ORLANDO, Fla. – A new epidemic called “Zoom Laziness” is affecting many people as virtual communication becomes exhausting.
With the widespread adoption of remote work and online learning, Zoom, Teams, and Webex have become an integral part of our daily lives.
Over 300 million daily meetings are held on Zoom and 89% of Zoom meetings used are for work. However, experts say the constant visual and auditory stimuli from video calls and the absence of nonverbal cues can lead to cognitive overload and decreased engagement.
In fact, experts say Zoom calls can lead to a lack of motivation, decreased productivity, and a general sense of laziness among participants. It’s even got its own name, “Zoom laziness!”
Experts say your brain works harder to process facial expressions and decipher tone and it ends up requiring more effort to maintain an illusion of eye contact and interpret communication.
Zoom meetings can also bring on different expectations. Walking into a conference room is one thing, but prepping a whole backdrop and ensuring there is no background noise is a different stressor.
There are ways to cope. Try turning off self-view, this will allow more engagement and focus on the other members.
Also, try creating a pre-meeting ritual. Experts say refreshing your psychological state before getting on a Zoom meeting allows for clearer thinking and better concentration.
Physical distractions, like a stress ball, help you stay alert during meetings.
If you have Zoom meetings frequently, allow yourself to take regular breaks. If you need to use the restroom or hydrate, speak up the same way you would during a conference meeting.
Also, never do a Zoom meeting in your bedroom. Establish a designated workspace that you can walk away from when you’re finished.