Staying Focused at Work When You Have Virtual Meetings All Day
Staying focused at work can help you survive back-to-back virtual meetings at the office or when working remotely. However, staying sharp isn’t always as easy as some people think. So, from taking manual notes to status updates, here are some practical examples you can try.
Take a Walking Video Call
Perhaps you don’t have the FBI watching your every move, so you don't need to walk and talk like a mob boss. However, video fatigue can hit you hard when tethered to a desk all day processing endless faces. If there is no reason you need to stay in the same place, such as for presenting slides, you can grab an NMN supplement, your favorite drink, and take a walk while you chat with the talking heads, stretch your legs, and get some much-needed fresh air.
Grab a Pen and Take Some Notes
Your brain can be locked into a narrow state of focus when hopping from one video call to the next. This can also be made worse by typing notes at a keyboard, where you can even zone out. When in this state, it can also be tempting to open your inbox or browse the web. Of course, this will cause you to lose context of a meeting and impact the actual results. However, the brain can stay engaged by taking down manual notes with a pen and paper- old school!
Staying Focused at Work with Time Buffers
Up to 66% of remote workers have trouble focusing throughout the day. That’s why remote workers must schedule breaks just like any other type of job. With so many virtual meetings, you need some ways to stay focused, and taking breaks is a simple way to keep your mind sharp. To stay fresh between meetings, it helps to set gap time with buffers between each one, which includes time for taking a walk, grabbing a drink, and taking time to clear your head.
Set Do Not Disturb Status Updates
When you do manage to focus after a long day of virtual meetings, something usually ends up taking it away. Pings, notifications, and emails are often the worst culprits. So what can you do? Most apps have options for manually changing communication status to something like Do Not Disturb. This simple feature of most collaboration apps indicates to others you are not available and prevents them from interrupting you, setting boundaries and relieving building pressure.
Relieve Stress By Keeping Your Hands Busy
As mentioned, zoning out and becoming bored are common when you have been at virtual meetings all day. The heavy listening, the intense focus, and even keeping composure can be exhausting. However, it is well known that when you have things to do with your hands when you feel anxious, you can relieve a lot of the stress and tension while staying engaged. Fidget spinners, stress balls, and massage devices can all help prevent you from wandering off.
Summary
Taking a walking video call is a popular method of staying focused at work when you have to get through tons of virtual meetings. It also helps to schedule breaks before the hour and use the time as a buffer for recharging, and you can also stay focused by keeping your hands busy.