If video calls save us time, why do they leave us so tired?
Zoom fatigue is the tiredness or mental drain people can experience after video meetings. Despite the name, it can happen across video calling platforms. The demands of screen-based conversation, camera use and a crowded meeting schedule may all play a part.
Remote and hybrid working have changed the working day for many of us. Less commuting can mean more flexibility and more time for life outside work. For some, it also means gaining a very attentive feline colleague who insists on supervising every meeting.
Yet a calendar packed with video calls can still leave us exhausted, despite barely leaving our desks. Why can talking through a screen feel so demanding?
Why video meetings can take more effort
In conversation, we draw on facial expressions, body language, gestures and tone of voice to understand one another. Much of this happens without deliberate attention.
Video calls change the information available to us. A camera captures only part of the picture, some gestures disappear out of frame, and slight audio or video delays can interrupt the flow of conversation.
It can feel like completing a jigsaw with some of the pieces missing. You can still understand the picture, but it may take more effort.
Researchers have proposed that the extra effort involved in producing and interpreting nonverbal cues may contribute to video meeting fatigue. This is one possible explanation, rather than a complete account of why every person feels tired after a call.
Being on camera can add another demand
Video meetings can also make us more aware of how we look and behave. Seeing our own image, feeling watched by a screen full of faces and staying within the camera frame may add demands that differ from an in-person conversation.
These are among the mechanisms explored in research on nonverbal communication and Zoom fatigue. A separate four-week field experiment involving 103 employees found that having the camera on was linked to greater daily fatigue.
That does not mean every video meeting is exhausting, or that cameras should always be off. Different people and different conversations have different needs.
How to make video meetings less draining
The aim is to make deliberate choices about when video adds value and how meetings fit into the working day.
- Question whether a meeting is needed. A short written update may be enough when there is no need for discussion.
- Leave space between calls. Build in time to step away from the screen rather than moving straight into the next meeting.
- Make camera use purposeful. Where appropriate, give people the option to turn cameras off for parts of a meeting.
- Try hiding self-view. If watching your own image is distracting, hide it while remaining visible to others.
- Make room for movement. Where the task and accessibility needs allow, consider an audio-only conversation away from the desk.
These are options to try, not a guaranteed solution. Teams should agree what works for the conversation, the people involved and their access needs.
Supporting wellbeing in remote and hybrid work
Flexible working can bring real benefits. Recognising the demands of video meetings helps us make better use of that flexibility.
At eMoodie, we believe supporting workplace wellbeing means helping people understand their experiences while also looking at how work is organised. Through daily check-ins and Learn, Do and Reflect activities, eMoodie Minds is designed to help individuals notice patterns in their wellbeing and find relevant everyday support.
Individual support sits alongside an organisation's responsibility to consider meeting load, working expectations and opportunities to recover.
Digital working is part of everyday life for many teams. The challenge is making sure it still feels human.
