Have you ever felt like crawling into a hole rather than face another online meeting? Lockdowns and restrictions inevitably mean more time in video conferences. If that is where our small group is happening we can be very tempted to skip it. But inside we know that would be a mistake since during the stress of Covid we need each other more than ever. We need prayer, encouragement and simple reminders of God’s truth from the Bible. So what can we do to manage so-called “Zoom Fatigue”?
First, it is worth understanding why online meetings are so tiring for most of us. We can summarise this simply under less, more, and less:
There is less mobility: we are fixed in our chairs looking at a fixed object. We can’t wander around into someone’s kitchen for a cup of tea and a chat. We’re stuck.
There is more stimulus: we are looking at several faces at the same time with several backdrops (including our own). Because of size and camera position, it can feel as if we are sitting across a desk from them. In addition, the tabs for email, Facebook and news sites are sitting next to or behind the images.
There is less normal human interaction: we lose the reassuring tools of communication such as “uh-huh” and “mmm”; gestures are difficult to express; we lose appropriate physical touch such as a reassuring hand on the shoulder; and we lose the opportunity for small talk in groups of two and three.†
This pattern of less, more, and less can leave us feeling exhausted and therefore reluctant to attend or engage in our small group.
So how can we manage Zoom fatigue? Here is a series of tips categorized according to how severe our fatigue is. Are you in the green zone, orange zone or red zone? Each tip should help you do better with your online small group.
The Green Zone
If you are in the green zone your energy levels are okay. The following tips are mostly about preserving your energy levels over time:
Set up your screen in a room with natural light and a window if possible
Use a comfortable chair that gives you a good posture
Position the screen and keyboard at a comfortable height. Use an external keyboard to give yourself some distance from the screen.
Use breaks to get away from the screen. Give your eyes a rest by gazing into the distance.
Choose a virtual background that lifts your mood such as a café, garden or beach scene
Give yourself some extra rest and sleep to allow for the strain of online life
The Orange Zone
If you are in the orange zone you are feeling pretty tired and somewhat negative about online meetings. You are joining but not engaging very much. These tips should give you a bit of energy back:
Avoid non-essential Zoom meetings during the day if at all possible. Substitute video calls with simple voice calls.
Close all other tabs on your screen except whatever is necessary for the meeting
Reduce the size of your Zoom window to a third of your screen or less
Have a calming photo on your wallpaper or play a YouTube video of a beach or forest scene in the background
Switch off self-view
If possible, participate in the meeting without headphones or earbuds
The Red Zone
If you are in the red zone you are feeling very negative about online meetings and ready to tap out completely. These tips could make the difference between joining or skipping small group:
Switch off your video for part or all of the meeting. We can often feel better in the moment knowing that no one is looking at us. You can let people know in the chat that you are still there.
Join the meeting via phone and go for a walk while listening in and contributing
Let your leader know beforehand that you would prefer not to answer questions but would still like to attend and listen in
Talk to your leader about joining for a shorter period within the meeting, such as prayer time or for 30 minutes between 7:30 and 8:00
Sometimes none of these tips will help and you will need to skip group for a week or two. Just let your leader know. However, you can still stay connected by looking at the Bible passage at home during the week and sharing prayer points with your group. Send people a text letting them know that you are praying for them. Share something in the Bible that you have found encouraging. You could even arrange for a Covid-safe walk around the block in the next few days. Little things like this can help you stay connected and growing during times of online group life.
For Leaders
If you are a small group leader yourself, try to be as patient as you can with your struggling group members. How can you actually help them? Here are a few ideas for leaders:
Meet for a shorter time than you would face-to-face
Introduce short breaks
Have times when everyone switches off their screen
Use break out rooms at times to allow for simpler communication between a smaller number of people
Make use of the chat function for prayer or summary points
Share this article with your members
Be encouraged that your group is a really important part of everyone’s week. For some it might be the only social interaction they get. Even if it doesn’t feel as rich an experience as face-to-face meetings it is still very valuable for the spiritual growth of your members and their experience of Christian community.
Your group needs you and you need your group
Lockdowns, restrictions and Covid life is a strain. Zoom fatigue is real. Sometimes we would prefer to crawl into a hole rather than face another video conference. But your group needs you and you need your group. Try using some of these tips for your next small group time and hopefully you will be back in the green zone before long.
† Stanford researchers have written about the key causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’. Read “Four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and their solutions”