I had zoom fatigue before there was a word for it.  Thanks to the pandemic, I practically live on Zoom. Last week, I experienced zoom fatigue and I opted out of a few zoom events. This made a significant amount of difference. But that’s not the first time I’ve experienced zoom fatigue.

What is zoom fatigue, and is it something you should pay attention to?

According to the co-chair of the American Psychology Association, Brian Wind:

“We’re so used to communicating face to face that we don’t realize all of the effort that the brain puts into daily conversations. But when we’re on Zoom or another type of video chat, the brain has to work overtime to process the information.”

Although I worked remotely long before the pandemic started, I couldn’t help but feel the effects of zoom fatigue. Everything is now on zoom, and it’s tiring. Even my grandmother’s retirement home uses Zoom to reach out to my family. Prior to that, the only people I did video calls with were:

• My clients
• And people who asked me to be a guest speaker on their Youtube channel or podcast.

Once zoom became the only option, my work/ life balance was disrupted. I was still able to connect with people on the same, emotional level. Although I’m always exhausted by the end of the conversation. In fact, sometimes I’m so tired by the end of it, that I currently have less energy for additional content creation.

Because you can’t always say no to zoom calls, here are coping methods that have worked for me.

1) Turn off your video when it’s socially acceptable

My introductory call with my clients often happens over Zoom. In these meetings, I’ll turn the video off.

That way, I can focus more on their instructions and less on the video feed. I have Dyspraxia so it’s tough for me to focus on instructions if there are too many distractions. People are willing to agree to a video-free Zoom call; having back to back zoom calls can be exhausting for even the most neurotypical people.

What if you can’t just turn off your video?

My clients hire me based on blog posts and the immediate of my social media and consulting website. So, of course, they want to see my face as we discuss everything from how much it will cost, to what the process will look like.

Seeing my face can establish trust. Yet sometimes a good old fashioned phone call is good enough. When it’s a professional zoom call, I let other people decide if the call should be video-based. When it’s a social zoom call, I’ll tell people why I’m turning off the video.

For instance, when I’m in my writer’s group, I’ll often turn off the video during writing exercises and feedback sessions on other peoples’ writing. That way, I can focus more on the words on paper, and less on the faces staring back at me.

2) When you’re hesitant to join yet another Zoom event, listen to your gut instinct

Sometimes we have to be on Zoom calls because our jobs, livelihoods, and reputations depend on it. Other times, nothing’s at stake. A massive amount of energy is required to talk to people on zoom. We don’t all have to be at every zoom event we’re invited to. The expectations are the same as most in-person events.

Zoom fatigue is not yet in psychology textbooks, but many psychologist consider it to be a side effect of this era. So more people than you realize understand what it is, and what it feels like. Very little explanation is required to say no to a Zoom event these days. Although I could be wrong. Maybe I’m just blessed with a social circle of people who are kind and considerate.

A very real example of zoom fatigue in my life

This past week I opted out of everything from a meetup group for Dyspraxic adults I attend on Fridays, to my writer’s group I attend on Sundays because I couldn’t handle yet another Zoom call. My gut instinct was telling me that if I attended I wouldn’t be able to focus as much as I want to on what people were actually saying.

I was tired enough that all I could really handle was YouTube videos and video games with my husband. This allowed me to focus on rest, rather than push through my tiredness.

I have attended social events when I’m experiencing the same emotions, and that’s when I’m the most likely to be grumpy and impatient with other people. Listening to my gut instinct saved me from repeating my past mistakes. I only attend these meetings when I want to be there.

3) Turn off self-view

The last time I was on a Zoom call, I discovered a feature that made me less tired by the end of the call. To the right of my video view, I found an option that said: “turn off self-view”. Here’s an explanation of what that feature actually does from the folks at Zoom:

“Right-click your video to display the menu then choose ‘hide self’. You will no longer see the video of yourself, even though others in the meeting can see the video of you.”

Instead of “hide self’, Zoom now says “hide self-view”. This is a huge game-changer for both neurotypical and neurodiverse folks. Because you can keep your video on without feeling like you’re staring at yourself in the mirror as you talk. When you turn off self-view, you can focus more on other peoples’ words, emotions, and reactions. What makes zoom fatigue “a thing” is the processing part of it all, and this feature creates one less thing for you to focus on.

4) If you have to be on zoom all day, recharge by getting some fresh air

I’m really experienced and good at working from home, and I love it so much that I want to work from home for as much of my working life as I possibly can. Although the biggest secret to my productivity is that I spend just as much of my time working as I do going outside and getting some exercise.

For the most part, being a neurodiverse person has made that a necessity. Sometimes I’ll get overwhelmed and anxious about things that aren’t entirely based on logic or reason. And sometimes, I’ll just hear a distracting sound outside and that will destroy my focus. My next batch of income often relies on my ability to deliver on promises, instructions, and deadlines. So my life depends on controlling a part of my brain that I can’t completely control.

For me, the only tool that has worked so far is exercise. More specifically, running and meditation.  I have a membership at a studio space specializing in meditation, and I run multiple times a week outdoors. Even in the cold Canadian winters, I’m out there running.

How do I apply this to zoom calls and zoom fatigue?

As a self-employed person, I’ve had the amazing privilege of being able to control my availability for calls and meetings. I use a scheduling tool called Calendly, where I can program and control my availability.

I also have limitations on the number of meetings per day. For my professional life specifically, this is really important. If I allow too many meetings to happen at once, I  won’t be able to process information. If I can’t process information properly, I’ll lose clients and make less money.

In between calls, projects, and other responsibilities, exercise helps me absorb information.  That’s exactly why I’m a huge believer in only attending meetings that will benefit you at that particular moment. There isn’t a straightforward cure for zoom fatigue. Yet we can still take control of the time and energy required to lead or attend a zoom meeting. Sometimes you just have to say “no” to yet another zoom meeting, and that’s okay!

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Please add a comment below if you'd like to discuss this topic. – Rosie