[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/04\/28\/zoom-fatigue\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/04\/28\/zoom-fatigue\/","headline":"Zoom is a four-letter word: 5 ways to cope with video chat exhaustion","name":"Zoom is a four-letter word: 5 ways to cope with video chat exhaustion","description":"Zoom fatigue is real: Most of us are identifying dread, anxiety, or frustration as more video meetings arrive. Here's how to cope.","datePublished":"2020-04-28","dateModified":"2023-02-16","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/jenn-vande-zande\/#Person","name":"Jenn Vande Zande","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/jenn-vande-zande\/","identifier":229,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ef76ed873963201b65acc65a3cb353caa294225a4e9a8427f011077842dd955c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ef76ed873963201b65acc65a3cb353caa294225a4e9a8427f011077842dd955c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/zoom-exhaustion.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/zoom-exhaustion.jpg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/04\/28\/zoom-fatigue\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ","name":"The Office- Michael Scott  No God No","description":"Return of Toby..Michael Scott's Hatred","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/31g0YE61PLQ\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/31g0YE61PLQ\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/31g0YE61PLQ\/hqdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2009-02-20T07:19:59+00:00","duration":"PT10S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/31g0YE61PLQ","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCBIj9HEEVlOcw-o2lVIs87Q#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCBIj9HEEVlOcw-o2lVIs87Q","name":"ragnorak7","description":"","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/ytc\/AIdro_nKXjtivVe9U-pgBwKJHvqSyVNzBqcgt-N5vPdVw8XUWA=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":11140676}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":64865}]},"about":["COVID-19 and Business",{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/","name":"Customer Experience","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_experience","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q984142"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/employee-engagement\/","name":"Employee Engagement","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Employee_engagement","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q14937678"]},"Employee Experience & Engagement","Real Talk: Mental Health, Well-Being, and Laughter"],"wordCount":826,"keywords":["Chief Wellbeing Officer","Emotional Intelligence","Health and Wellness","Remote Work","Video","Work from Home","Zoom Fatigue"],"articleBody":"If you were one of the folks working from home before the pandemic hit, you might’ve initially felt very ahead of the curve and technologically superior while other employees around the globe scrambled to adapt. But now, suddenly you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. You’re struggling to keep up, but can’t quite place your finger on why. That’s ‘Zoom fatigue’ setting in.And you’re feeling those feelings for some very good (and scientifically documented) reasons.Though at first video conferencing and digital events seemed a great way to replace the in-person activities we’re familiar with, today most of us are identifying a sense of dread, anxiety, and even frustration as more and more video chat invites fill our inboxes and calendars.And so with each “ding” of another notification, The Michael Scott “Nooo! God! Please! No!” vibe is more and more real.This content is hosted by a third party ( www.youtube.com ).To view the content, either update your cookie preferences or view it in a new browser window.Cookie PreferencesNew WindowSeems that all this connection without the physical connectivity is…. well… exhausting.Video chat exhaustion: All the faces, all the time has mental health consequencesPsychologists have coined the phrase “continuous partial attention” to describe the effects of being engaged in multiple activities all the time – which is what video conferencing involves, even if you’re paying 100% attention and not trying to simultaneously check email, get actual work done, or surf the web.We rely on visual cues to continue conversations and read the room. The Brady Bunch gallery view of multiple faces and the slight lag time in most chats makes watching for those clues an Herculean effort, and the tax fee is mental exhaustion.There’s also the fact that we’re constantly on stage now – and with our personal lives going on all around us, it becomes overwhelming. Your work self and home self are likely not the same person; the convergence of those two entities is also complex and tough to navigate. (Significant others, take note: your partner does not want your input, ever, on how they should do their jobs.)Here in my house, even my dog knows that he can start to bark and I’ll do whatever he demands to make him stop. (Let’s not get into what the teens are getting away with – the Glare of Death \u2122 isn’t possible when you’re smiling and nodding for the camera; I cannot imagine having a toddler at home).An additional level of depletion for us introverts: We need quiet time to recharge, and now friends and family know we aren’t busy doing other things. This makes begging off another task within itself. So after a day full of Zoom, Skype, Teams, Hangouts, it’s then an evening facing Houseparty, FaceTime, etc.      Friday fun roundup: WFH pets edition                Pets have become our best office buddies as we work from home. We've put together some of the best WFH furry and feathered friends from Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.      5 ways to cope with Zoom fatigueSo, how do we begin to deal with our present reality, and Zoom fatigue, especially when we’ve no clue when it’ll end?Experts are already delving into the topic, and have some good advice.Here’s five of my favorite suggested mechanisms for battling Zoom fatigue:Devote a few moments to being in the now. Take a few breaths, decide you’ll greet everyone on the call, and take it from there. Rather than thinking you’re staring down 30 or 60 minutes on screen, take it minute by minute.Schedule breaks. Add meetings with yourself on your calendar. Block off that time to walk around, go outside, read, or do something else – just make sure it entails getting away from your desk.Turn off the video. Make some strategic decisions about what calls need to be video calls, and only do audio for the rest. Try walking and talking \u2013 and tell your fellow call members that you’re doing it. Chances are, they’ll love your honesty and be inspired to do the same.Let it go, let it go. Embrace the power of saying “no.” If you’re simply not up for another video call and are feeling burned out, say so \u2013 and let go of the guilt that normally accompanies it. We’re living in extraordinary times; give yourself some latitude.Recognize that your anxiety is normal. Feeling frazzled is allowed right now\u00a0 \u2013 we’ve never experienced something like this. Rather than trying to talk yourself out of those feelings, practice wellness: acknowledge that they’re completely rational, and stop wishing you didn’t feel this way.This, too, shall pass. I’d tell you to remember that you’re never alone, but I think you already know that.  HR, better.Employees, happier.Businesses, healthier.It’s time to modernize the employee experience."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"04","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/\/04\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"28","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/\/04\/\/28\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Zoom is a four-letter word: 5 ways to cope with video chat exhaustion","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/04\/28\/zoom-fatigue\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]