A New Look at Meeting Fatigue and How to Combat It

As FDR said, “Be sincere. Be brief. Be seated.” This advice still holds true – especially for virtual meetings. 

There have been plenty of articles on Zoom fatigue written since COVID began. Many have reported on the extra energy required of us when we participate in virtual meetings. A newer Finnish study published in 2023 took a different look at online fatigue and found that it’s under-activity, or a lack of stimulation, that contributes to fatigue. Simply stated, boredom sets in quickly.

The researchers looked at active fatigue and passive fatigue.

Active fatigue can occur when your brain needs to expend additional energy to read the body language of other participants. It’s hard to pick up on nuances in body language when we’re online and often only see someone’s head and shoulders. It is also challenging to focus on multiple people simultaneously. 

Passive fatigue is different. Passive fatigue can set in when you are sitting and not speaking, or when you hear one voice for an extended period of time. It can also happen when you are “just” a listener and are not required to actively contribute during a meeting.

You can help combat virtual meeting fatigue when you:

-Keep the meeting length brief and make sure the meeting stays focused

-Get others to speak and contribute; each new voice gives attendees an opportunity to reengage

-Encourage discussion, including use of the chat function on virtual meeting platforms

-Minimize slides and details on slides, or better yet … eliminate slides if possible; it’s easier to focus on a person than on a static slide

-Speak with energy; inflection and a little body motion can help others stay attentive.