You've felt it, haven't you? The dread of yet another online video conference meeting. It's called ZOOM FATIGUE and like elbow bumps, foot taps and social distancing it's yet another strange artifact of the covid era. Zoom fatigue has become an obstacle to productivity and connection, and this tool that was once so novel has become a nuisance. BUT WHY???
On February 23, Stanford released what is being called " the first peer-reviewed article that systematically deconstructs Zoom fatigue from a psychological perspective." In the study, they highlighted 4 key contributing factors to our fatigue and offered workable solutions to help overcome those obstacles.
One factor in particular stuck out to me: "Seeing yourself during video chats constantly in real-time is fatiguing." The article describes it this way: “It’s taxing on us. It’s stressful. And there’s lots of research showing that there are negative emotional consequences to seeing yourself in a mirror.”
It turns out that we're aren't wired to focus on ourselves - but on someone else!
It turns out that we're aren't wired to focus on ourselves - but on others! The researchers offer this solution to the person who is wearied by their zoom calls: “hide self-view” button. In other words - stop focusing on yourself. If that's true in a zoom call, how much truer is that in the rest of our lives?!?
I submit this for your consideration today: If you find yourself weary, stressed out or otherwise emotionally exhausted - take the focus off of yourself. Turn off your self-view for a moment and put your focus on someone else. In your zoom meetings, focus on the presenter. When you're away from your screens let's behold our creator and the lover of your soul: Jesus.
Hebrews 12 says it this way... "12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne." (NLT)
Let's shift our focus this week and see if the fatigue doesn't lift. Let's behold our savior and find strength to endure even the toughest of zoom meetings (and the more weighty matters of life) this week and beyond.
Now if they could figure out why I don't like eating peas.
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