7 Tips to Help You Conquer Zoom Fatigue.

AuthorDeFinis, Angela

If virtual meetings are here to stay, how can we combat Zoom fatigue?

Working remotely is no longer something reserved for freelancers or those on special assignment. Many major companies have said they plan to accommodate remote work indefinitely. In fact, following the pandemic, more than half of Americans say they want to continue working remotely, while two-thirds of companies say they may make their current work-from-home policies permanent.

Like these private-sector workplaces, many state legislatures required legislative staff to work remotely this spring and some staffers continue to telecommute. The 80 staff from 36 legislatures who responded to an informal NCSL survey last fall fell into three groups: One-third said they continue to telework, another third said they're back in the office and the final third said they now split time between home and the office.

For thousands of legislative staff, virtual meetings are here to stay, meaning a new phenomenon--Zoom fatigue--will become more prevalent.

Hop onto any virtual meeting these days and there's little doubt that Zoom fatigue has set in. Even the most well-intentioned remote teams are facing lower work standards, missed deadlines, rampant interruptions by those on the call and numerous home office interruptions. There is an acceptance of lower standards, often with a shrug: "What can we do about it? It's all so exhausting!" That's Zoom fatigue.

But it doesn't have to be this way. There's a secret weapon you can easily employ: humor!

From the old knock-knock jokes we told as kids to amusing stories that make light of the workplace, everyone loves a good joke. When you add a witty quip or funny story to your virtual presentations, you let listeners know your meeting won't be dry and serious. Humor connects us and influences others. It helps us get our point across and adds perspective to even the most critical challenges.

Here are seven tips to help you create and deliver office-appropriate jokes that tickle the funny bone, bring people together, and work well on any virtual platform.

  1. Know your audience: Analyzing your audience is important for any presentation, but you have to be especially tuned in when using humor. In other words, tell the right joke to the right crowd at the right time. For example, you may have a funny story about your kids, but if your younger audience doesn't have children, it could fall flat. Likewise, if you make a joke about a meme, an older crowd...

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