Are you Zoomed Out?
Updated: Nov 3, 2021
Updated November 2021.
There is no doubt that our use of technology during the Coronavirus Lockdown made our lives more connected and easier. It seems the norm now to say “let’s just jump onto a Zoom call” to have a discussion.
During one lockdown, we counted up the number of Zoom or MS Team calls that we participated on in a week and were amazed that before we got to Thursday, we were already in double digits. Our clients and suppliers shared similar stories, and some could get to double figures even earlier in the week!
There were a number of studies and articles about “Zoom Fatigue” and the affect it is having on individuals' mental health. In a National Geographic article about ‘Zoom fatigue’, a professor from Pennsylvania described the exhaustion she felt after teaching her class over Zoom. We can relate to that for sure!
When on a video call, many people feel that they need to be constantly attentive and looking at the screen, so that everyone can see that they are engaged. In physical meetings, you aren’t expected to keep eye contact with everyone else in the meeting.
Even as we return to working from the office, it's highly likely that video calls will remain So what can you do to reduce the “Zoom Fatigue”?
Remember the mobile or landline option – yes these still work and can be less intrusive into someone’s day.
Could you send an email or a text rather than have a Zoom meeting?
Remember the camera is optional – turn it off and just listen.
Avoid having back-to-back video calls
Try and split your day up into different types of work activities and take plenty of breaks.
Combine physical activity with work and maybe have a “walking meeting” every now and then. Remember mobile phones are mobile!
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Disclaimer – The contents of this blog post do not constitute legal advice and are provided for general information purposes only. We can only advise on the basis of specific client instructions and are unable to offer legal advice by email to anyone who are not our clients. To find out more about becoming a client of Lodge Court please talk to us.