task at hand. To avoid experiencing this phenomenon, make sure that your background is plain or has fewer visual elements. You can make small adjustments to the visual elements in your videos, so they don’t take over your screen. This way, your students won’t get overwhelmed and can focus on the content.

Take breaks

One of the easiest ways to combat Zoom fatigue is to take breaks. If your work requires you to be on the phone, try to make at least a twenty-minute break every few hours. This will relax your eye muscles and give your brain a break. If this is not possible, you can use a presentation tool to make your point. By doing this, you can reduce the mental load.

Avoid multitasking

Another way to avoid becoming a victim of zoom fatigue is to not multitask while on the call. It can take away your concentration and can also make you look unprofessional. Try to turn off your microphone and presentation tools after introducing your teammates to reduce this problem. Also, avoid multitasking while in an online meeting and mute your video if you are distracted by other activities. If this is impossible, you may consider holding the meeting in a private location.

Shorter meetings

One way to reduce the risk of zoom fatigue is to make meetings shorter. Instead of long meetings, keep the length to 50 minutes. Similarly, try taking short walks during meetings. This will help you avoid the physical and mental strain of being on-call. If you can’t find an appropriate balance, consider scheduling meetings on other communication channels. Besides, don’t forget to promote quiet days for staff to unplug and rest.

Team collaboration tools

Video chat also make it harder to process non-verbal cues like silence. Silence is normal in person, but it’s often more uncomfortable on video. If you find that you’re suffering from zoom fatigue, you might want to try another method of internal team collaboration – or add it to spark new motivation to your remote teamwork.

Since the online meeting fatigue is also often caused by the feeling of being distant and unproductive, we developed yowork.io as an add on for any video conferencing solution. Make you remote meetings more poductive, shorter and have, finally, fewer meetings at all! Here’s a brief intro to yowork.io:

yowork.io

A team collaboration tool such as yowork.io can help you avoid zoom fatigue by working together without dialing into someone else’s office. Apart from making meetings more fun and productive, yowork.io makes it easy for you to move meetings to async platforms, minimizing the need for meetings at all. yowork.io will help you structure your daily work with meetings, tasks and documentation (shared storage). By the way, you can test if forever free for your personal use!

How to Handle Back to Back Meetings on Zoom?

To ensure that the audio and video are clear, make sure you test the settings for both Zoom sessions. Before using Zoom for back-to-back remote meetings, test them with a trusted co-worker or friend. You can also check the quality of your Internet connection and switch to a hard-wired one if possible. A poor connection can make the video call unusable. In addition, make sure everyone has a reliable computer and an up-to-date version of Zoom.

Minimize the number of meetings

To avoid fatigue, try minimizing the number of meetings you have in a row. The zoom is a powerful tool that can save time, but it’s not without its downfalls. If you want to avoid fatigue and stay productive, you need to take a break now and then. In addition, consider using other forms of communication such as email or video instead of a video call. For longer discussions, use whiteboards or document marking instead of video.

Schedule audio-only meetings

You can also schedule audio-only meetings if you have a small team and a simple agenda. Video may add distractions to an already hectic meeting. Poor audio quality can cause unnecessary stress and drag out even the simplest conversations. If you want to hold a Zoom meeting, make sure to set your audio settings correctly. Make sure there are no background noises that activate the mic or cut people off while speaking.

How to Avoid Zoom Fatigue?

If you’re having trouble avoiding Zoom fatigue, here are a few tips. Try scheduling the meeting in your home office. This way, your co-workers will not have to scramble to look professional.

Separate your work from personal life

One of the first things to prevent Zoom fatigue is to separate your work from your personal life. The reason why this is important is that rapid task-switching is exhausting. Also, try to avoid back-to-back Zoom meetings if you can. This way, you can maximize the attention span of each person in the meeting. Try to keep the meeting short.

Switch up your environment

Another trick to prevent Zoom fatigue is to switch up your environment. If possible, walk outside and look at something more beautiful. A change of scenery can do wonders for your mood and help you concentrate during class. Another good way to prevent Zoom fatigue is to change the lighting in your room. Lower light levels can exacerbate the problem. If this doesn’t work, try turning on a few lower-level lights and changing into a more presentable outfit.

Team get-togethers

Organizing team get-togethers can also help you avoid becoming too accustomed to Zoom fatigue. Team get-togethers are a good way to boost team spirits and reduce your risk of getting sick. Even introverted individuals can make video calls if they feel comfortable. These events may also make introverts feel more comfortable with video chats.

Conclusion

Regardless of age, mental health issues and large amounts of stress may also contribute to zoom fatigue. The good news is that there are some steps you can take to mitigate the effects of Zoom fatigue. You can get the most out of your Zoom sessions without experiencing any negative effects and with an excellent collaboration tool like yowork.io, you really don’t need to worry about psychological stress as a result of zoom meetings!


all images Pixabay

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