How to Minimize Zoom Fatigue and Make Virtual Meetings Work
Did you know that 49% of professionals who are working remotely have experienced Zoom fatigue?
As the workplace continues to shift to online spaces, video conferencing with tools such as Zoom has become commonplace. This can lead to what is now referred to as Zoom fatigue as professionals find themselves in front of a camera several times a day.
So, you might be wondering what is it about how you work online that leads to this phenomenon? And how to minimize Zoom fatigue?
Read on for this information and more.
What Is Zoom Fatigue?
Zoom fatigue, also known as virtual fatigue, has become a common enough issue among virtual workers that it is now being studied.
It is believed that there are several components that make up Zoom fatigue. One is the eye strain associated with being on your computer throughout your workday. Then, also often into the evening if you are using it to keep in touch with family you may still be separated from due to the pandemic.
A second element is that when using Zoom, or any virtual video meeting platform, you are generally only seeing the other users’ faces. This means you are missing out on a great deal of non-verbal cues you would pick up during an in-person meeting. Your brain must work harder to try and make up for these lost cues and may do so by trying to read more into facial expressions or by picking up on verbal intonations.
Another piece to the Zoom fatigue puzzle is the aspect of seeing yourself repeatedly on camera during meetings. It is thought that this can cause added stress and even anxiety.
How to Minimize Zoom Fatigue
There is a lot to think about when it comes to minimizing Zoom fatigue. Here are several of the most important things to keep in mind:
Keep It Short
When thinking about minimizing zoom fatigue, one of the best ways to do this is to keep virtual meetings short. There are several ways an organization can work on making this a priority:
- Starting meetings five minutes after the hour and ending meetings five minutes before the next hour to give time for breaks between calls
- Having a prepared agenda, and sticking to it, for every meeting
- Limiting questions or asking them to be submitted prior to the meeting
Keep It Engaging
When using video conferencing as a daily tool, it is easy to just have meeting after meeting full of content, with nothing to set one apart from another. By adding visual aids or team collaboration elements, you can engage your employees and improve productivity.
For ideas on setting up engaging meetings, find more here.
Are You Ready to Make Your Zoom Meetings More Productive?
Now that you know how to minimize Zoom fatigue you’re ready to help your coworkers learn why they’re so exhausted.
By using the tips in this article you can create meetings that are teamwork-oriented and that will keep people interested.
Read more articles like this on our blog for information that help you create an efficient, effective workplace.
