Webinar Fatigue and How To Deal With It

Seminars can be exhausting, and it turns out that attending them from the comfort of your home doesn't make things any better. Seminars on the web – or webinars in short – are just as tiring, and taking part in such events frequently can lead to something called webinar fatigue.

What is webinar fatigue?

Webinar fatigue is a term that didn't exist until recently, and it refers to the feeling of tiredness or exhaustion that comes from attending too many webinars. It's a kind of burnout that you might have to deal with when you're having to sit through long webinars on a regular basis, either as a speaker, or an attendee. Although it's not yet treated as a medical condition, such cases of webinar fatigue can cause mental stress, and lead to disruption in your everyday routine, which is why it's important to understand how it can affect you and what you could do to shake it off.

How webinar fatigue can impact your life

Webinars require you to continuously stare at your screen for long periods of time. At this rate, you're basically overdosing on screen time, which is harmful in its own ways. Besides, exposure to such long sessions of commentary will completely drain your energy, especially if it's something you're not all that interested in. Whether it's your academic, professional, or personal life, once that fatigue hits, you won't feel like doing anything else.

In addition to all this, webinars can also result in the accumulation of mental stress. You'll often find yourself assessing your own appearance during these live virtual sessions. This is a common case for the organisers or speakers of these webinars. Many of them have to deal with multiple webinars in the span of a single week, or even a single day. The need to present yourself in the best possible way, every single time, is something that only adds to the problem, and can put you under stress even before the webinar starts.

Things you can do to avoid webinar fatigue

The best possible way to avoid webinar fatigue is by not attending them. Of course, in the current world order, doing so is nearly impossible. But what you can do, however, is be very selective about the ones you want to attend. Give yourself the time and space, and don't overdo it. If it's a webinar you can afford to skip, do so.

Make yourself as comfortable as possible for the webinars that you do end up attending. Take small breaks if you can, and avoid continuously staring at the screen as well. Ask the organisers beforehand if you can keep your webcam off during the webinar, or once you're done with your session and another speaker is talking. That way, you can give yourself a breather, walk around the room, and can also give yourself some space without having to worry about how presentable you're looking at that time.

Webinar fatigue is a common issue these days. But unlike the ongoing pandemic, you can actually drive it away. The key is to be selective, follow a "me first" policy, and give your body and mind enough rest before you attend your next webinar.

Faisal wants to be the very best, like no one ever was. To stay home is his real test, to survive the pandemic is the cause. Write to him at abir.afc@gmail.com