Zoom fatigue is now a part of our quarantine experience. Our need for connection with others is great, but Zoom and video connections may not be the answer.

With all the focus on the wonders of Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime it’s implied we are not really connecting unless we use this new technology. Meanwhile, there are increasing reports of “Zoom fatigue”.

Zoom Fatigue

“Zoom fatigue” occurs because:

• We have to focus harder during video interactions, while, ironically, it’s easier to lose focus.
• Non-verbal cues on a screen are harder to process.
• Distraction is the word for the activity in those little screens.
• We feel awkward making eye-contact by looking in the cold eye of a camera lens.
• We are aware of being watched, feeling “on-stage”.
• Seeing yourself on-screen is distracting; you feel self-conscious. (“Does my neck really look like that?”)

We end up using more energy on a Zoom session than with other ways of communicating.

Never underestimate the power of the human voice.

Last week I had a wonderful two-hour phone conversation with a friend in Colorado. Yes, a phone conversation. I felt very focused on what she was saying and the nuances of her voice easily conveyed how she was feeling about different things. Laughter and shared confidences came easily.

Solution for Zoom Fatigue

Simply talking and listening has an intimacy and immediacy that video calls do not. Your voice can convey interest, concern, humor, and joy.  A study in American Psychologist demonstrated that listening-only was more accurate in recognizing emotions than seeing-only, or even listening and seeing together. This is consistent with how our brains process information through sensory pathways, the processing is less efficient using both visual and auditory information at the same time.

For personal calls, younger children enjoy the thrill of seeing and being seen. Older family members and friends may be relieved by your suggestion to switch to voice-only or a simple phone call. Making the most of speaking and listening as an intimate way of connecting.

For business, limit video calls to those that are necessary, such as those that involve more than two people, are collaborative, or require multi-person interactions for real-time decision-making. One-to-one phone calls are more efficient than a chain of emails or texts. If needed, follow-up with a summarizing text or email for documentation purposes.

We communicated very well by telephone before video conferencing. Maybe now is the time to bring back a simpler and more intimate way of connecting when we “reach out and touch someone.”

Parents and Educators

Parents and teachers can create different ways of using Zoom for remote schooling that doesn’t exhaust kids.

If you want to make hearing, and seeing, each other at click here to check out this post.