Zoom Fatigue ? How to beat it.

Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, Webex, Facetime - all of these can make you feel wiped out after a bunch of online meetings. Here are some things you can do to reduce the brain strain.

Problem:

You are are fed up with "living in a fishbowl" - being on show in a small box.

Solution:

• Agree that you can switch off video some of the time

• Sit to the side (instead of front and centre) for part of the meeting when you are just listening

Problem:

You find the meeting themselves exhausting - too much to process from too many faces.

Solution:

• Look away from the screen through a window behind your computer or at the familiar objects around the room

• Focus on a few people - not everyone in the meeting.

Problem:

People feel more tired than they would in live meetings.

Solution:

• Less Meetings - use chat, email, or call them !

• Shorter Meetings

• Breaks of at least 15 minutes between meetings to relax

Problem:

You feel you have to show a higher level of engagement because you are being seen on screen.

Solution:

• Show engagement by contributing to the discussion or writing in chat

Problem:

You find it hard to be interesting when you are talking or presenting on Zoom.

Solution:

• Keep it very short

• Use the tools that liven things up - Whiteboard, Break Out Rooms

It's a great tool but I'm just wondering what "zoomed out" will mean when this is all over ?

.