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JOURNAL REPORTS: TECHNOLOGY

Zoom Fatigue: The Differing Impact on

Introverts and Extroverts
Video tools take a toll on both kinds of personalities—sometimes in surprising ways

Wes Colton, a coach for introverts, says video chats can be a good first step before going out on actual dates. JESSICA CHOU FOR THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL
SHARE By Aili McConnon
March 9, 2021 7:00 am ET

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7 minutes

Over a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, more people are increasingly familiar with “Zoom
fatigue,” the tiredness and burnout caused by overuse of videoconferencing tools such as
Zoom.

Zoom fatigue, however, can hit people differently depending on whether they are
extroverts, who need more external stimuli to recharge their batteries, or introverts, who
can be depleted by too much stimulation.

Surprisingly, some medical experts say the toll of these video tools might be harder on
extroverts. The reality is that both personality types prefer socializing in person, even if
they do so differently. Here’s a look at the difficulties extroverts and introverts face with
videoconferencing, and some workarounds depending on which part of the personality
spectrum people land on.

Extroverts: Diminishing returns

After the pandemic hit, lots of people loaded their work and social calendars with
videoconferences and virtual happy hours. To many people—extroverts in particular—it
seemed like a smart, fun and safe way to see people.

The experience, however, has proved to be less rewarding to many extroverts. “Zoom does
not provide the same visceral feedback as a live conversation, so it is less satisfying,” says
Roger McIntyre, a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Toronto.

In a videoconference, Dr. McIntyre says, the body language and other visual cues that are so
often part of in-person conversation aren’t fully there. And that can weigh especially on
extroverts.

“One area where extroverts excel is the in-the-

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moment processing of bodily cues,” says
What do you like and dislike most about William Lamson, an assistant professor of
Zoom calls? Join the conversation below. psychology in clinical psychiatry at Weill
Cornell Medicine. But because video calls are
more about talking heads, extroverts end up
“using more focus and not likely getting the
same reward as a live interaction,” Dr. Lamson says.
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Extroverts can also chafe at some of the structure and controls that videoconferencing
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increase the amount of stimuli could be fun, says Allison Baker, a child and perinatal
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interactions with many people and stimuli,” says Dr. Baker, who is also an instructor at
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PHOTO: JESSICA CHOU FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Then It Exploded.

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as he finds he experiences some Zoom fatigue every day from his virtual work calls. It.

“I break up my day and Zoom fatigue with mini workouts like running up and down the
stairs for 10 minutes or I take the dog for a walk,” Mr. Schmitt says.

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“There is less spontaneous water-cooler chitchat, which isn’t necessarily their forte and
can sometimes provoke anxiety,” says Dr. Aboujaoude. Wealth Management

Video meetings feature frequent glitches that can offer some cover to introverts who often
worry about how they look to others. “Introverts can be harsh critics of their social
performance and second-guess what they have said in social settings,” says Dr.
Aboujaoude. When people come to expect little things to go wrong—like having images
freeze on the screen—it can help people feel less responsible for how their own
performance came across.

In some social contexts, such as first dates, many introverts actually prefer video meetups,
says Wes Colton, a coach for introverts.

“It’s a good halfway step to an in-person date, and you can avoid the extra pressure of
finding the person and still practice conversation,” says Mr. Colton, who also considers
himself an introvert.

Still, video calls pose their own special challenges for introverts. For one thing, in most
virtual meetings, with multiple participants observing one another, “you feel like you’re
being constantly watched,” says Dr. McIntyre. “Introverts prefer to control who is in their
personal space and for how long.”

Or, as Dr. Aboujaoude says, “a Zoom call with 15 faces looking at you can feel more draining
if you naturally prefer to connect with people one-on-one or in small groups.”

What’s more, speaking before a group rarely comes easily to introverts, who tend to prefer
one-on-one conversations. In-person conversation also offers pauses that, while
sometimes awkward, can give a person time to contemplate a new thought. Pauses while
on-screen, however, can be confusing. Has a person finished speaking? Or has the internet
connection caused the screen to freeze? “Pauses or silence between thoughts or topics
feels more unbearable and difficult to interpret due to the video,” says Dr. Lamson.

Another feature of video meetings with special challenges for introverts: those
embarrassing moments when children, pets or roommates wander through the
background.

“One second I’m a psychologist, then a father, then a husband,” Dr. Lamson says. “Having
to keep switching can cause fatigue.”

To mitigate some of these issues, a good first step for introverts is to eliminate optional
video calls where possible and switch social Zoom calls to phone calls, says Dr. McIntyre.

“Portion control is critical for everyone,” he says. Shorter video calls or making the video
feature optional can help.

For video calls that can’t be avoided, and that feature a large or particularly talkative
group, using the chat features or “raise-hand” buttons can make it easier to be recognized
and given a chance to speak, says Dr. Baker.

Setting boundaries beforehand can also help, says Dr. Lamson. This could take the form of
telling others at the beginning of a call when you need to leave, so you’re not stuck trying to
exit a call gracefully.

Ms. McConnon is a writer in New York. She can be reached at reports@wsj.com.

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Appeared in the March 10, 2021, print edition as 'Zoom Fatigue: Introverts vs. Extroverts.'

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