AN official of the Department of Health yesterday urged the working sector to limit the time they spend in online meetings and conferences to avoid “Zoom fatigue” or burnout associated with overusing virtual platforms of communication.
“When we have online meetings, I suggest we make it short and direct to the point,” DOH-Mental Health Division consultant Dr. Agnes Casiño said in an online press briefing.
“On other things that don’t need video conferences, we can just talk about it through e-mails, and not exactly through video conference anymore,” Casiño said, adding prolonged online meetings and video conferences can result to mental exhaustion and fatigue.
“There are studies showing that we cannot really have the whole day attending to video conferences or meetings online,” she said.
According to the “Psychiatric Times,” “Zoom fatigue” is defined as the tiredness, worry, or burnout associated with overusing virtual platforms of communication.
Common symptoms of “Zoom fatigue” include forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating, frustration and irritability with co-workers, and physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, pain, fatigue, and insomnia.
Video conferencing is one of the most used method of those under the work-from-home set-up amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Casiño also urged those working from home to develop a routine that would be psychologically beneficial, like taking a bath and dressing up, which they did before reporting for work before the pandemic.
For those with children at home, she said it would be better if the parents will advise their kids to provide them the time and space to do their work.
