CINCINNATI — Almost everybody has been on a Zoom or conference call by this point in the pandemic -- whether it's work, baby showers, weddings, or just a chat with friends.
But after more than a year of logging on, you may be suffering from something called Zoom fatigue.
At this point, you might be over the Zoom happy hours, the Zoom trivia, the Zoom baby showers.
The only thing worse than watching someone open diapers and bibs is watching them do it over Zoom.
Zoom is a powerful communication tool that launched nine years before the pandemic began. But in March 2020, it became a lifeline for employees to work, for students to learn and for families to connect.
If you dread logging on and seeing co-workers on the other side of the screen, you're not alone.
Clinical psychologist at UC Health Dr. Maria Espinola said there are many contributing factors.
“One of them is excessive eye contact or lack of eye contact. So excessive when you're meeting with one person and lack of eye contact when you're meeting with more than one person," Espinola said.
Audio delays and slow internet connections cause miscommunication, making it difficult to trust the source.
“Another big issue is with watching yourself on video, people don't like that,” Espinola said.
That's why Dr. Espinola suggests turning off the video portion of your Zoom call, and don't get upset if someone else has theirs off. Also, Zoom is not the end all be all.
“Those who are vaccinated now and because the weather is getting nicer, so while maintaining social distance and using masks, some people are opting for doing that, just a small meeting. So that can give you a break from all these zoom interactions that you're having,” Espinola said.
Pick and choose what Zoom events you'll actually attend. Maybe skip the baby shower or the happy hour in favor of a dear friend’s wedding -- or log off entirely.
