“Zoom fatigue” is burning out the music industry, so what do we do? With the switch from on-site to remote work, it seems that we’ve hit a period of COVID-19 exhaustion. This applies to all online video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Skype, etc.).
When you sit at a table in front of a computer screen all day, it gets tiring. You’re forced to communicate miles apart and your attention span starts to dwindle. There is a lot to stimulate you but after a while, it starts to get dull. When you have to virtually meetup, especially in the music industry, it takes seconds to close the tab. “Zoom fatigue” is the side effect of spending hours doing business through a video screen every day. What used to be futuristic and an exciting prospect for the future of working is now a cumbersome novelty.
“When the pandemic started and everybody was working from home, we had an increase in efficiency because people didn’t commute. [They] were really motivated and… focused. But I think we’re starting to see diminishing returns from working from home. We’re used to using new tools, but I think they’re less effective when you’re constantly on them.” – Onerpm CEO/founder Emmanuel Zunz.
Comparably, “Zoom fatigue” is virtual conference burnout. You sit for long periods of time and tiny movements from multiple people on screen distract you. Sometimes your internet cuts out or the screen freezes and tasks never get done. There is so much stimuli that you get subjected to on video, and that’s just in a single day. You’ll notice a cat, a dog, the kitchen, children, the TV on or anything else that can distract you from the task at hand. Does anyone else feel this way?
So, How Can We Solve This?
Some tips to help combat this fatigue include limiting Zoom meetings to 45 minutes or less. Create a list of talking points and stick to it. Tell everyone to stay focused, in a quiet environment, without other electronics on to distract them. Engage people by their name and ask them questions. Allow for happy hour times to let brains rest after discussions. And most importantly, mute your screens if you aren’t talking.
It may be difficult but we can make it work. If you do suffer from the fatigue, check out ways you can surpass it. You got this!