If you have had Video meeting recently, chances are that you found yourself completely exhausted after it. Not only are we packing in more Video meetings than we probably would in a normal office setting, but it has made us all fatigued. Why are Video meetings so Exhausting and why is it more effort than conducting a meeting in person? Read below the top 4 reasons for video meeting exhaustion.
Communication Disconnect
In an interview with BBC, Gianpiero Petriglieri explained that being on a video call requires more focus than a face-to-face chat. “Video chats mean we need to work harder to process non-verbal cues like facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, and body language; paying more attention to these consumes a lot of energy. Our minds are together when our bodies feel we’re not. That dissonance, which causes people to have conflicting feelings, is exhausting. You cannot relax into the conversation naturally,” Petriglieri stated.
In a face to face meeting we are able to read the room and then adjust our own behaviours accordingly. So, you can imagine our brains are operating on overload trying to figure out how to read 50+ “virtual rooms” at the same time while figuring out whether to stare into the persons eyes or their plant in the top left corner of the screen.
Technical Errors
An initially scheduled 30 minute Video meeting can turn into an hour + meeting because of things such as poor Wi-Fi, frozen screens and software crashes. Also, there is no transport or travel booked, so inevitably the individual on the screen could have all the time in the world. Many are also experiencing lags on their own devices as this might be the first time working this much from a personal device. If you are overworking your laptop or computer it may be time for an upgrade or an external hard drive. Experiencing technical errors and not knowing how to fix it can distract us even more from the agenda at hand while adding another layer of stress.
Vanity Measures
Although many of us used to have a set morning routine and focused on our appearance to leave the house, since lockdown this has become a thing of the past. Many individuals feel under pressure to not only have their personal appearance in check but also their surroundings. The stress of ensuring that flat-mates, partners, children and pets are out of the way but also that their room is clean and presentable. BBC also interviewed workplace and wellbeing expert, Marissa Shuffler, on the pressures of being on camera. “When you’re on a video conference, you know everybody’s looking at you; you are on stage, so there comes the social pressure and feeling like you need to perform. Being performative is nerve-wracking and more stressful.”
Work/Life Balance
Our homes have now become our work spaces and our work spaces our homes. Video meetings have blurred the lines that once separated our work and our personal lives… once you have finished your work Video calls, you then have the prepare for the inevitable video calls with your family and friends. All of this can become overwhelming and have led to the negative connotation and fatigue that we have developed and is associated towards Video meetings.
Virtual meetings, conferences and consultations shouldn’t be so difficult – there are numerous platforms out there and we can support you in continuing to work virtually, stay safe and avoid the “Video Fatigue”.
If there’s anything you’d like to discuss, please feel free to get in touch here.