(Newswire.net — June 5, 2020) —
The global pandemic compelled office doors to close and laptops to open from home as public health safety remains an estranged topic. The demands of social distancing and the rise of remote working have made video conferencing platforms such as Zoom gain popularity like wildfire. Lamentably, replacing face-to-face conversations with Zoom calls sparked the negative side effect of video conferencing fatigue from too much use.
HR companies in Denver, like StaffScapes, have been helping businesses navigate Human Resource challenges and processes since 1996. In its years of experience, this Colorado PEO has learned the importance of addressing and bettering any productivity-killing physical or mental struggles a company’s employees might be experiencing.
Circumvent Zoom fatigue by filling up your coffee cup with these five tips StaffScapes recommends trying over the workweek:
Tip #1: Take a Zoom-Free Day
At least once a week, claim a Zoom Sabbath, or a day where Zoom meetings are not allowed, to try to avoid eye contact with digital screens. Working remotely can easily lead to a loss of routine, but daily rituals help humans mentally mark milestones. Establishing a work and meeting free day will help end that forever Monday.
Tip #2: Take Mini-Breaks
On days where there is a meeting after meeting, build in breaks. Proper Zoom etiquette does not demand users to watch their screen during a session continuously. Video conferences utilize a different kind of mental process that requires a different, heightened type of attention in comparison to normal conversation in-person.
Small breaks during virtual meetings that do not create too big of a distraction from receiving vital information are suitable for keeping your brain refreshed. Try minimizing your Zoom meeting window or take a few seconds to look away from your screen every five to ten minutes.
Tip #3: Change Up Communication Methods
Even with breaks, some people still cannot shake the fatigue video conferencing causes. Rather than continuing to be miserable, remember that you have other tools you can easily use from home for communication. Whenever possible, switch video conferences with phone calls or even emails.
Tip #4: Switch Up the Scenery
An effective way to liven up video chats is to change the physical location of the call. Often, people see the small screen space that Zoom provides as physically limiting. Staying in the middle of the screen requires holding an exhausting position in the same place for the duration of the meeting. When this act becomes repetitive in the same area of a house day in and day out, it is tiring just thinking about it. Try different environments such as a car, porch, or new nook space.
Tip #5: Get Blinking
Hours of staring at a computer screen can hurt the eyes, and virtual meetings have only upped the ante. When watching a computer screen, humans tend to blink half as often as when conversing with others physically present. Attempting to blink more during Zoom conferences will help keep eyes moist and awake rather than the common side effects of irritation, dryness, or fatigue.
About StaffScapes
StaffScapes helps businesses in the Metro-North area and throughout Colorado navigate the complex landscape of human resource compliance, policies, and best practices. Outsourcing your Human Resource work to an experienced partner simplifies one of the most complex and demanding areas of business. Together, we can create a better HR environment, avoid pitfalls, and let you focus on what you do best.