As we approach a year of pandemic life, many of us have faced canceled family gatherings and ongoing mask mandates. While vaccines are being distributed, social distancing remains the norm, meaning virtual meetings are still a regular part of our lives. After a year of navigating endless Zoom calls—complete with requests to mute or unmute—many are feeling drained. A recent study sheds light on the scientific reasons behind this widespread “Zoom fatigue.”
Dr. Alex Thompson from the Virtual Interaction Research Center at Stanford has conducted a study examining the mental toll of spending prolonged periods on video conferencing platforms. The findings highlight four main factors contributing to our growing disdain for these digital meetings.
Four Reasons You’re Tired of Zoom
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Overwhelming Eye Contact
The level of eye contact during video calls is much more intense than in person. In a standard meeting, people often look around the room, but on Zoom, everyone is fixated on each other’s faces. This constant gaze can be overwhelming, as listeners become speakers simply due to the scrutiny.
Solution: Dr. Thompson suggests resizing the Zoom window and using an external keyboard to create a more comfortable distance from the screen. -
Awareness of Your Appearance
Seeing yourself on screen while speaking can be mentally exhausting. It’s akin to having a mirror follow you around during conversations, which is unnatural and distracting.
Solution: Dr. Thompson recommends that video platforms allow users to hide their self-view to reduce this mental burden. -
Restricted Movement
Unlike in-person meetings where you can move around freely, Zoom typically confines you to one spot, limiting your natural movement and making conversations feel stilted.
Solution: Dr. Thompson advises setting up your space to allow for more movement and even recommends turning off the video occasionally to take a breather. -
Increased Cognitive Load
Interpreting nonverbal cues is far more taxing in video chats. Gestures and expressions might not translate as they do in person, leaving us mentally drained from the effort of deciphering meaning.
Solution: Taking audio-only breaks can help. This way, you can momentarily disengage from the visual overload of gestures that might lack context.
Dr. Thompson continues to research video fatigue, and if you’d like to assess your own experiences, you can participate in his survey here. It’s a topic many can relate to—do you also find yourself feeling overwhelmed by virtual meetings?
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In summary, the discomfort many feel during video calls stems from heightened eye contact, self-awareness, restricted movement, and increased cognitive demands. By implementing simple changes, we can make our virtual interactions more manageable.
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