Are you tired of video meetings? Then you are not alone.

Video Conferences. Video Meetings. Video, Video, Video.

This spring has been… special.

And for many, unusually full of remote meetings and video calls.

For us at lynes, it’s been a season of high activity.

Within our platform, we’ve seen an explosive increase in the number of video meetings and virtual sessions among our customers.

It feels good to know that, in some small way, we’ve helped make this new reality a little easier.

At the same time, I’ve spent a lot of this spring thinking about how all these video meetings actually affect us.

There’s something about all those faces. All those eyes.

From homes. From gardens. From basements. From summer cabins.

Suddenly, everyone was just… there — peeking into our private worlds.

And of course, I’ve done the same. It’s hard not to, when the camera’s on.

And it’s not just been our colleagues’ bookshelves and desk lamps we’ve gotten a glimpse of.

From presidential candidates to musicians and TV personalities — everyone has opened their homes to our curious eyes.

Even Live Aid 2020 turned into one long global video conference, streamed straight from famous artists’ living rooms.

We even got to join Eddie Vedder right in his own living room.

So, How Are We Really Doing After All These Video Meetings?

This spring, despite everything, gave us a unique opportunity to study remote work and its effects at scale.

That’s exactly what Dr. Jeremy Bailenson, one of the founders of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, has done.

And the findings are starting to roll in.

A study from Stanford University shows that many people feel unusually tired after several video meetings in a single workday.

And honestly — it’s not hard to see why.

A video conference is a bit like someone staring at you in a cramped elevator.

Except the elevator is your living room.

And the “someone” is all your colleagues. And your boss.

No wonder we feel a little stressed.

Because while it’s fascinating to peek “behind the scenes” of others’ homes,

it’s equally stressful knowing that others are peeking into ours.

That’s one reason we feel drained after back-to-back video meetings.

Another is the unspoken expectation to stay extra alert whenever the camera’s on.

Of Course, Video Meetings Have Plenty of Advantages

The same Stanford study shows that seeing your manager on screen can actually increase productivity, compared to phone-only meetings where there’s no eye contact.

And then there’s the obvious one: less travel.

That means time saved, money saved — and a smaller environmental footprint.

So no, video meetings aren’t the problem.

They’re here to stay.

The key is learning to use them in a way that amplifies the benefits and minimizes the downsides.

Here’s What I’ve Learned Along the Way

1. Only Turn On Your Camera When It Adds Value

When your camera’s off, it’s easier to relax.

So use it only when it makes a difference.

For meetings where engagement and focus matter — like client or supplier calls — video is great.

But for daily stand-ups or quick team check-ins, a regular phone meeting is usually just fine.

2. Don’t Stack Meetings Back-to-Back

In physical offices, meetings naturally have breaks in between.

You walk down a hallway, grab a coffee, stretch.

With virtual meetings, we tend to click “leave” only to immediately click “join” on the next one.

So, schedule 5–10 minutes between meetings to reset and gather your thoughts.

3. It’s OK to Take a Break

Stanford’s research shows that people react differently to video fatigue — some more than others.

Listen to yourself.

Feeling drained after one or two calls? Talk to your team about it.

Turn off your camera for a while.

A good manager will understand and give you the space you need to avoid turning into a video-call zombie.

4. The Phone Still Works Just Fine

The phone remains one of the most effective communication tools out there —

no matter how hyped video meetings have become.

lynes makes it easy to switch between video and phone conferences.

If you need a break from the camera, just dial in instead.

In the end, it’s up to you to choose how to join — whatever keeps you feeling good and performing well.

Looking Ahead

I’ve been working with video meetings since… well, almost forever.

It’s what we do at lynes.

So yes — I’m convinced that the benefits of video calls far outweigh the drawbacks.

It’s all about balance.

Video shouldn’t replace physical meetings — it should complement them.

What the future looks like, no one knows.

But to quote Eddie Vedder:

“I’ll ride the wave where it takes me.”

So far, it’s worked pretty well.

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