Zoom Fatigue is (Still) Real: How Virtual Commute Time Can Help
Meaningful breaks between meetings can make all the difference.
In 2022, 300 million people used Zoom each day.
And that’s only one virtual meeting platform. Don’t even get me started on some of the others (*cough* Microsoft Teams *cough*); those I can never get to work correctly, meaning I inevitably show up five to ten minutes late, anxiety sweat glowing on my brow.
Though undoubtedly imperfect and occurring alongside significant COVID-19-related challenges, the move to virtual work initially allowed for flexibility. I remember early on in the pandemic, chatting with colleagues about how we found ourselves pausing in the middle of the day to make lunch, take the dog out, or put in a load of laundry. And that felt good. But slowly– maybe quickly, who knows, time makes very little sense anymore– the generous space between meetings (and by generous, I mean 30 minutes) started to disappear.
Because, well… capitalism… the powers that be realized without physical commutes, without the time needed to get from one place to the next, there was no need for breaks between meetings. Suddenly, our calendars look like this: 9:00 am-10:00 am, 10:00 am-11:00 am, 11:00 am-11:30 am, 11:30–12:30 pm, and so on. Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom…
