Aside from the eye strain of looking at a screen all day (if we are not looking at a computer, we’re often looking at our TV or our phone), our sense of space is disrupted by video meetings. Suddenly, everyone is much closer than they would be in a pre-pandemic meeting.
The pandemic is sending our brain conflicting messages. With video calls, faces are within two feet of us, and this tells our brain that these are close or intimate friends, when instead they are colleagues or strangers. Similarly, social distancing rules have forced our loved ones out into a much more distant field that is usually reserved for people we may meet or know socially, but not very well—acquaintances rather than friends.
While our rational brain understands social distancing, the physical inability to touch and hold our close friends and family can confuse us into thinking the distance is somehow a rejection. The cognitive effort of managing these conflicting messages is tiring.
These have largely disappeared—the daily commute is the most obvious absence for those working from home, but walking to and from meetings also allows the brain and body time to prepare for the next task. Outside of work, doing the school run, going to the gym, and regular appointments all add structure and separation of space to our lives.
How to Get Through
So how can we address this feeling of burnout and exhaustion?Build time into your working day for casual chat that is not work-related. Daily conversations range from small talk about the weather, to more substantive conversation about our lives.
Make time for these conversations, maybe arrange an online lunch. The different use of the technology will help to break the monotony and association of screens with burnout. Additionally, sharing the space with colleagues you are friendlier with in real life and who fall into our personal space allowance, makes the online encounter less stressful.
Before and after a meeting, get up from your desk, move around a bit to mimic the walking to and from meetings, and try to build one no-meeting day into your working week.
Having distinct spaces helps our brains to psychologically switch off from work. If the dining table is used as a desk in the day, move work items out of sight at the end of the day. This could be just a box by the side of the table to place work items in, and that you open every morning to mark the start of work.
To limit multitasking and increase focus, close down additional tabs and browsers, turn your phone to silent, and check and respond to emails at set times.
As we enter into spring with already noticeable longer, brighter days, it’s the perfect moment to increase the time we spend outdoors, and to get exercise, which is a natural mood elevator.