We’ve been working in the digital world for a year now, and I think it’s fair to say we’ve gotten used to the WFH (work from home) routine. Joining a Zoom call has almost become second nature to us, where we’re used to frantically cleaning our rooms five minutes before meetings (if we don’t already have a virtual background) and adding on a virtual filter so we don’t look as tired on our computer cameras just before joining the call.
Remote work has us sitting at our laptops all day, working tirelessly, and feeling remorseful everytime we stop working. Our lunch breaks are filled with cooking something quick to eat, and running errands before heading back to work. If we live alone, it is difficult to get any form of face-to-face social interaction.
And so, another work day ends, we rest, and repeat.
Our norms for working have changed, and this is very apparent. From changes in our work patterns to learning to set work/life boundaries, and getting the social interaction we need, emotional intelligence is vital to successfully navigating a virtual work environment.
Setting Healthy Boundaries
Before the pandemic, we were able to set healthy boundaries for ourselves, by leaving our work at the office. Now that our homes are our offices, the line of work-life balance has thinned. While there is more flexibility in choosing our work hours now, it has become more difficult to separate our work and personal lives.
A study conducted by Bloomberg has found that employees in the UK, Austria, Canada and the US have seen a 2.5 hour increase to the average working day after shifting to a virtual workspace. With most positions being 8 hours a day, this has resulted in many working 10.5 hour shifts and over 52 hours per week.
Ignoring boundaries between our work and personal lives can have detrimental physiological consequences. A report conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that working for more than 10 hours a day can be associated with a 60 percent jump in risk of cardiovascular issues.
This is where using your emotional intelligence skills can help with healthy boundary setting at work. Assertiveness is the ability to communicate your thoughts and defend your opinions respectfully, while self-regard is confidence and taking your own needs into consideration. By knowing ample personal time is just as important as work, and speaking up and establishing clear-cut boundaries between our work and personal lives, you’re able to prioritize your personal well-being, and are able to set yourself up for success.
How has COVID-19 impacted social interactions within the office?
The shift online has not only devoid us of those simple social interactions, but have also instilled guilt in employees when they aren’t working or are taking a break. So how can we facilitate watercooler remote conversations effectively while ensuring that employees can connect with their teams, but maintaining productivity within the workplace?
Some initiatives that have been proven successful include setting up coffee chats/ tea-time or even lunch breaks for your co-workers to share a meal virtually together. Other initiatives that you could do include hosting AMAs (Ask Me Anything) from your company’s co-founders and board of executives, hosting Talent/ HR talks, as well as utilizing Slack Integrations in posting small icebreakers once every while or wellness check-ins.
These connection initiatives will help your employees enhance their interpersonal EQ competencies – like interpersonal relationships (building mutually satisfying relationships) and empathy (putting yourself in other people’s shoes) and social responsibility (giving back to the greater good).. Not only will these efforts re-humanize your office, but also provide an opportunity for more social interaction, and interpersonal growth.
Zoom Fatigue
How many hours a day would you say you spend in front of a screen?
In 2019, Forbes found that the average American could spend as much as 12 hours a day in front of their screens. Now, it’s important to note that those numbers were measured prior to the start of the pandemic. But with many in-person meetings shifting online, the number of virtual meetings have skyrocketed. This transition has caused a phenomenon called Zoom Fatigue (or meeting fatigue), which refers to the “exhaustion you feel after any kind of video call or conference.”
Be conscious of those triggers and know your limits. Allow your team to support you by communicating with them how you’re feeling. There is nothing wrong with feeling exhausted by meetings, especially if you haven’t been able to move and unwind between them.
Two tactics to combat Zoom Fatigue (which I personally use) include creating a buffer between meetings, and utilizing white space in my calendar. Back-to-back meetings are brutal, and whenever possible, I recommend placing small 5-15 minute buffers between your meetings. You can use this buffer time to rest, stretch, and generally recharge for your next meeting, so you can show up refreshed and ready to engage. On the other hand, white space is time you block off specifically for yourself and for you to do whatever projects you want in that time slot. With the line blurring between your personal and professional life, it’s crucial now more than ever to create boundaries for your emotional well-being.
The only constant we ever face in life is change, and it’s important to learn how to best adapt to different circumstances when change arrives. However, when these changes affect our day to day lifestyles, it’s important to recognize the impacts that these changes bring, and prioritize your well-being to prevent burnout, and show up as your best self to work.
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Or learn more about how you can bridge that gap through our Staying Together Emotionally Connected Apart Keynote or about developing a culture with your team you will be proud of through our Creating a Culture of Engagement Keynote.
