Put your camera at eye level.
Get a cheap shelf that’s made to hold up your laptop, or stack up some books.
Check the height by turning on your camera and checking your gorgeous self out. Can you see a bunch of the ceiling behind you? Is the fan coming out of your head? Can you see more of your neck than your face? Then your camera is too low. Jack that baby up!
Here’s why:
As I’ve written before, eye contact doesn’t exist on videoconference. But one good way to show that you’re present and attentive is to engage with your screen as though it were the other person. When you’re looking down, it feels kind of like we’re lying on your desk, among your Post-Its and pens…which is weird.
Also, it’s so much better for your neck and back when you can look straight ahead instead of down at your screen. All the physical therapists say so!
(If you are going to do a ton of work via videoconference, go ahead and invest in a set-up that allows you to type at desk height and still have your screen at eye level. There are a few ways to do this; choose the one that fits your style and budget!)
