Why video calls may be draining your energy

Working from home: virtual meetings from the couch, pyjamas on 24/7. Many thought of it as a luxury, but as the pandemic has gone on, some say they’ve grown tired of it.  

“I’m exhausted all the time,” says Sarah Leeson, a Halifax-based graphic designer. “(I) usually have three to four Zoom calls a week. They’re a couple hours long each. I’m dead after.” 

Among other pandemic-related buzzwords, the phrase “Zoom fatigue” has gained popularity. The term describes the feeling of tiredness or exhaustion workers may feel after long or consecutive video calls. Many are experiencing it says Janet Byrne, director of human resources at the Nova Scotia Community College.

With a sea of faces on screen, there is often “a feeling of being overwhelmed with information and sensation,” says Byrne.  

Meanwhile, we’re facing technology's limitations, says Dr. Janine Hubbard, a Newfoundland-based clinical psychologist. “There’s always a tiny bit of a lag — you’re not getting your interactions in real-time,” says Hubbard. She says after comments or gestures, people are left asking themselves, “Did that resonate?” According to Byrne and Hubbard, these factors make virtual meetings more tiring and taxing than in-person conversations. 

According to Hubbard, video calls lack the visual cues and body language we depend on in face-to-face conversations. This makes it more difficult to understand one another. “It has just led to a whole new set of confusion,” says Hubbard. “Trying to figure out all those nonverbal cues takes so much more effort.” 

As well, many are self-conscious about their appearance on video. “We’re not used to seeing ourselves during a meeting,” says Hubbard. “It feels like being on stage, which of course can be much more exhausting.” 

As remote work continues, there are things workers can do to stay healthy and avoid Zoom fatigue.

Byrne recommends embracing alternatives to video. “Use phone and email,” she says. “Some things are better done on the phone when you can just listen intently. Or, put your thoughts in writing in an email.”  

Byrne also says meetings should be kept short. “We have a natural tendency in the workplace to book meetings for an hour. So let's start booking them for 15 minutes or 45 minutes.” She says meeting organizers should build in breaks throughout the day, giving employees time to decompress. 

Hubbard says employees should avoid multitasking and “focus in on the task at hand.” She says she understands the temptation to work on other tasks during virtual meetings. However, research shows that trying to multitask is tiring.  

Hubbard recommends making time for self-care. “Making sure you're doing things like stepping out and getting some fresh air” are important, she says. She says self-care is particularly important now and shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Be kind to yourself,” says Byrne. “Work is one part of the bigger picture we call life.”  

“Not every day is going to be 100 per cent energy,” she says. “This is a different and challenging time — and that’s OK.”