Four habits to help you survive all those virtual meetings

Online meeting platforms – especially the ones that allow us to see each other – have been incredibly valuable for moving many people through a time when remote work has become critical. These virtual meetings can be fantastic but having one after another is exhausting. Spending countless hours in front of the computer can make your brain feel like mush.

Online meeting fatigue is real, it’s happening, and we need a break from our screens. Even though Impact by Design is a champion of effective online meetings, we too get bleary-eyed from back-to-back calls. We have been working on ways to manage remote work delirium and wanted to share these strategies with you. There is great work to be done offline too.

Tips to survive virtual meetings

  1. Take a walk while you talk. If you’re going to be doing general updates or discussing one very specific decision, you don’t have to be on your computer or video. Take the call while going for a walk. Not only will your body appreciate the stretch, walking actually makes you a more creative thinker. Henry David Thoreau and J.K. Rowling have said walking cures writer’s block, Nikola Tesla needed walks to brainstorm, and Steve Jobs insisted on “walking meetings”.  If walking isn’t an option, sit on a patio or near an open window and simply use your phone – just take a break from the screen time.

  2. Grab a paper and pen – If you need to brainstorm or think on your own, try doing it offline. Close your computer and instead write, draw, or diagram your thoughts by hand, off the screen. Some ideas just flow better on paper and you can always transcribe things later. Not only do you get a break from the computer, writing by hand has cognitive benefits, and drawing can help improve your thinking, creativity, and communication. This might not change the dynamics of your video chats, but it will give your brain a break from meeting virtually so it’s easier to tackle the next one.

  3. Focus on fewer, higher quality meetings – Be purposeful with your meetings so you have them only when absolutely necessary.  This is important whether you are meeting online or in person. When you schedule a meeting, do it because it is the most effective way for you to have the necessary conversation. Ensure there is a good structure and you are clear about the objectives of the meeting, so you are efficient with time and only invite the people that really need to be there. Chances are if you have better meetings you can have fewer of them.

  4. Don’t schedule virtual meetings back-to-back – In trying to make the most of our time, we often cram meetings in one after another. This is especially true if you are juggling work with personal responsibilities and are looking for ways to squeeze the most out of your working hours.  The problem is that virtual meetings tax your brain even more than those that are in-person, so taking breaks becomes even more essential when meeting virtually. Whether you have a lot or a little wiggle room in scheduling, use it when you can. If you can use the breaks in between to do something offline, all the better for you.

Working remotely requires a lot of screen time, but it shouldn’t be the only way we connect with people or accomplish our work.  Our brains, our bodies, and our work are better when we give ourselves a break from the computer and explore all the ways we can get things done.

Interested in reading more about effective ways to host virtual meetings? Check out our other blogs in the Impact Lab such as: