After a year of the COVID-19 pandemic and working from home until September 2021, video conferencing has become a fundamental part of everyday life. However, not everyone has overcome Zoom anxiety. Zoom anxiety is defined as “a feeling of panic when asked to jump on a video call.” For some people, the prospect of a video call can bring up a deep feeling of dread, especially if required to present. Combined with other stressors linked with the pandemic, lockdown and job insecurity, Zoom anxiety can prove debilitating to some people.
According to a study from presentation specialist Buffalo 87, “Zoom anxiety” has become a serious problem for many. Zoom anxiety afflicts people, for many reasons. James Robinson, Marketing Manager at Buffalo 7 says 73% of respondents reported struggles with Zoom anxiety, “…it’s clear that for many video calls bring their own set of challenges.”
Who has Zoom anxiety?
The study published at TechRadar identified a number of reasons for Zoom anxiety. 83% of Zoom anxiety sufferers worried that a potential technical glitch that cannot be easily fixed might occur. They expressed concerns about holding up clients and colleagues, as well as revealing their incompetence. In addition:
67% worried about the inability to read body language effectively.- 56% were concerned they haven’t been heard.
- 41% fretted about insufficient time to prepare an appearance.
- 34% stressed about the unprofessional nature of the background.
A study out of Stanford University identified four reasons why so many people suffer from Zoom anxiety.
1- Too Much Eye Contact
Emma Russell, a senior lecturer in occupational and organizational psychology at the University of Sussex explained. “We are attending to a number of faces staring right at us, and our face is also on-screen for all to see.”
Géraldine Fauville, a researcher at Stanford explains, “During video conferences, you have this impression that everyone on the screen is staring directly at you, so you have this feeling of being constantly the center of attention and that is just stressful in general, especially for long periods of time.”
The size of other participants’ faces is often large on our screen. Professor Fauville says, “ … Generally, if people are very close to each other, that’s a very intense situation that could lead, for example, to mating or conflict.”
2- Self-Evaluation
Charlotte Armitage, a media and business psychologist, reports that being able to see ourselves causes Zoom anxiety. Being able to see ourselves causes Zoom anxiety because our reflection on-screen provides an added level of focus we wouldn’t have in real life. “The additional psychological processing involved in attending to one’s own behavior and actions … adds an additional level of stimuli that you wouldn’t have had in a face-to-face meeting.”
Professor Russell says, “It can be very draining to be paying attention to how people see us and how they view our reactions.“
3- Lack of Movement
During in-person meetings, people move around. Professor Fauville says that is not true during a Zoom meeting and it impacts outcomes. “Studies have shown that motion and movement are very important for creativity … for performance in general, so suddenly with video conferences, you are stuck in this box in view of the camera.”
4 – No Nonverbal Cues
Zoom meetings increase the “cognitive load” on participants. Video conferences require people to interpret virtual gestures and other nonverbal clues. Ms. Fauville says.
During face-to-face meetings, … we have a lot of ways to communicate … the intonation we use, the pauses we use in our sentences… information that most of us understand naturally … With video conferences, the only information I have about your body language is your head and your shoulder, so suddenly I have to second guess what you mean behind your words.
How to calm Zoom anxiety
Here are some tips for Zoom users that feel awkward when asked to speak on camera, to reduce Zoom anxiety.
Limit calls
Video calls may not always be the most efficient option. Ask if this call is really necessary. It may be easier to add notes onto a shared doc, for example.
Cancel cameras
After starting the camera, use the “hide self” function. Bosses should be open to turning off cameras because of the stresses it can cause. Stanford’s Fauville suggests, “… using cameras only when it really adds something.” If your boss insists cameras are required on every call, try putting your camera on a side angle not face-on. You will focus less on yourself.
Allow recharge time
Limit the number of Zoom calls. If that won’t work for the boss try to get a break between calls to recharge. Failing those accommodations, Professor Fauville recommends shrinking the size of your video conferencing window so it’s not taking up your full screen. It can also be a good idea to periodically focus on something other than your screen. This way, she says, “You focus on what you hear, you don’t have to think about the body movement and so on.”
Give notice
Never drop anyone on a call without telling them in advance. If people have time to prepare, they’ll be more organised and less anxious.
Communicate concerns
Communicate! Talk to bosses, talk to teams – if there’s an issue, you never know who else is facing it too. Encourage conversations. Ask your boss for a private chat.
Move
Get up from your chair, stretch, water your plants, pet your dog or cat. Give your brain a chance to switch gears between meetings. Set up your camera further away from you. It will capture more of the room so you can stand, pace, or stretch without fear of going off frame.
An external keyboard can help you sit further away from the camera. Being further away can encourage movement as fidget during the call. It also puts more distance between you and your screen. This will decrease the intensity of the eye contact your brain perceives from other participants.
Focus on Physical Health
Dr. Hallie Zwibel, the director of NYIT’s Center for Sports Medicine recommends, “… an ergonomic chair, making sure your keyboard is ergonomically designed. We also recommend taking a standing break at least every 45 minutes.“
In addition, Dr. Zwibel recommends “Make sure you’re limiting glare, that your screen is eye level, with a certain amount of distance between you and your screen.”
Staring at a screen for hours on end can cause “pseudo-myopia,” meaning nearsightedness. It’s easy enough to avoid. Every 20 minutes, look away from the screen for 20 seconds at an object 20 feet away. (There’s are several apps for that.)
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For many of us, video calls are like standing up in front of the classroom. It’s just going to feel uncomfortable for that reason alone.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.