Zoom Fatigue

Zoom Exhaustion Is Real

We're in a Zoom video conference. Our computer screen becomes unresponsive. There's a strange echo. A dozen eyes are fixed on us. There are the job huddles, nonverbal cues, one-on-one meetings, zoom calls, and then the hangouts with friends and family after the day is over.

We've been on a Zoom video call more than ever since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and many people are finding zoom meetings draining, turning to a zoom magician to help them with all the zoomification and bring happiness to the zoom room.

Zoom Fatigue Is Real

Zoom Meeting Fatigue

So what is it exhausting us?

Is it the eye contact? To hear their perspectives, BBC Worklife spoke with Gianpiero Petriglieri, an associate professor at Insead who studies workplace wellness and teamwork effectiveness, and Marissa Shuffler, an associate professor at Clemson University who studies workplace wellbeing and teamwork effectiveness.

Is eye contact in video chat more difficult? What makes it different from face-to-face communication?

According to researchers, there are many reasons why Zoom is exhausting.

Research Fatigue

According to Petriglieri, being on a video call takes more concentration than a face-to-face conversation. We have to work harder to process nonverbal signals such as facial expressions, voice tone and pitch, and body language in video chats; paying more attention to these takes a lot of energy. “When our bodies don't feel like we're together, it's because our minds are. It's exhausting to have cognitive dissonance, which causes people to have contradictory emotions. “You can't naturally ease into the conversation,” he says.

People perceived the responder as less polite or concentrated when there were 1.2 second delays on the phone or conferencing systems.

He adds, silence is also a threat. “In a real-life conversation, silence provides a natural rhythm. When it happened during a video call, though, you were concerned about the technology.” It also makes people feel uneasy. Delays on phone or conferencing systems affected our perceptions of people negatively, according to a 2014 study by German academics: even 1.2 second delays made people interpret the responder as less polite or concentrated.

Technology Fatigue

According to Shuffler, another aspect is while we are physically on tape, we are acutely conscious we are being watched. “When you're on a video call, you're aware that someone is watching you; you're on stage, so there's a sense of social pressure and the need to perform. It's nerve-wracking and exhausting to be a performer.” It's also difficult for people not to look at their own face on television or to be aware of how they act in front of the camera if they can see it.

What role does the current situation play?

However, even though video chats add to the stress, we can't blame our Zoom exhaustion solely on them. Our present conditions, whether they are lockout, quarantine, operating from home, or something else, are all feeding into it.

Petriglieri argues, the fact that we feel compelled to make these zoom calls is a contributing factor. “The video call serves as a reminder of those we have momentarily lost contact with. Any time you see someone online, such as one of your coworkers, it reminds you that we should really be in the office together,” he says. “What I'm discovering is that we're both drained, whether they're introverts or extroverts. During the pandemic, we are witnessing the same destruction of the familiar context.”

Then there's the fact that previously separate facets of our lives – jobs, friends, and family – are now all happening in the same place. According to Petriglieri, the self-complexity theory states, people have various facets – context-dependent social roles, relationships, behaviors, and aspirations – and diversity is healthy. We become more vulnerable to negative emotions when these factors are decreased.

News Fatigue

“Most of our social positions occur in various locations, but the meaning has now collapsed,” says Petriglieri. “Imagine going to a bar and conversing with your professors, meeting your parents, or dating someone in the same bar. Isn't that strange? That's just what we're doing right now... We're cooped up in our own house, in the midst of a highly stressful situation, and our only means of communication is through a screen window.”

Shuffler believes that a lack of downtime after work and family obligations may contribute to our exhaustion, and some of us may be setting higher standards for ourselves as a result of concerns about the economy, furloughs, and job losses. “There's also the feeling of 'I have to be performing at my best in this situation'... Some of us go above and beyond in order to keep our jobs.”

But, if I'm Zooming my buddies, shouldn't that make me feel more relaxed?

Whether it's cooking and eating a virtual Easter meal, attending a university catch-up, or throwing a birthday party for a friend, many of us are participating in large group chats for the first time. Why should the call be exhausting if it's supposed to be enjoyable?

Part of it, according to Shuffler, is whether you're participating because you want to or because you feel obligated to participate. Think of the Zoom meeting as a virtual happy hour with coworkers. A proper conversation with friends can feel more interactive, and you will experience less "Zoom exhaustion" from conversations in which you can be yourself.

Petriglieri warns that large group calls may feel especially performative. People enjoy watching television because it allows them to let their minds wander – but a big video call is like "watching television while being watched by television." He also adds, large group chats may feel depersonalizing because your power as an entity is diminished. It can not feel like leisure time, despite the branding. “Whether you call it a virtual happy hour or a meeting, it's a meeting because we're used to using these resources for work.”

Stanford Solution

How to avoid Zoom fatigue

To get rid of Zoom fatigue, limit video calls to those that are absolutely required. Turning on the camera should be optional. Cameras do not need to be on at all times during every meeting. According to Petriglieri, having your screen off to the side rather than straight ahead will help concentration, particularly in group virtual meetings. It gives the impression you're in another space, so the Zoom meeting may be less exhausting.

In certain situations, it's worth thinking about whether video chats are the most effective choice. When it comes to work, Shuffler recommends using shared files with simple notes to prevent information overload. She also recommends taking some time to catch up during meetings before getting down to business. “Take the time to check in on people's well-being,” she advises. “It's a way to re-connect with the environment, to maintain confidence, and to alleviate fatigue and anxiety.”

Adding transition times between video meetings can also help us relax. Try stretching, drinking something, or getting some exercise. We need to build buffers that allow us to put one identity aside and then switch to another as we move between work and personal personas.