If you’re feeling burned out in your virtual meetings, chances are your colleagues, team, and bosses are feeling it, too. Here are a few tips to help.
Take time back
- If you accomplish everything you need to before the scheduled time is over, the leader of the meeting says, “I think we are all clear on next steps, so let’s give everyone time back.”
- This allows the meeting to acknowledge that the meeting has accomplished its purpose and allows the participants time for productivity or recharging.
Get better at scheduling breaks
- At least give yourself at least 10 minutes in between meetings.
- With a 10-minute buffer, you can avoid both being late to the next meeting and the associated stress of anticipating being late.
- If you are running on time, you can take those 10-minute intervals to walk away from your screen, give your eyes a break, etc.
Strive for variety
- While routine can be comforting, strive for variety when it comes to your communication, especially in a virtual setting.
- If you are in a team setting, it should be agreed to either have all cameras on (if possible) or all cameras off.
- But if you are routinely holding meetings one way or the other, a change in format can breathe life into interactions that have become routine and stale.
