by Alan Kagan
Remember those Monday morning work meetings? I do. Gathering around with your fellow employees, the smell of fresh coffee in the air and the chatter of past weekend happenings. Who would’ve thought those mandatory get-togethers would be things of the past? Sure, some people are still working ‘in-person’ for those types of meetings, albeit a little differently with masks and social distancing guidelines in place, but for the rest of us working from home, ZOOM has become our new normal.
“Is this thing on?”
“Your mic isn’t working”
“My screen says ‘poor’ internet connection”
If you’re using ZOOM as often as I am, whether it be for work, personal time with family, or schooling, you’ve likely used one or more of those lines. Since COVID-19, we’re on video calls more than ever before, and frankly, many find it exhausting. But what exactly is it that’s tiring us out?
Being on a video call “requires more focus than a face-to-face chat”, according to Gianpiero Petriglieri, an associate professor at Insead, who explores sustainable learning and development in the workplace. “Video chats mean we need to work harder to process non-verbal cues like facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, and body language; paying more attention to these consumes a lot of energy. You cannot relax into the conversation naturally.” On top of our attempts to interpret facial expressions and other forms of body language, there is also the added pressure of having “all eyes on you”. I’d equate that feeling to being on stage, and unless you have a knack or love for acting, it tends to cause a lot of stress. Giving an everyday speech in person is a lot different than delivering one on camera. In person, your audience often looks away, or down at the floor, or get distracted by someone else in the room; on a video call, everybody is watching YOUR screen. Talk about anxiety!
Add that to the stress and emotional turmoil of being home constantly, getting your children up and ready for their virtual classes, and meeting those work deadlines, it’s no wonder most of us are feeling those ZOOM blues.
So how can we alleviate these feelings in an increasingly virtual world?
If you don’t need to be on ZOOM, then avoid it! Take time for yourself and engage more in activities or hobbies that you’ve always enjoyed, to help reset your mind. Go for walks, try some new recipes, listen to old music. And if you must be on ZOOM calls, make sure to take breaks and stretch when you can! In order to keep our virtual lives separate from our everyday lives, be sure to set boundaries. Buffers, like mentioned above, allow for easier transitioning from your work persona to your private.
Resources:
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200421-why-zoom-video-chats-are-so-exhausting
