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Have you ever encountered Zoom fatigue? That indicates the weariness you get following any type of conference or video call. Many individuals experience Zoom fatigue (sometimes called virtual fatigue). It can be a problem when working remotely, but it offers several benefits.
Even though zoom fatigue isn't a recognized diagnosis, it's extremely genuine. Zoom Fatigue has a similar sensation to what we typically associate with tiredness or burnout.
Similar to how Googling is similar to any web search, Zooming has replaced videoconferencing as the most common and generic verb. As social distance measures have kept people physically apart, the number of virtual meetings has exploded, with hundreds of millions occurring every day.
Why We Experience Zoom Fatigue?
Zoom Fatigue is not just in your head. Virtual meetings can be physically exhausting for several reasons. Reading facial emotions and interpreting tone from a computer screen requires more effort. It requires more work to hold conversations through Zoom than it does in person, even if you may not be aware of that.
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People must simulate eye contact during such interactions while still processing verbal communication in their minds. Even with advancements in technology, there's still a small lag when verbal responses are given through virtual interactions. Your ability to decipher the other person's statements may be hampered as a result.
Some businesses have policies requiring employees to come to work dressed appropriately. Others prohibit workers from accepting calls while in their bedrooms. There're also odd, unexpected calls that occur. It's one thing to go into a conference room when you're already at work, but it's quite another to have to prepare your house for an unforeseen team gathering.
How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?
Many of us work long hours in front of computers, and most of our free time is spent watching television, scrolling through social media on phones, and reading articles on tablets. That's especially true during pandemics when most of our social interactions take place online.
While there's no magic number of hours for adults' recommended screen time, there's undeniable proof that excessive screen time can be bad for health.
For instance, a study discovered that people who watched screens for six hours or longer each day had a higher risk of depression. It was found that restricting social media use to 30 minutes per day resulted in a substantial improvement in well-being.
How to Avoid Zoom Fatigue?
Now that we know about zoom fatigue, it's typical to also know about the ways to deal with it and improve our mental health. Here are some of them:
1) Turn Off Your Video If It's Not Required
Every workplace is a little bit different, but if you have the option to occasionally turn off your camera, do it.
Turning down your video can not only help you make the most of your time but also relieve some of the pressure to seem a certain way through the screen if you need to multitask while doing something else, such as folding laundry, breastfeeding, or making lunch.
2) Move Your Body When You Take Breaks
Even though this is a more general piece of advice, it's still vital to keep in mind, as it's crucial to take the correct kind of break even though taking breaks is important. If you're taking a break, resist the urge to immediately check your phone or social media.
Get up. Stretch. Activate blood flow. To avoid any strain, aches, or pains, rotate your shoulders and perform some basic warm-up movements to relax your neck and shoulder muscles. Try to get some fresh air, and get the blood and oxygen flowing by going outside if you can.
3) Disable Self View
Most people dislike seeing themselves. Witnessing yourself speak makes it even worse, as it could feel like you're watching a presentation of yourself. That's miserable on earth for many individuals, especially those who are shy or introverted.
By forcing you to focus more on yourself, looking in the mirror might give you the impression that everyone else is seeing you up close and personal as well, which can make you self-conscious and uncomfortable about how you seem. Therefore, hide your vision to prevent causing Zoom-driven paranoia.
4) Choose A Format That's Most Effective For You
Find time slots that work best for both your schedule and mental health if you have any control over them.
Perhaps scheduling all your required Zoom meetings at the start of the week works best for you. You can also choose to spread them throughout the week. No day will ever feel too busy because of that.
Zoom meetings and other elements of the work-from-home lifestyle are probably here to stay, so think about how you can balance your work and wellness.
You may need to let your team know that you need a break if you're worn out, depleted or experiencing Zoom Fatigue. It can be frustrating to let others know your boundaries at first, but it will be well worth it eventually.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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