Why are Zoom calls so exhausting?

We are now over six weeks into our collective experience of COVID-19 and the effect that it has had on our world as a whole, and our own personal world. 

One of the words that has become such a common experience in our daily vocabulary during this time is “Zoom”.  My parents are 75 and 73 and THEY even know what Zoom is now!  And how to use it.

In a world where we have become removed from our regular interactions with friends, family or our favourite Starbucks barista, the opportunity to connect with those who are important to us is a blessing…and a curse.

If you have been on Zoom, or FaceTime, Skype, or any other type of video call app, you may have noticed that you are more tired than you would be after seeing these people in person.  And yet they provide you with the opportunity to actually connect with people.  Why is that?

We read an article recently “The Reason Zoom Calls Drain Your Energy” by bbc.com that explains some of why it’s more work do meetings and interactions on Zoom, and thought we’d share some of the information with you here.  Be sure to check it out and read the full article.

Here are some parts of the article that stood out for us.

“The video call is our reminder of the people we have lost temporarily. It is the distress that every time you see someone online, such as your colleagues, that reminds you we should really be in the workplace together,” he says. “What I'm finding is, we’re all exhausted; It doesn't matter whether they are introverts or extroverts. We are experiencing the same disruption of the familiar context during the pandemic.” 

“Most of our social roles happen in different places, but now the context has collapsed,” says Petriglieri. “Imagine if you go to a bar, and in the same bar you talk with your professors, meet your parents or date someone, isn’t it weird? That's what we're doing now… We are confined in our own space, in the context of a very anxiety-provoking crisis, and our only space for interaction is a computer window.”

Part of it, says Shuffler, is whether you’re joining in because you want to or because you feel you ought to – like a virtual happy hour with colleagues from work. If you see it as an obligation, that means more time that you’re ‘on’ as opposed to getting a break. A proper chat with friends will feel more social and there will be less ‘Zoom fatigue’ from conversations where you’ve had a chance to be yourself.

What about you?  Do you notice a difference in the kind of energy it takes to be on Zoom compared to what it was like to hang out or meet in person?  Comment below and let us know your thoughts.