If you’ve ever stepped out of a video call feeling unusually tired, foggy, or short-tempered, you’re not imagining it. That drained feeling has a name: Zoom fatigue.
Yes, technology keeps us connected. But spending hours online, constantly focusing, listening, speaking, and watching yourself—all without the usual in-person signals or natural pauses—is mentally exhausting.
And for many South Africans, this is the daily reality: remote work, online school, back-to-back virtual meetings, and few real breaks.
This isn’t about avoiding work. It’s about managing your energy, so you can show up clearly and sustainably, without burning out. Here’s how:
That sense of mental fog or irritability after a string of calls? That’s not weakness or bad attitude. It’s your nervous system doing the best it can under strain.
Say it to yourself:
“I’m feeling Zoom fatigue.”
Naming the problem helps you respond practically—by adjusting your schedule, stepping outside, or simply pausing before the next thing.
2. Take 3-Minute Breathers Between Calls
You don’t need a full hour to reset. Even a few minutes can help.
Try this:
Inhale for 4… hold for 4… exhale for 6.
Repeat for a minute or two.
It’s a small break, but your mind and body will register the reset.
Watching yourself talk all day increases self-consciousness and drains mental focus.
Most video platforms allow you to hide your own image without switching off your camera. That one click can help you concentrate on the conversation, not on how you look!
4. Build in Screen-Free Spaces
When every part of your day involves a screen, it’s harder for your mind to wind down.
Try adding just one tech-free habit:
You don’t need a full lifestyle overhaul, just awareness and a few consistent boundaries to mark the end of your screen day.
5. Protect Your Calendar Like It’s a Resource
Think of your time and focus as something you’re spending – and won’t get back.
Before accepting a meeting, ask:
Build in gaps where you can. A few minutes between Zoom calls helps your brain reset, so you’re not carrying one conversation into the next.
Fatigue often sets in when conversations feel rushed or you’re just ticking off items on an agenda. Make space for one human, a casual moment at the start of a meeting:
A genuine check-in, a shared laugh, a pause before diving in.
These aren’t distractions. They help regulate stress and remind everyone that we’re more than just names in rectangles.
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Zoom fatigue isn’t imaginary – it’s your brain responding to nonstop digital input, and asking for rest in the only way it can. So give yourself permission to pause, reset your screen habits, and rethink how you structure your day.
These are small, practical shifts. But over time, they help protect the clarity, energy, and presence you rely on, not just for work, but for life beyond the screen.
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