Tips for Writers Dealing with Zoom Fatigue

The pandemic brought about many changes to our world. One of those is how we meet with other people. During the last year, many people had to change the way they interacted with others. Zoom and online meeting platforms became a part of everyday life.

As an introvert, at first, I was thrilled by the prospect of being able to participate in writing group meetings, poetry readings, and writing workshops online without ever having to leave the house. But I soon discovered, these meetings wiped me out as quickly, if not quicker, than in-person meetings.

I soon realized I wasn’t the only person suffering from Zoom fatigue. Not that long ago, Standford University released a study explaining some causes of Zoom fatigue and how to combat them.

As a writer, I frequently use Zoom. I’ve had many conversations with other writers to track down what causes the fatigue and discomfort in these meetings. I wanted to know if there were ways to attend these meetings without feeling so drained. As a result, I’ve found some causes for Zoom fatigue and solutions.

Personal Space

Problem: We all have a personal bubble, a certain distance that we stand from other people when talking. The more familiar we are with the person or the more intimate our relationship, the closer we’re comfortable with them standing to us. Zoom doesn’t allow us to control this distance. Everyone is tightly framed and we sit close to our computer screens so that we are also well-framed. This actually creates the impression that we are very close to people who are acquaintances, coworkers, or complete strangers. All of these people are suddenly inside your bubble, which creates this heightened level of discomfort.

Solution: One way to help with this is to sit farther away from your computer. This creates a bit of space between yourself and the other people attending the meeting.

Familiarity Boundaries

Problem: Walking into a stranger’s messy house is foreign to us. We’re also not used to going into the home of someone we just met and being invited into their bedroom to sit on their bed. Yet, this is exactly what happens in Zoom meetings. Suddenly we’re seeing all the clutter in a person’s apartment, or we’re in their bedroom because that’s where their desk is, or they’re sitting on their bed because that’s the quietest room in their house. We’re violating all these familiarity boundaries without a choice and it adds to our discomfort, which is draining.

Solution: I wish there were a solution that made it easy to remove these distractions from other people’s rooms. While you can’t control that, you can make your own space less distractinging for someone else. A virtual background is a quick way to remove things from your background you don’t want other people to see. When using a portable device, limit what is in your background by sitting near a wall or bookcase. Even just having a sofa behind you is less distracting than having the entire living room visible. I’ve arranged my desk, so a wall is behind me. Try changing your Zoom view from Gallery View, which shows everyone, to Speaker View. This limits who you are looking at to the person speaking. This can reduce the number of distractions.

Always Being Watched

Problem: Even in meetings where you aren’t speaking, with all the little faces appearing on your screen, it becomes as draining as if you were public speaking. This is because while the other people could be watching any person within the meeting, all the little boxes lined up gives the impression that everyone is looking at you at all times. This creates a heightened level of anxiety for introverts, or anyone who is uncomfortable with public speaking.

Solution: One way to alleviate the sensation of being watched by so many people is to change your Zoom view. Gallery View shows multiple people at once while Speaker View shows the person speaking.

The next suggestion is to turn off your camera and mic. This reduces how taxing an event or meeting is by removing yourself from the actual event. It becomes more like watching a video or TV show. Many of the things that cause discomfort are no longer an issue. To speak, simply turn on your camera and mic and then turn them off when you’re done.

With your camera and mic off, you are less concerned about your own appearance. You don’t have to worry about whether you’re making a funny face or giving cues that you’re listening. Plus, you don’t have to worry about sounds from your end such as your phone ringing.

Stress of the Technology

Problem: Despite the length of time that people have been meeting virtually during this pandemic, there are still several people who avoid Zoom meetings because they’re just not comfortable with the technology. And while Zoom can be intimidating at first, it’s really quite easy to use once you get set up and use it a few times.

Solution: If you’re not comfortable setting up your camera and mic, have a friend or family member help you. Go through test runs with Zoom. You can even set up your own meeting to test out the audio and camera and try out the different functions. It’s also easy to set up a meeting with a friend to test out how to join a meeting and make sure you have everything set up the way you want it.

Join the event or meeting early. This will give you a chance to make sure things are working without a big audience. Although, some organizers set up a waiting room and don’t admit people into the meeting until it starts. Even people who use Zoom frequently have technical difficulties now and then. People who are attending the meeting with you are used to this, so don’t feel embarrassed if you need to ask for help or things aren’t working quite right.

The more you can reduce the things you have to focus on from your side of the camera and when viewing other people, the less fatiguing you’ll find your Zoom interaction. Hopefully, these tips will help with your next Zoom meeting and make the experience a little less fatiguing.