Battling Zoom Fatigue
Think of it this way: when you’re sitting in a conference room, you can rely on whispered side exchanges to catch you up if you get distracted or answer quick, clarifying questions. During a video call, however, it’s impossible to do this unless you use the private chat feature or awkwardly try to find a moment to unmute and ask a colleague to repeat themselves.” -Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy for Harvard Business Review
It’s 4 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon. I’m watching an episode of Ratched on Netflix when my alarm goes off, reminding me that I have 30 minutes before I’m supposed to be in a Zoom call for a Journalism course. I have tried everything — being on the sofa, sitting with my dog, lighting candles, engaging in the chat section. Why do I feel like I’m not getting anything out of my classes?
My name is Samantha; Sam, if we’re close, and I’m a senior in college. My Journalism studies at Suffolk University are hybrid this semester — I drive to Boston 3 days a week and I have Zoom courses 3 days a week.
I, like so many, am experiencing Zoom fatigue, which I’m defining as “The stress and exhaustion caused by multiple instances of video-conferencing on Zoom or similar platforms.” There isn’t a one-size-fits-all definition of this, but when I began to research, I found that there are several reasons why we feel this way.
Let’s start with part of what makes human conversation different in the first place — eye contact.
Eye contact is such a huge deal in the way humans interact that there’s a whole term for it in editing within the film industry. In a regular meeting or class setting, you’re not staring the person speaking in the eye the whole time. You’re taking notes, adjusting your seat, maybe glancing at the clock, etc. In a Zoom meeting, one can’t help but feel like they’re being watched at all times (which is kind of accurate) as well as needing to watch others and ourselves for the entire time.
Think about that. Think about how much your brain is doing!
Now, I wish I could offer solutions that would be one-size-fits-all, but unfortunately, there are multiple situations at play within video conferencing scenarios. Suggestions like turning off your own camera might not be possible within some business or school settings. “Digital detoxing” is also impossible for some of us.
So, what can be done?
The most important idea that I saw in my research for this article was near the bottom of a list, but possibly the most important:
Have compassion for yourself and for others.
One of my professors has consistently changed her background to something more ridiculous every week. One professor lets us have 3 minutes at the beginning of each class to just vent in small groups. I’ve played Jackbox games and trivia over Zoom. Throughout each interaction, someone has expressed frustration with technology, exhaustion of video conferencing in general, or laughed when I tried to be funny on camera. I’ve been told not to worry about messes behind me, my dog barking in the background, or less than optimal lighting.
While Zoom fatigue doesn’t show any signs of letting up in volume, it might just begin to loosen its grip as more of us help each other combat it.
I’ll certainly try to do so, one bad joke at a time.
