The Website may be linked to other websites on the World Wide Web or Internet that are not affiliated with, under the control of, or otherwise maintained by Christopher Todd® Communities. Christopher Todd® Communities has not reviewed any of these third-party sites and does not control and is not responsible for any of these sites or their content. You further understand and acknowledge if you decide to access any of the third-party sites linked to the Website, you do so entirely at your own risk. While it’s important to practice social distancing, it can be draining to feel limited by digital interactions all day. Challenge yourself to find unique socially distanced ways you can spend time with friends, family, and neighbors, especially outdoors. If the thought of giving your full attention to 10 people all eager to talk at once makes you want to flee to a remote island—you might have meeting fatigue (AKA “Zoom fatigue,” if you’re meeting virtually).

The survey also showed that people of colour tended to report higher Zoom fatigue than white people, although the effect is much smaller than the difference accounted for by gender.

How to reduce Zoom fatigue

It’s not just classes, but group study sessions and even virtual job fairs are affecting the mental well-being of students. As students try to complete their education requirements online, the back-to-back Zoom classes are making students tired and overwhelmed. Zoom fatigue is an occurrence of physical and mental exhaustion due to frequent participation in video conferencing calls. Some people like to work on their computers and video conference from a dimly lit room. But the contrast coming from your backlight computer screen and darkly lit room can make your Zoom fatigue eye strain even worse, said Sorenson.

• Participants of video calls should also be able to switch off their video if participation is not expected.
• If the constant stream of virtual interactions is getting to you, or you find yourself feeling burnt out, know that you can take action to feel better.
• Researchers at Stanford found that people who multitask can’t remember things as well as their more singularly focused peers.
• Zoom meetings come with a lot more distractions than in-person meetings.
• There are glasses you can wear to cut the blue light and help reduce eye strain.

55% of communication is body language and in Zoom meetings we are limited to people’s faces. We spend a lot of unconscious brain power looking for nonverbal communication clues. Zoom fatigue can also affect students accessing virtual learning via Zoom or other video conferencing apps.

Schedule Zoom meetings for things you actually want to do

While more research is needed, an article published in Technology, Mind, and Behavior in 2021 suggested four possible causes of Zoom fatigue. With remote work likely here to stay in some capacity, https://remotemode.net/ it’s important to assess the ways in which you’re using video conferencing sessions so you can avoid burnout. There are ways to fight Zoom fatigue without giving up your webcam entirely.

It’s important to set limits on how much work you can do during the day, as this will help prevent burnout. Designate certain times for focused work and other times for rest, and make sure you stick to your schedule. This will give you a sense of control over your workload and ensure that you don’t become overwhelmed by the demands of working from home. We suggest taking breaks and looking away from your computer screen whenever possible.

Physical Effects of Zoom Fatigue

But, in real life, how often do you stand within three feet of a colleague and stare at their face? This is because having to engage in a “constant gaze” makes us uncomfortable — and tired. In person, we are able to use our peripheral vision to glance out the window or look at others in the room. On a video call, because we are all sitting in different homes, if we turn to look out the window, we worry it might seem like we’re not paying attention. Not to mention, most of us are also staring at a small window of ourselves, making us hyperaware of every wrinkle and expression (and how it might be interpreted). Without the visual breaks we need to refocus, our brains grow fatigued.

There are several strategies you can adopt to alleviate zoom fatigue. These fall into two general categories — methods for reducing the number of video calls you have to attend, and ways of making the calls you must attend more tolerable. Besides the frustration when people turn their microphones on and off unexpectedly or fail to mute background noise, there’s a tendency to equate silence with negative connotations. It’s reckoned that an audio delay of as little as 1.2 seconds in responding online can make the person talking appear less friendly or focused. Suppose the video conference panel is sitting on a full desktop or browser window and other tabs and activities. In that case, there’s the constant temptation to take care of other business while “listening” to the meeting, such as answering email or Slack and social media conversations.