It is the end of a long day of back-to-back virtual meetings. As you hang up the head-phones, you feel the stiffness in your back, and your eyes are sore and tired. You have just enough energy to drag your-self to your favorite chair and collapse, only wanting to be left alone. If this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing Zoom fatigue. But what is Zoom fatigue? What causes it, and how can we prevent it?
Experts say videoconferencing and technology is over-taxing our brain.1 Zoom fatigue is a collection of physical and psychological responses that come from spending extended periods of time in Zoom or other videoconferencing platforms. People with Zoom fatigue have reported feeling anxious and stressed before a video call and feeling tired, exhausted, or even having feelings of despair after the meeting. Our brains must work harder on video calls to focus on the meeting topics and to read the verbal and nonverbal cues that we normally see during in-person meetings. Zoom fatigue may negatively affect a person's physical and mental health or their ability to perform their work effectively.
Telecommuting is not new to cancer registrars. And, while we appreciate how videoconferencing has kept us connected across the country, the pandemic has increased the intensity and frequency of our use of virtual meetings. Let's look at some of the reasons why video meetings are so exhausting:
Too much eye contact. In a video meeting, the number of people looking at you and the size of their faces on the screen are unnatural. Let's face it—if we were meeting in a conference room, there would be far less eye contact and more fiddling with our cell phones and laptops or doodling.
In video meetings, everyone is constantly watching one another, and the size of their faces on the screen gives an impression of being near one another. Our brains interpret physical closeness as an intense situation, similar to moments when we are disagreeing with someone or are being drawn into a close or romantic moment. That physical closeness or avoidance of intensity is what makes people avert their eyes or avoid making eye contact in elevators. In video meetings, the sensation of constantly being watched or wanting to avoid intensity is a contributing factor to Zoom fatigue.
Increased cognitive load.2 The amount of effort that we exert or use to think, reason, or perform a task is called cognitive load. Any mental process, whether used from memory or actively engaged, creates a cognitive load because it requires energy and effort. In video meetings, we can only see each other's faces and tend to exaggerate our facial expressions so others can see we are taking part in the discussion. This requires more energy and effort and increases the cognitive load and energy spent.
Reduced mobility. Good video meeting etiquette demands that we are clearly visible throughout the meeting, requiring us to sit in a relatively fixed position for longer periods of time. In face-to-face meetings, individuals may move freely about the room without being distracted or losing their train of thought. Research has also shown that people tend to be more creative and communicate better when they are free to move about. Even when we are on the telephone or an audio call alone, we can move about unrestricted and without distraction. But, when we restrict ourselves to the video camera frame on our computers, we are also limiting our ability to think or communicate well.
The mirror effect. Zoom meetings are the equivalent of walking around with your cell phone in front of you taking a perpetual selfie that mirrors everything you do. While some find it interesting or useful to evaluate their screen presence, others do not. The mirror effect is psychologically stressful, increasing feelings of exhaustion that, over time, will negatively affect mental health and wellness.
How to Identify Zoom Meeting Fatigue
Stanford University recently published an article, “Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale.”3 The study named 5 types of fatigue that contribute to the Zoom meeting fatigue effect:
General Fatigue. The feelings of being tired, exhausted, or mentally or physically drained after a video meeting.
Visual Fatigue. The result of spending too much time in front of the screen that produces symptoms of blurred vision, eye irritation, headache, or pain in the muscles around the eyes.
Social fatigue. You may experience irritability because of mental and physical exhaustion. As a result, you may cancel social engagements or spend less quality time with family or friends. Social fatigue puts a strain on your personal relationships and can lead to other troubling aspects in your life.
Motivational fatigue. When we are tired, there is a reciprocal loss of motivation or enthusiasm to perform simple tasks at work or at home. Continued motivational fatigue can lead to an inability to manage your work or personal responsibilities.
Emotional fatigue. It may be more difficult to find the root causes of emotional fatigue. But if you are feeling emotionally drained, irritable, or moody after a long day of video meetings, you may be experiencing emotional fatigue.
How to Reduce or Eliminate Zoom Fatigue
As we slowly transition to the postpandemic world, the number of video conferences will not go away. In fact, it is projected to become the most prevalent form of communication in the future. It is important that you understand what Zoom fatigue is and develop healthy habits to safeguard your physical and mental health. Here are strategies to reduce your risk of Zoom fatigue:
Avoid multitasking. It is tempting to catch up on emails or work on something else during video meetings. But multitasking makes you less effective and detracts from your participation or contribution to the video meeting. Put all distractions away, such as your cell phone or email, and keep your browser windows closed.
Reduce on-screen stimuli. It is so easy to get distracted on video meetings. It is natural to want to check out what is behind everyone's faces or watch their pets or children move about. While getting a sneak peek into someone's home is interesting, focusing on these details hijack our attention as we subconsciously take it all in. This information overload stimulates our brains and uses up precious mental energy. Reduce on-screen stimuli by keeping the video meeting on speaker view and closing all other programs or windows. Avoid watching everyone's custom backgrounds and keep your own neutral and minimal.
Use phone calls or email. It is easy to forget about good old-fashioned phone calls, or even email, with the increasing prevalence of video conferencing. Avoid overuse of video conferencing and assess whether on-screen meetings are even necessary. Ask yourself if you can resolve the issue by communicating in another and more effective manner.
Take short breaks. Taking short breaks between video meetings is essential and can be built into your calendar. Turn the camera off and hang up the headset to get up and move around. Exercise your eyes by looking at objects at different distances from you. Stay hydrated and make sure your chair is adjusted properly and you are comfortable.
Hide self-view. Video meetings are not opportunities to take selfies and it is not necessary for you to see your-self all the time. Hiding self-view is the best way to avoid looking at and analyzing your every move and gesture or from obsessing over how you look.
Give yourself space. Create more space around you; remove items from your desk that you are not using. Once your video meeting is up and running, you may even sit back in your chair or push it slightly away from the desk. If you can follow along and take part in the meeting while having more space, it will lessen the effects of Zoom fatigue.
If you are struggling with Zoom fatigue and developing healthy habits to reduce its effect, you may want to consider collaborating with a coach to help you address the issues. Your employer or insurance provider may offer these services.
In summary, Cancer Registrars are part of the remote workforce more than ever before. Video meetings are an effective tool that help us stay connected with our associates, peers, and employers. We rely on video meetings to conduct our personal and professional business. By changing your video meeting habits and being more aware of Zoom fatigue and its causes, you can be more productive and enhance the quality of your personal and social life.
References
- 1.Sklar J. ‘Zoom fatigue’ is taxing the brain. Here's why that happens. National Geographic website. Published April 24, 2020. Accessed November 21, 2021. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/coronavirus-zoom-fatigue-is-taxing-the-brain-here-is-why-that-happens
- 2.What is cognitive load? Interaction Design Foundation website. Accessed November 21, 2021. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/cognitive-load
- 3.Fauville G, Luo M, Muller Queiroz AC, Bailenson JN, Hancock J. Zoom exhaustion & fatigue scale. SSRN website. Published February 15, 2021. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3786329