Zoom Fatigue
Exhaustion and burnout caused by excessive video conferencing and virtual meetings.
Also known as: Virtual meeting fatigue, Video call fatigue, Video conferencing fatigue, Teams fatigue, Webex fatigue
Category: Well-Being & Happiness
Tags: well-being, remote-work, productivity, attention, digital-wellness, communication
Explanation
Zoom Fatigue (also called virtual meeting fatigue) is the tiredness, worry, or burnout associated with the overuse of video conferencing platforms. While named after Zoom, it applies to all video call platforms. Research from Stanford and other institutions has identified why video calls are more draining than in-person interactions.
**Core causes identified by research**:
1. **Excessive close-up eye contact**: Video calls force unnaturally intense mutual gaze. Seeing faces at close range for extended periods triggers a stress response typically reserved for intimate or confrontational situations.
2. **Cognitive load from self-view**: Constantly seeing yourself creates an evaluative mindset, like looking in a mirror during a conversation. This drains mental resources as you monitor your own appearance and reactions.
3. **Reduced mobility**: In-person meetings allow movement; video calls anchor us to the camera's field of view, reducing natural non-verbal communication and physical comfort.
4. **Non-verbal cue processing**: We work harder to send and receive non-verbal signals. Exaggerated nods, maintaining artificial attention poses, and interpreting others' signals through a small screen all consume extra cognitive resources.
5. **Technical friction**: Lag, audio issues, and connectivity problems create constant low-level stress and interrupt conversational flow.
**Mitigation strategies**:
- Use 'hide self-view' options
- Take audio-only breaks when video isn't essential
- Reduce meeting duration and add buffer time between calls
- Use walking meetings or standing setups
- Implement 'no meeting' days or time blocks
- Switch to asynchronous communication when possible
For knowledge workers, recognizing zoom fatigue is crucial for sustainable remote work practices.
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