Is Zoom Fatigue Dangerous?
“What’s wrong, why do you look so out of it,” I asked Aarav.
“I don’t know…I don’t feel so well, just blah…and tired,” Aarav replied back in a low tone.
I wondered what must have happened because he was fine in the morning and after his classes, his mood was off. Did something happen in class, I asked him. The answer was no. After asking him a few more questions, I told him to go walk outside in the backyard for some air which will help him feel better.
This happened at least three times a week and yet I could not pinpoint the cause until I started googling up how to deal with online issues and came across the term “ZOOM FATIGUE.”
What is ‘zoom fatigue,’ you may wonder? It is fairly a new term that has developed in response to the current crisis. According to Psychiatrictimes.com, ” ‘Zoom fatigue’ describes the tiredness, worry, or burnout associated with overusing virtual platforms of communication.”
In simple words, it is that physical and emotional feeling people are facing due to being on zoom, google hangouts or any other video calls. It is that feeling of exhaustion or that meh feeling where you don’t seem to like anything.
In an article, “Zoom fatigue is real and our kids are feeling it,” the author says, “Just like adults, kids are feeling what experts are calling Zoom fatigue. What I’m finding is, we’re all exhausted; It doesn’t matter whether they are introverts or extroverts. We are experiencing the same disruption of the familiar context during the pandemic.”
Alright, now that you have heard the term, you may wonder well, I may be aware of some symptoms, but how do I know if my child has zoom fatigue or not.
Symptoms of Zoom fatigue
- Refusing to join another zoom call even if it may be for fun, playdates, or school.
- After zoom is done, you find your kids being irritated, having some sort of meltdown, or refusing to talk to you. You may feel your kid is being rebellious, but honestly, they do not know what is happening with them.
- Physical signs include having trouble sitting still or focusing, putting strain on the eye, irritability, or anxiety before joining the video call. Observing your child’s behavior will tell you if anything out of the ordinary has taken place.
- Arguments with friends or being frustrated for no particular reason.
- Kids may not be comfortable with the idea of looking at themself the whole time during zoom call; therefore, you can make sure that your child activates the “hide self-view” option.
Zoom or any type of video conferencing are all excellent tools to have, but when we overuse them that is when adults and kids equally feel the burnout.
Therefore, here are some tips you can do for yourself or your child to not get this zoom fatigue.
Tips to get help with Zoom Fatigue
Detoxifying
I can not stress how important this is! Who would not want love to go on a vacation or a quick getaway? Well, that is what we have to do when it comes to technology. It may seem hard or next to impossible, but at least for an hour a day, detach yourself from any technology around you which means phone, iPad, laptop or any other devices.
Go for a walk with the kids, maybe do an art activity with them, play basketball or a sport with them or do any activity which keeps them off of technology. This will help them feel better and also will help improve your communication with them.
Every evening, Aarav will walk outside for 10-15 minutes and I will walk with him. While walking, my girls will join us and bicycle around us, but most importantly, this is the time when he and I will talk and he will ask me any questions that he has.
Space out zoom sessions
If your child has been on zoom the whole morning, then give them a break before signing up for another class right away or fixing up a social zoom meet with their friends. Make sure that they have a good 30-minute break so they feel fresh and not fatigued.
It is also important to pick and choose what social calls on zoom to attend to and if your child has extra classes, but is tired, then it’s better to opt-out of it. This way your child can conserve their energy and health.
For instance, if they have an art club after school, but you see them being mentally burnt out, then have them skip the class for that day.
Activities during classes
Teach your kids certain stretches that they can do in between classes. Some basic neck, shoulder stretches or yoga stretches can help their energy going.
Another thing is, having kids listen to music between classes helps their brain and body relax. You can always have a stress ball or fidget spinner (if allowed by the teacher). This helps to keep your hands busy but does not divert your attention.
It is important to recognize the symptoms your body is telling you and listen to it. This way you can help your kids recognize and listen to the symptoms their body shows. It will help them cope up with stress, anxiety, or any other issues.
In another article, “It’s Not Children’s Education We Should Worry About, It’s Their Mental Health,” the author emphasizes that when schools do re-open, the focus should be on “children back into the classroom environment and encouraging them to play with their friends, rather than cramming them with as much of the ‘missing’ material as possible.”
This is because all the social, relationship, and friendship lessons they learn during school can not be made up via online tools and this is a key part of having our kids develop confidence and self-assurance.
Like Covid, zoom fatigue has become a part of our life in such a silent way that we fail to recognize it. However, now that we have, it is time we take action into our hands and gain back normality to our life as much as we can.
If you want to know more about how to set up kids’ space or kids’ room for the online school, you can read more at Tips and Tricks for Online Schooling.
