More people are working from home than ever. This has its merits (less travel time), but definitely its disadvantages (less fun).
One major disadvantage is the extra time you spend staring at a screen. Whereas you would have gone for a walk to attend meetings or have a little chat at the office, currently (nearly) everything is happening via a screen. And this has caused a ‘new’ problem. More and more people experience screen fatigue. This in addition to all other ‘work problems’ at home.
What is screen fatigue?
Screen fatigue is a blanket term. Not everyone talking about it is necessarily referring to the exact same thing. One might be thinking of physical issues, such as headaches or tired eyes. The other might experience an utter state of loneliness at the end of the day. Or, actually, a day? Sometimes it only takes an hour.
You are not crazy
There are things you can do to avoid screen fatigue. It all starts with awareness and acknowledgement. So, first of all: you are not crazy. Working from home and attending online meetings really is more exhausting than being in the office.
The psychology behind it is this: during a conversation, our brains are subconsciously looking for eye contact and nonverbal cues. This could indicate hand gestures, or someone taking a deep breath when about to interrupt you. Such cues are very useful. They enable you to determine whether your message is received accordingly, and what kind of respons you may expect.
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Online: How to beat screen fatigue
More people are working from home than ever. This has its merits (less travel time), but definitely its disadvantages (less fun).
One major disadvantage is the extra time you spend staring at a screen. Whereas you would have gone for a walk to attend meetings or have a little chat at the office, currently (nearly) everything is happening via a screen. And this has caused a ‘new’ problem. More and more people experience screen fatigue. This in addition to all other ‘work problems’ at home.
What is screen fatigue?
Screen fatigue is a blanket term. Not everyone talking about it is necessarily referring to the exact same thing. One might be thinking of physical issues, such as headaches or tired eyes. The other might experience an utter state of loneliness at the end of the day. Or, actually, a day? Sometimes it only takes an hour.
You are not crazy
There are things you can do to avoid screen fatigue. It all starts with awareness and acknowledgement. So, first of all: you are not crazy. Working from home and attending online meetings really is more exhausting than being in the office.
The psychology behind it is this: during a conversation, our brains are subconsciously looking for eye contact and nonverbal cues. This could indicate hand gestures, or someone taking a deep breath when about to interrupt you. Such cues are very useful. They enable you to determine whether your message is received accordingly, and what kind of respons you may expect.
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