#ToolTuesdays for Mindfulness in Meetings
I don’t know about you, but I really miss when times were precedented. The pan-Demi Lovato has given a whole new meaning to the expression “digital world” even for those of us who are early adopters and familiar with modern technology.
As if corporate meetings weren’t intimidating enough, after the lockdown and the ongoing pandemic, we are now meeting strangers from the “comfort” of our own homes. It’s likely you’ve had a Zoom meeting or two, either at your job, for school, or for community projects–but are you familiar with Zoom Fatigue?
Zoom fatigue may not be a formal diagnosis, but it is very real.
This is largely cognitive in nature since video conferencing requires more mental processing power. Through a computer screen, it is challenging to read facial expressions or decode tone. Having conversations through Zoom takes more effort than having them in person, even though you don’t realize it. Though video calls seem like an elegant solution for remote work, they can also have a detrimental effect on the psyche.
Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime certainly offer benefits, from making it easier for people to connect face-to-face to making certain jobs more accessible for those with chronic health conditions. However, as with all good things, there is a price.
So how do we combat Zoom Fatigue? Yes, I have an app for that.
With Spill, you can receive therapy sessions, mental health training for managers, and regular feelings checks into your company’s Slack channel.
More exciting still, they have created a tool that can be used with any meeting link to encourage participants to use mindfulness meditation techniques. If you paste your meeting link into the URL space holder, Spill takes each participant through a 2-minute meditation exercise prior to joining the meeting.
This helps calm nerves, enhance mindfulness and productivity and increase mental health awareness prior to attending a meeting. Check it out: https://mindfulness.spill.chat/.
Mental health is not only important for employee morale, but it’s also a financial risk factor. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. Research shows that nearly 86 percent of employees treated for depression report improved work performance.
This tool by Spill can be a game-changer for companies to enjoy more productive meetings and mindful participation from team members while providing much-needed mental health support to their employees.
