The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a remote work culture, characterized by constant video meetings. However, it is commonly known that back-to-back virtual meetings can lead to stress. A new brain study, commissioned by Microsoft, provides detailed insights on this issue.
The study confirms that back-to-back virtual meetings are indeed stressful. However, it also suggests a simple remedy: taking short breaks. Michael Bohan, Senior Director of Microsoft’s Human Factors Engineering group, who led the project, emphasizes the importance of breaks not only to reduce exhaustion but also to improve focus and engagement during meetings.
Meeting fatigue, which refers to the tiredness one feels after frequent meetings, can be alleviated by taking breaks between meetings. The study suggests that taking breaks allows the brain to ‘reset,’ reducing cumulative stress buildup across meetings. Moreover, back-to-back meetings can decrease one’s ability to focus and engage, making it essential to take breaks.
The study emphasizes that even short breaks are important to make the transition between meetings feel less stressful. It also suggests that breaks are not only good for one’s wellbeing but also improve the ability to do one’s best work. The research team presented their findings through a chart that shows the relative difference in beta activity between break and no-break conditions at the top of each meeting, averaged across the 14 research participants.
In summary, the study confirms that back-to-back virtual meetings are stressful and can lead to meeting fatigue. Taking short breaks in between meetings can help alleviate this stress, allowing the brain to ‘reset’ and improving focus and engagement during meetings. The study highlights the importance of breaks for wellbeing and doing one’s best work, and it suggests that breaks, even short ones, are essential for making transitions between meetings less stressful.
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