There’s been a lot of talk recently about ‘Zoom Fatigue’ with recent research finding it to affect many people.

So today, I present to you, 5 simple ways to be more mindful before, during and after your Zoom calls. This will leave you feeling less fatigued and more fully rested. These changes are mostly quite small, but sustainable. And these small changes can lead to big changes in how you feel over time - they add up.

1. If you’re organising the call, suggest just using audio

Think about it. Having a camera in your face all day long is far from a natural experience. When you’re on a Zoom call, many people feel like they are on some kind of performance. Spending hours all day in such a state of mind can be tiring. So, consider switching to audio only calls from time to time. In my daily morning meditation classes, I always only use audio and it makes a huge difference and feel much more relaxing.

BONUS TIPS 

• Walking Meeting - If you have a regularly weekly call, why not switch to audio only and walk as you talk? Even if the connection may not be perfect, it’s certainly worth trying. It’s also a lovely way to start a long Zoom call.

• Culture Change - If you’re a leader or manager, create a culture where imperfection is okay. People are mostly working from home. There will also be the noise of the kids, the cats or the builders next door. Be kind and understanding rather than annoyed when these things happen. Simply ask them to mute themselves to reduce background noise. Your friendliness will be appreciated.

2. Take Three Mindful Breaths before you click ‘Join Meeting’.

Use that button to join a Zoom call as a prompt for you to take three mindful breaths. You can of course take more or less breaths - it’s up to you. I find 3 full, conscious breaths works really well for me. The breaths lower the stress hormones in your bloodstream and give you a greater feeling of wellbeing.

BONUS TIP - If your colleagues/friends/family are up for it, why not start the actual call with a moment of mindfulness as a group? It can feel wonderful to breathe mindfully together.

3. Try Standing Up for Part of the Meeting

Looking after your body is a mindful choice. Spending all day sitting in front of a computer isn’t ideal. It’s better for your body and mind if you stand up for part or all of the meeting. It can be hard to do, so just say to yourself you’ll stand up for about 10 seconds. And do more if you can. 

BONUS TIP - This can be difficult to remember, so one way is to use your feeling of boredom or frustration as a prompt for you to stand up. It’ll help burn off some of your extra pent up energy too.

4. Take time to Improve your Wifi Connect or Hardwire to Your Modem

If you have a poor wifi signal, you’ll have many moments of frustration as you can’t hear the conversation properly. Take time to connect your computer directly to your modem. There are many different solutions - talk to someone techie for ideas. When your connect is better, you’ll enjoy the experience more. On the other hand, each time you can’t hear properly, you can use that as a moment to stop and come back to the present moment.

BONUS TIP - I’ve been using this device with some success recently (Amazon Affiliate link) or search online for ‘Powerline Adaptor Wifi’. This is a way for your data to go directly into your computer through your electric sockets.

5. Use the End Meeting Button as a Mindful Reminder

Finally, once the call ends, you that button you press to end the call as a prompt to remind you to take three mindful breaths once again. This can give you the space to let go of that particular Zoom experience and refocus your attention on whatever you need to do next. Don’t forget to use this moment to stand up, look out the window, have some water and stretch. These small actions add up to make a big difference.

BONUS TIP - To improve the chance of remembering to do your mindful breaths after you end the meeting, visualise clicking on the button and then take 3 deep breaths and celebrate with a little smile. This will help to wire this in as a habit.

It all adds up, big time!

Did you know, if you have 5 Zoom calls a day, 5 days a week and you follow these tips, in one year you would:

• Enjoy an extra 7,800 Mindful Breaths

• Stretch 1300 Times

• Take 1300 extra sips of Water

These small habits add up to make a surprisingly big difference! And these are the minimal amounts. Often once you start, you end up doing much more.

I encourage you to try one of the above tips, and please share with us any other ideas you have in the comments below.

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