Have you ever felt exhausted after online meetings? panalo999
You’re not alone as more people experience fatigue from video conferencing.
Experts call it “videoconferencing fatigue (VF)” or “Zoom fatigue,” which is the tiredness you feel after an online session.
Article continues after this advertisementFortunately, you can make online work less stressful with a few adjustments.
FEATURED STORIES TECHNOLOGY vivo launches V40 Lite with 5000mAh battery covered by 50-month warranty, starts at Php 13,999 TECHNOLOGY Galaxy Buds3 Pro: Delivering tailored sound wherever you go TECHNOLOGY Very mindful, very intuitive: ASUS’ most superior AI PC yet, the Zenbook S 14, empowers you to achieve moreREAD: Zoom fatigue can harm your mind and heart
This article will explain how to reduce online meeting fatigue, from changing your background to moving farther from your webcam.
Article continues after this advertisement 1. Use smaller windows for online meetings
Free stock photo from Pexels
Stanford communication professor Jeremy Bailenson shared tips on handling videoconferencing fatigue in the Stanford Report.
Article continues after this advertisementHe explained we get tired of online meetings because it is highly different from conventional ones.
Article continues after this advertisementNormal meetings require you to look at the speaker, and you may glance elsewhere or take notes.
On the other hand, Zoom calls require everyone to look at other on-screen participants at all times.
Article continues after this advertisementMeanwhile, everyone else seems to be looking at you from the screen.
As a result, you feel like you’re also speaking to the crowd, raising your social anxiety.
“When you’re standing up there, and everybody’s staring at you, that’s a stressful experience,” Bailenson said.
Another source of stress is the monitor size.
If yours is too wide, it simulates the personal space you experience when you’re face-to-face with someone.
Our brains link that experience to mating or to conflict, which triggers a hyper-aroused state.
As a result, the screen size is another cause of online meeting fatigue.
Professor Bailenson recommends reducing the Zoom window size and using an external keyboard to extend our distance from the screen.
2. Hide your self-view
Free stock photo from Pexels
Online meetings typically involve seeing ourselves on screen, which is unnatural in a real-world setting. Imagine speaking to your friend while they had a mirror beside them!
Bailenson stated that many studies suggest that seeing your self-reflection encourages you to be more self-critical.
Seeing yourself while talking is like requiring our brains to focus on ourselves and the person in front of us simultaneously.
READ: How to hide mobile apps
The professor recommends using the “hide self-view” button:
Put your mouse pointer or cursor over your self video screen. Next, click the three-dot button to display the menu. Click the Hide Self View button.If your class or company requires you to show your self-view window, request short breaks during meetings.
Next, remain on camera and then close your eyes during the break.
3. Distance yourself from your screen
Free stock photo from Pexels
You can usually walk around while speaking to someone face-to-face or via phone.
Conversely, you must sit still for hours during online meetings, limiting your movement unnaturally.
“There’s a growing research now that says when people are moving, they’re performing better cognitively,” Bailenson explained.
The Stanford educator suggests putting your external camera farther from the screen so that you can pace around during online meetings.
If your computer has a built-in webcam, you may try walking around while remaining in view.
Ideally, request a few minutes away from the screen for a brief non-verbal and visual break.
4. Give yourself an “audio only” break
Free stock photo from Pexels
Professor Jeremy Bailenson says online meetings can make face-to-face interaction more stressful.
It requires us to be more conscious about our actions and reactions to facilitate communication.
“You’ve got to make sure that your head is framed within the center of the video,” the communications professor said.
In contrast, we instinctively look at people’s faces when they’re talking.
“If you want to show someone you’re agreeing with them, you do an exaggerated nod or put your thumbs up,” Bailenson added.
Conversely, you can show approval with a simple smile or grunt when you’re face-to-face with someone.
Gestures can also have different meanings in video meetings.
For example, glancing to the side while speaking to someone in person could mean they noticed something moving nearby.
On the other hand, you’re not sure what’s around a speaker during online meetings.
As a result, their sidelong glance may seem disrespectful, even though they just saw their child running off.
READ: How to host a Zoom meeting
The communications professor recommends taking “audio only” breaks. These actions involve turning off your camera and walking away from the screen.
As a result, you have “a few minutes you are not smothered with gestures that are perceptually realistic but socially meaningless.”
5. Use a static background
Free stock photo from Pexels
Nanyang Technological University Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information researcher Heng Zhang and his team studied the impact of Zoom backgrounds on videoconferencing fatigue.
They surveyed over 600 people aged between 22 to 76 regarding their use of virtual backgrounds.
As a result, those who used video backgrounds reported the highest fatigue levels after online meetings.
Blurred background users usually had more fatigue than those using static images.
Moreover, stationary background images caused the least amount of fatigue.
“Image backgrounds initially present new information, but users might gradually shift their attention elsewhere,” explained Zhang on Frontiers in Psychology.
The researchers also learned that static images depicting nature or lighthearted and funny themes caused the least videoconferencing fatigue.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Hencepanalo999, you should consider using wholesome or nature-themed static background images for online meetings.
TOPICS: technology READ NEXT Student builds pangolin robot that digs and plants seeds How to know when to replace laptops and MacBooks EDITORS' PICK Central Visayas’ most wanted killed in shootout in Argao, Cebu LIVE UPDATES: Tropical Storm Kristine Heart Evangelista: Woman to woman, I never had a problem with Pia Wurtzbach INQside Look with senatorial aspirant Tito Sotto UPDATES: 2025 elections precampaign stories Garcia restores original Sinulog theme for 2025, drops Rama’s plan MOST READ DILG identifies 38 hotspots ahead of 2025 polls LIVE UPDATES: Tropical Storm Kristine AFP reprimands cadet who asked for Marcos wrist watch Marcos smiled, walked away when asked about VP Duterte's accusation View comments