There are several reasons why online meetings are exhausting. Multiple participants, multiple screens, numerous notifications popping up on the screen, and technical glitches all add to the mental load. And, video conferencing can also be an excellent option. However, virtual meetings don’t always require the use of video. In fact, some people find them much more tiring than traditional ones. In addition to these reasons, virtual meetings can be quite distracting.
Zoom fatigue is linked to overuse of virtual meetings
Research conducted by Stanford University has shown that women are more likely to experience “Zoom fatigue,” or the exhaustion and mental exhaustion that results from frequent use of video conferencing software. Zoom users report that one out of seven meetings they attend results in mental exhaustion. Video conferencing is a great way to collaborate with colleagues around the world, but it can also affect multitasking. Because video conferencing requires more mental energy, it is harder to stay focused on other tasks.
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Cognitive demands
One of the most common challenges of online meetings is the lack of physical cues to facilitate memory retrieval. As a result, online meeting participants have difficulties reading nonverbal cues that are essential for facilitating successful communication. These difficulties can be overcome by using tools that improve online meeting quality, such as chat windows. However, the cognitive demands of online meetings are not limited to chat windows. There are also other challenges related to the quality of audio and video streams.
Distractions
Many of us have experienced the distractions that make online meetings so tiring, but there are several ways to reduce the chances of getting distracted. Video meetings, for example, are notorious for their distracting visuals, but audio calls tend to have fewer distractions. For group meetings, turning off the video feature is a good way to focus your attention and avoid being distracted by the onscreen videos. Try Whereby’s “push to talk” feature to limit the number of onscreen participants. This feature automatically mutes people when they are not pressing the space bar.
Overuse of a webcam
Studies show that overuse of a webcam in online meetings drains our productivity. Some people become tense, nervous, and even uncomfortable when they’re in front of a webcam, and some feel that they have to hide behind muted headphones. Others suffer from overuse of a webcam due to fears of being misunderstood. For all these reasons, it’s vital to keep meetings as short as possible.
Face-to-face interactions
If you have ever sat through an online meeting, you’ve probably felt fatigued and drained by the end of it. You’ve probably wondered if it’s the lack of interaction or if it’s simply the grueling nature of the meeting. Face-to-face meetings are energizing and enlivening, and they support the collaborative culture in your company.
Bias due to social signals
Whether we are talking about face-to-face meetings or online meetings, the influence of social signals can affect our judgment. The lack of confidence in our own judgment can negatively affect our behaviour and cause us to withdraw from daily life. Similarly, a bias due to social signals can prevent us from taking positive social cues into account. For example, our bias against positive social signals may prevent us from approaching others who want to establish positive relationships. Hence, therapeutic interventions should seek to correct our bias in evaluating these positive signals. Ultimately, this will help us to build a strong sense of belonging in our daily lives.
Overuse of email
Overuse of email in online meetings is one of the biggest time wasters, costing billions of dollars each year. While corporate communications apps like Slack, HipChat, and Slackify are drawing millions of daily users, they don’t replace office mainstays like email. The best-performing companies, by contrast, use specific protocols for meetings and minimize the number of email chains. By keeping email and meetings simple, employees spend less time sending and receiving messages.