Zoom Fatigue

Remember the days when we could attend a meeting in person? We would grab all of our meeting essentials (laptop, pad and pen, cell phone, etc.) and walk into a room where we could see others around us. Today (for most of us), we sit/stand in-front of a screen looking straight ahead and sometimes asking ourselves the question “Why am I so tired?” There’s a word for that, it’s called “Zoom Fatigue” or “virtual fatigue.” It’s the physical, mental and psychological tiredness due to a person’s overuse of virtual meetings.

I recently participated in a survey and was asked the following 3 questions:

1) “What is the worst symptom you experience during or after a virtual meeting?”
– The top responses were lethargy, aches & pains from sitting, boredom and blurry vision.
2) “What is your top go-to after a Zoom meeting has ended?”
– The top responses were email and other work.
3) “What is your top strategy to overcome Zoom Fatigue?”
– The top responses were walking and stretching.

These were just some of the answers the survey included. Many are still tracking the mental and physical results from Zoom fatigue. What can we do about it now? Don’t let Zoom fatigue catch you by surprise and try using some of these tips:

• Consider making the meeting duration shorter or include a small break
• Avoid multitasking
• If hosting a Zoom meeting, make it interactive and engaging for the participants by using the meeting tools (Chat, Polling, Whiteboard, etc.)
• Stick to the agenda and don’t add to it
• Remember to blink and give your eyes a screen break
• Stretch and go for a walk after the meeting

With a strong likelihood that some meetings may continue to be held virtually, try to find your own methods to prevent Zoom fatigue. Whatever you do, try something that benefits your body and mind. Then see how you feel before and after your next virtual meeting.

-Drew

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