It’s easier for me to stay engaged for a longer period of time on a video meeting than on a phone call. There’s more to look at and more signals to read from the other people in the meeting, so my mind is less likely to wander.
But I’m definitely not immune to Zoom Distraction Syndrome. ZDS sets in when:
I have had several video meetings in a row
The meeting is not interactive
The speakers are boring
The meeting is very large
Some of this is out of my control. I can’t do anything about others’ long, presentational, boring meetings. But there are some things that are in my control, and in yours:
Give yourself a break between video meetings, even if it’s ten minutes. Get away from your computer and be in the three-dimensional world.
Close every other thing on your computer. Leaving your internet browser open is a admission to yourself that you’re going to do other things during the meeting.
If you have some status in the meeting, use it to suggest that you all take a break every 25 minutes or so. That feels like a lot, but a three minute break will keep the meeting productive longer than powering through would.
Don’t create or accept meeting invitations that are longer than 90 minutes. You’re fooling yourself if you think people can focus that long.
ZDS is a problem, but we can fight it together!
