Here are some ways to prevent Zoom fatigue and make the most of this online semester! We’ve all been there; you’ve been sitting at your desk for the past three hours in back-to-back Zoom classes and meetings, your eyes are about to close, and you have been mentally checked out for so long that you don’t remember. It can be really frustrating when exams come around and you realize that you weren’t truly paying attention, even if you were taking notes during class. Ending the day feeling wiped out can happen sometimes. Fortunately, there are simple habits you can implement to improve your productivity and prevent fatigue on a daily basis.
- Don’t take your classes from bed
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Zoom fatigue is especially tough to fight if you are studying in the same room where your bed is since it can be really tempting to take all of your classes from bed. If you are taking classes from bed, your sleep cycle, productivity, and health might be sacrified since your body may no longer be able to distinguish between rest time and go time. When you’re in bed, you’re probably not paying half as much attention as you should be. Your professor is dragging on and on, and guess what you learned? Just about nothing. Take your classes in a space where it is easier to be attentive and awake.
- Create a routine
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This may seem obvious, but it’s easily overlooked. Stay on a regular sleep schedule as best you can. Go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day. Make sure you are eating as frequently as you should be—whatever that means for you—and try to eat at the same time everyday. Use an online calendar or paper planner to keep yourself organized around when your classes and meetings are, and to keep track of your assignments. Anything else that you do on a regular basis (such as exercise) should also be done more or less at the same time every day. Before bed, make a to-do list for the next day that is doable and not overwhelming that will keep you on track for the next day. The more often you keep yourself on a regular schedule, the easier it will be to concentrate in your classes.
- Start your day with a good breakfast
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Mama wasn’t kidding when she said that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Especially during a time of uncertainty, it is so important to fuel your brain in the morning when you don’t know if you’ll have time to get up and make lunch in between classes. Make a nice breakfast for yourself and do your best to eat before your first class of the day. Appreciate this form of self-care and take this time for yourself—extra points if you’re away from your phone!
- Set up your work space the smart way
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To optimize your productivity, it is really important to set up your study space in a quiet environment where you can concentrate well. This can be tough to do if you are living at home with family or with lots of housemates, but do your best to find a quiet space that is just for you. Set up your desk as close as possible to natural light. Natural light has been shown to improve your productivity, mood, vision (which is especially important when you’re looking at a screen all day), and help to regulate your sleep cycle. In addition, decorate the wall and your desk with things that make you happy or inspire you—consider putting some plants, posters, and pictures in your workspace. Make sure your desk is not too cluttered and is clean.
- Dress for success
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It’s okay to have some days where you spend all day in your sweatpants, but if you do this on a regular basis, it will hurt your productivity and make it difficult to find your classes enjoyable and inspiring! Studies show that dressing for work differently than how you would dress to stay home increases your creativity, long-term strategizing, and sense of power. Think about how differently you are able to concentrate on class material when you are in a lecture hall wearing a nice outfit that you feel confident in, versus your concentration laying in bed in your pajamas. It’s probably wildly different, and while we can’t change the physical location of our classes, we can change how we feel about our appearance during the day. I like to dress up and put my daily make up on as if I’m going to class per usual. It makes a clear distinction between class time and time I can spend relaxing in bed. So make sure to get up, switch those comfy clothes for a pair of jeans and a nice top, and start your day!
- Take breaks and exercise
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Taking study breaks is so important and something we all do when we’re normally walking around campus, right? Don’t skip out on grabbing some coffee or a quick Netflix break if you have some time. If you like drawing or journaling, you can set aside some time to do that as well. Another great activity to do at any point in the day is exercising! Exercising releases endorphins that energize you and make your brain happy. However you want to do it, be sure to take time for yourself to decompress after a long day of classes. You deserve it!
- Take care of yourself
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Make sure you have enough water nearby while you work, and that you are staying hydrated during the day. Most importantly, listen to your body. If you’re tired, go take a nap. Make sure you’re taking time to stay in touch with friends and family. Don’t overwork yourself—pay attention to your wellbeing, because it has a lot to do with your fatigue. If you find yourself chronically tired, consider talking to your doctor about underlying health issues that may be going on.
You might find yourself following these tips to avoid Zoom fatigue and still end up feeling exhausted at the end of your day, or find that it’s too hard to follow each rule on a daily basis. That’s okay! Understand that some days will just suck, and no matter what you do, you might be tired. Zoom university is not something any of us signed up for, but it is a reality that many of us are facing in order to finish our degrees and make the most out of these years. There will be days when none of these tips do the trick and you will feel exhausted, and that’s okay! Understand that it is not in our nature to be sitting in front of a screen for hours on end, or to be unable to see our friends and family in person as often as we would like. Some days will be tough and you have to be patient and go easy on yourself. This is a tough time for everyone. Chin up, and go get that degree!