The lockdown taught us many valuable life lessons—one of the biggest being that video conferencing platforms can be lifesavers. Like masks and social distancing, video conferencing kept communities safe by allowing teams to work and communicate remotely during the global health crisis.
Even with all the benefits, many professionals now feel the strain of constant virtual meetings. The exhaustion, tension, and burnout—often called “Zoom fatigue”—are real and have affected both personal and professional lives.
As the world reopens and some companies return to in-person work, many others continue to operate remotely or embrace hybrid schedules. Because video conferencing remains a key part of how we connect, it’s important to find ways to ease the fatigue. By making a few intentional changes, you can make your next video call more productive, comfortable, and enjoyable.
1. Send Materials in Advance
If the purpose of your scheduled video call is to review a document or presentation, then you should send those materials to all attendees well in advance of the meeting. This effective and efficient action allows participants to familiarize themselves with the information included in the materials so the host won’t have to spend most of the meeting reviewing every piece of data. Sending materials means more time is spent focusing on the more important matters which generates better discussions and leads to great productivity.
2. Make Time for Small Talk
ChatGPT said:
When every virtual meeting jumps straight into business, burnout sets in fast—especially for people stuck in back-to-back calls. While the goal might be to “save time,” this approach often pushes attendees into work overdrive.
To avoid video call fatigue, start each meeting with a few minutes of casual conversation. Encourage people to share updates about their families, vacations, pets, or even a favorite TV show. These small moments of connection help everyone relax, reduce stress, and set the tone for a more productive meeting.
3. Keep the Cameras On
One of the biggest challenges during video conferencing is the increase in distractions. These distractions not only come in the form of children who need assistance with remote learning or pets who want to play, they’re also found in professionals who multitask during a call. And these distractions often intensify when the participants turn their cameras off. To prevent or curb these distractions, ask that all attendees turn their cameras on during the meeting. This practice ensures that everyone is more focused on the matters at hand – and less likely to be distracted by their environment or the urge to multitask.
4. Schedule “No Calls” Time
There aren’t enough hours in the day to perform daily duties – and attend multiple meetings. When the day’s schedule is filled with non-stop virtual meetings, it results in longer work days for remote professionals. In order to fulfill their daily assignments, they often sacrifice their free time to get the job done. That’s a sure fire way to become fatigued and burned out. To avoid that scenario, it’s best to schedule a block of time each day for assignments only. Set a “No Calls” time block of two-three hours each day to prevent being overwhelmed with video calls and virtual meetings.
5. Shared Meeting Space
As convenient as video conferencing is, it can also lead to feelings of isolation and frustration. Although it allows participants to communicate with each other at any time from anywhere, it does so without the interpersonal connection that helps companies thrive. Renting shared meeting space for regular in-person meetings provides the necessary attributes of leadership, teamwork, and collaboration. This is often missing when companies rely solely on video conferencing.
Video conferencing is a necessary tool for modern business models – but it’s not the solution for every business scenario. Blending remote work and videoconferencing with coworking office and meeting spaces like those offered by HeadRoom, allows small businesses with remote staff the chance to both work independently when convenient and collaborate when necessary. HeadRoom’s shared meeting and office spaces prevent remote work burnout and the adverse side effects of video calls by providing businesses with access to a professional sanctuary whenever they need it. With three Philadelphia area coworking and meeting space locations in Media, Aston, and Wayne, HeadRoom is now accepting new memberships today. Contact us to learn more about our shared meeting and office space availability.