Let’s face it, continuous video calls are exhausting.
But there are a few things you can do to conserve your time and energy.
1. avoid multitasking. It may be tempting to try to get other work done while you’re listening in, but switching between tasks can cost you as much as 40% of your productivity.
2. cut down on distractions. Close your browser tabs, put your phone away, and stay present. You can take short breaks during longer calls by minimizing the video, or just looking away from your computer now and then.
3. Do you really need a video meeting? take a step back and ask yourself whether you even need a video meeting. Check your calendar to see if there are any conversations that you could have over Slack or email instead. don’t feel obligated to make every conversation a video call. Especially when you’re talking to people outside your organization, a phone call is probably just fine.
Taking these steps may feel hard at first, but they will help prevent you from feeling drained at the end of another workday.
This tip is adapted from “How to Combat Zoom Fatigue,” by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
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