If you’re working remotely and feeling the stress of bouncing from back-to-back video conferencing meetings every day, you’re not alone. Researchers have found that more people are searching for ways to deal with “Zoom fatigue,” a.k.a., exhaustion from being on video calls all the time. With so many of us relying on virtual meetings to stay connected to colleagues and collaborate with teammates, it’s important that we’re mindful about our video meeting habits and boundaries.
Here are three tips that can help you get started:
1. Try a walking meeting
When we have to sit at our computers and show our face on camera for hours at a time, it can be difficult to stay attentive –– and almost impossible to make time for movement. Thrive Global’s founder and CEO, Arianna Huffington, suggests turning some of your video meetings into walking meetings by taking them over the phone instead. “One of my favorite Microsteps is turning at least a couple of my Zoom meetings into phone calls so that I can take them while walking,” she says. “You can walk in your neighborhood or even walk around your house while speaking on the phone.”
2. Prepare beforehand
So many of our meetings drag on longer than needed because we didn’t take a few minutes to prepare beforehand. If you’re the owner of a meeting, Huffington recommends sending out some brief materials before the call begins. This ensures that everyone invited feels prepared, and helps the meeting run more efficiently. “If relevant, send a pre-read,” she suggests. “Every meeting invite must include a clear agenda and desired outcome.”
3. Give yourself permission to decline
It’s OK to politely decline the meetings where you’re not needed. In fact, setting these regular boundaries with your meetings is crucial for your well-being. Many remote workers struggle with setting boundaries between their home and work life –– and being intentional about which meetings we attend and decline is a great first step towards improved work-life integration.