How to Prevent Zoom Fatigue

In the time and age when almost everyone has been spending more time in virtual meetings, it is a must to know how to prevent Zoom fatigue.

"Zoom fatigue" is experienced by those working from home and even students participating in online classes.

Contrary to what others think being at home means relaxing, people who stay at home nowadays are exhausted from all the zoom meetings.

For parents who work from home and who have kids who attend online classes, here are some of the ways on how to prevent zoom fatigue:

Choose phone meetings

If possible, choose to have phone meetings instead of video conferencing. This way, you will have lesser time in front of the computer, and you are subject to lesser technical issues that can sometimes be too frustrating.

Have non-screen breaks

Even if deadlines are piling up or many deliverables need to be done, try to look for non-screen breaks. Walk around the house, prepare your meal, or take a short walk outside.

Although browsing your social media feed is no longer part of your job, this will still entail screen time, so avoid doing that during breaks as well.

Focus

When having zoom meetings, do not multitask by opening other windows like emails, social media, and the like. This step is an excellent way to ensure that you will not encounter interruptions and stay focused on what is at hand.

Go offline

Whenever you can, or after a video conference meeting, engage yourself in offline activities. Read a book, drink a cup of coffee, or talk to a friend. These ways can help you relax, thus avoiding zoom fatigue.

Prepare

This step may sound like an easy one. However, you must note that you should not only prepare for the meeting itself but also the equipment you are going to use. Make sure that your equipment is placed in positions that will not make you feel more exhausted.

For example, your camera should be at your eye level to look straight forward, thus, not causing any pain on your neck and shoulders.

Keep it simple

One way to avoid distractions is by making sure that you keep everything simple - including your background. To do this, keep the things that could distract the call away from the frame. At the same time, you may request your colleagues to keep their backgrounds simple as well.