Over the past year or so we have all been isolated and there have been major adaptations to everyday life. The part that feels like it has had the biggest impact is our sense of connection to our loved ones. Living in isolation amid a high-stress environment 24-7 has fueled anxiety and depression. As things start to open up again some patterns seem to have changed for the long haul, one of them being the prevalence of zoom meetings. While many are going back into the office, many businesses are realizing the benefits of remote work such as decreased overhead office costs, and in many cases, convenience.
Most people are getting very tired of staring at a screen for the majority of their daily interactions. Folks who spend hours on zoom each day are struggling with what is being called “Zoom fatigue.” Do you spend hours each week on zoom? Do you feel completely exhausted and stressed out after countless zoom meetings? Here are some ways to combat zoom fatigue.
Hide the self-view
Typically, in meetings face-to-face we are not accustomed to looking at ourselves the entire time, it may distract us from the meeting at hand and we may become overly focused on our appearance and less present. Consider hiding the view of yourself but keeping it visible to other participants.
Scheduling
While we may want to be flexible in scheduling with others it is important to build downtime into your schedule. Make sure you leave time to take breaks in between meetings and if possible, try and disperse meetings as much as you can during the workweek.
Does the topic truly require a meeting? Try being more selective on what you choose to discuss in a meeting format and instead incorporate more phone calls and emails when possible. With a schedule already packed with meetings, it is always great when something can be resolved via phone call or email. If it cannot be avoided and it must be a zoom call, start to normalize keeping the video turned off if that is what is needed to preserve your mental health!
Make Meetings Shorter, Have an Agenda, and Stay Present.
Not all meetings need to be an hour by default, make space for 45, 30, or even 15-minute meetings when possible. This can help decrease our screen time and get down to business, literally. Be more efficient with the meeting time by having an agenda and staying present and avoid multitasking. While our attention may often drift off this can lead to missing key details of the meeting and dare I say, require another meeting!
With the collective increased screen time that many have been getting it is imperative to take care of yourself and make sure that you are not overexposed to the virtual space, consider implementing some of these suggestions to preserve your mental health!
Contact VIP Ketamine Clinics
Our Modesto, CA ketamine clinic offers ketamine infusions for a variety of mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. Our first priority is the emotional, mental and physical wellbeing of our patients. If you or a loved one are suffering from a psychiatric disorder, contact our ketamine clinic for a free consultation. We will help point you in the direction of health and wellness, whatever direction that may be.