We’ve all felt it. That mental and physical weariness that comes from too long of a conference call. For many of us, video conferencing is the only way to see our loved ones, so we should be happy to spend time with them, right? What are some reasons this could be happening?
When having a face to face conversations it’s easy to move around or take breaks. With a Zoom call it can be difficult to take breaks and we often have to stay in the same position for the duration of the call. That trapped feeling can be exhausting. It can also be tiring if you are self-conscience about how you appear on screen.
That trapped feeling can also be caused by difficulty in opting out or getting off of a zoom call. Being at home makes it difficult to have an excuse to leave the conversation. None of us want to offend our loved ones, but it can hit a point where we have run out of things to say or we are getting tired. Staying on past that point can feel like work.
Another problem is that every zoom call is a reminder that we aren’t able to have these conversations face to face. Zoom calls force us to confront our conflicting emotions about how the world has changed. Knowing that zoom calls are one of the only ways to see our loved ones doesn’t make us want to see them that way.
We might not be to get rid of Zoom burnout until we are able to see people in person again. There are a few things we can do to help though. One thing we can do is take breaks. We can also make it more socially acceptable to turn down plans with our excuses. If you don’t feel like it, it’s okay to say to no to plans. If you are tired and need to take a break, then do it. Another thing that helps is taking screen breaks. If you know you have Zoom plans coming up, maybe look for other things to do during the day to prioritize your screen time.
If you have any tricks to help with the video conference burnouts, let us know!
