Stanford study identifies 4 causes, solutions for 'Zoom fatigue'

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- Stanford University researchers are analyzing a new phenomenon many of us know all too well, "Zoom fatigue."

There appear to be four main causes:

• Lots of eye contact at close range can cause anxiety or trigger a fight response.
• Staring at your own face can make you highly critical of yourself.
• Being trapped in one spot can make a person restless.
• You can't see a person's body language, so it takes more energy to communicate.

"It's a wonderful tool when used properly and sparingly, but ya know, doing it 9 hours a day is not the same as going on a hike with your friends or being at a rock show and just being around people," said Stanford Virtual Communication Lab's Founding Director Jeremy Bailenson.

Here are four solutions to combat "Zoom fatigue:"

• Take Zoom out of the full-screen option and reduce the size of the Zoom window. Also, use an external keyboard to allow an increase in the personal space bubble between oneself and the grid.
• Use the "hide self-view" button once you see your face is framed correctly in the video.
• Think more about the room your videoconferencing in and where the camera is positioned.
• Give yourself an "audio-only" break, turn off your camera and turn away from the screen for a few minutes.

Find out more information about the study here.