If you were one of the folks working from home before the pandemic hit, you might’ve initially felt very ahead of the curve and technologically superior while other employees around the globe scrambled to adapt. But now, suddenly you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. You’re struggling to keep up, but can’t quite place your finger on why. That’s ‘Zoom fatigue’ setting in.
And you’re feeling those feelings for some very good (and scientifically documented) reasons.
Though at first video conferencing and digital events seemed a great way to replace the in-person activities we’re familiar with, today most of us are identifying a sense of dread, anxiety, and even frustration as more and more video chat invites fill our inboxes and calendars.
And so with each “ding” of another notification, The Michael Scott “Nooo! God! Please! No!” vibe is more and more real.
Seems that all this connection without the physical connectivity is….well…exhausting.
Psychologists have coined the phrase “continuous partial attention” to describe the effects of being engaged in multiple activities all the time – which is what video conferencing involves, even if you’re paying 100% attention and not trying to simultaneously check email, get actual work done, or surf the web.
We rely on visual cues to continue conversations and read the room. The Brady Bunch gallery view of multiple faces and the slight lag time in most chats makes watching for those clues an Herculean effort, and the tax fee is mental exhaustion.
There’s also the fact that we’re constantly on stage now – and with our personal lives going on all around us, it becomes overwhelming. Your work self and home self are likely not the same person; the convergence of those two entities is also complex and tough to navigate. (Significant others, take note: your partner does not want your input, ever, on how they should do their jobs.)
Here in my house, even my dog knows that he can start to bark and I’ll do whatever he demands to make him stop. (Let’s not get into what the teens are getting away with – the Glare of Death ™ isn’t possible when you’re smiling and nodding for the camera; I cannot imagine having a toddler at home).
An additional level of depletion for us introverts: We need quiet time to recharge, and now friends and family know we aren’t busy doing other things. This makes begging off another task within itself. So after a day full of Zoom, Skype, Teams, Hangouts, it’s then an evening facing Houseparty, FaceTime, etc.
If ducking video cameras were an Olympic sport, you could take the gold. Sound familiar? We thought so. From loud flushing incidents to sleepy call participants, here's some of the best work from home stories.
Experts are already delving into the topic, and have some good advice.
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