
During a video call, however, it’s impossible to do this unless you use the private chat feature or awkwardly try to find a moment to unmute and ask a colleague to repeat themselves. Think of it this way: when you’re sitting in a conference room, you can rely on whispered side exchanges to catch you up if you get distracted or answer quick, clarifying questions.

In part, it’s because they force us to focus more intently on conversations in order to absorb information. Why do we find video calls so draining? There are a few reasons. Over the past few weeks, mentions of “Zoom fatigue” have popped up more and more on social media, and Google searches for the same phrase have steadily increased since early March. If you’re finding that you’re more exhausted at the end of your workday than you used to be, you’re not alone. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.
#Zoom conference free
In these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. Especially in situations where you’re communicating with people outside of your organization, don’t feel obligated to send a Zoom link. Finally, check your calendar for the next few days to see if there are any conversations you could have over Slack or email instead. Second, take mini-breaks during longer calls by minimizing the video, moving it to behind your open applications, or just looking away from your computer now and then. The next time you’re on a video chat, close any tabs or programs that might distract you, put your phone away, and stay present. It may be tempting to get other work done on a video call, but switching between tasks can cost you as much as 40 percent of your productive time. To make video calls less exhausting for yourself, try using a few research-based tips.įirst, avoid multitasking. They also require us to stare directly at a screen for minutes at a time without any visual or mental break, which is tiring. If you select this option, you will be able to join the new meeting without leaving your other active meetings.Why do we find video calls so draining? In part, it’s because they force us to focus more intently on conversations in order to absorb information. If you are invited to join an active meeting while you are participating in one or more other meetings, Zoom will prompt you to ‘Leave and Join’ your other active meetings.


We recommend muting your microphone in all meetings you don't want to interrupt. You can only share your webcam and screen within one meeting at a time. You can use your microphone simultaneously across all meetings. In Zoom, you are able to join multiple meetings at the same time. This feature is useful for support or supervising staff who need to monitor multiple meetings simultaneously. You can use this both in Zoom and from videoconferencing systems. The Meeting ID is a unique identifier for a Zoom meeting, which also appears in the Zoom URL. At UQ, you can find these systems in some rooms and lecture theatres. This is the address you will need to call to connect a room-based videoconferencing system to a Zoom meeting. The link will then be able to open in your Zoom program.
#Zoom conference install
