Experiencing Zoom Fatigue? Here Is Help!

Do you feel exhausted at the end of a busy day filled with zoom meetings? If yes, it is not your imagination. Recent research suggests that spending long hours before a camera drains the brain. The phenomenon is called zoom fatigue. It mostly affects new hires and women.

Experiencing Zoom Fatigue? Here Is Help!

Professionals believe that employees perform well in front of the camera. It also comes with disadvantages. The worst among them is the pressure to present oneself well. The person has to appear professional. Children should be kept away from the room. Furthermore, the person should always look well-prepared.

Scientists took a group of 103 people to study the effect of cameras on them. They were required to be in front of the camera. They were observed 1,400 times during a specific span of time.

They found out that when cameras were on, people reported feeling exhausted. Those who didn’t have cameras on appeared more active. This, according to them, coincided with less involvement during meetings.

Their findings contradict the traditional belief; being a camera on made people more involved.

Furthermore, it added to the pressures of new hires and women. Being more vulnerable in their companies, they always have the pressure to appear perfect. Women also had to endure the added pressure of keeping their children out of sight. New hires often faced the pressure of having to participate in everything. This, they would feel, is a must to ascertain their position in the company.

Health experts recommend that employees should be given the choice. They should be free to turn off the camera without the fear of being judged.

After all, if a company has to survive, it should make its employees feel at home. Otherwise, it incurs a great loss in the form of a lack of productivity.

Here are a few more helpful tips if you are the one who experiences it:

1. Refrain from multi-tasking

Multi-tasking creates the impression of being productive. But the truth is just the opposite. Doing several things simultaneously affects your ability to concentrate on anything. Perhaps, you may not be as good at multi-tasking as you imagine yourself.

• Set up “no-meeting” days or hours

The advice applies specifically to those who use a calendar to inform others of their availability. Go to its settings and label your non-meeting hours or days accordingly.

You may even decide to work a half-day and dedicate the other half to meetings. You can also dedicate a few days for meetings and stay safe from them for the rest of the week.

• Learn to say “no”

Stay safe from video calls if they don’t offer any value. Avoid meeting with people who are not prepared enough for a project. You may also ask the presenter to send you a video that explains the content of the proposed meeting. Avoid taking up projects that you are not confident enough to deliver on time.

• Try reading faces

Every individual is unique. Thus reading faces is going to be amazing. It also helps you understand how the other person responds to your body language or suggestions. For instance, the slightly disgusting smirk on the corner of his mouth is a sign that your boss is averse to your suggestions. When your coworker slightly lifts his eyebrows at the mention of a deadline, you realize that the project just slipped away from his mind.

• Take frequent breaks

If the video call is a lengthy one, take regular breaks. Do small exercises like stretching so that you may feel rejuvenated.

Using positive ice breakers too will put your mind at ease during video calls. Be as innovative as you can.