Zoning out? How to make sure you stay focused during a video call

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Written By Laura Linham

Have you ever had a sneaky nap during a video call? You’re not alone. New research claims that one in four (24 per cent) people have admitted to falling asleep during a video call or virtual event.

Virtual events software provider EventsX commissioned a poll of over 500 event goers and business decision makers, via independent polling agency Censuswide, to understand how people have adapted to ‘dialling-in’ to their meetings and events.

In total, 24 per cent of event attendees had admitted they have fallen asleep during an online event, a figure which rose substantially to 34 per cent of 18-34-year-olds.

Additionally, a quarter (25 per cent) confessed they that had consumed alcohol on a video call when they were not supposed to. This rose to almost a third (30 per cent) of 18-34-year-olds but dropped to 10 per cent of those individuals over 55.

Furthermore, 36 per cent said they have previously played games on their computer during a work call or virtual event that they found boring, a figure which rose dramatically to almost a half (49 per cent) of 18-24-year-olds.

Individuals highlighted further distractions, with almost half (49 per cent) saying they have answered the door to a delivery driver during a video call or virtual event. A staggering 57 per cent of 25-34-year-olds admitted to doing this.

As well as answering the door while on a call, 57 per cent have muted a call to speak to someone in their household, or even to take a phone call, while being at an online event or on an online video call.

If you’re feeling guilty about zoning out instead of concentrating on your Zoom calls, here’s a few things you can do to make sure you keep focused:

Eat a Snack

The best way to stay focused during a video meeting (or any meeting, really) is to fuel up before the meeting! It’s difficult to concentrate when you’re hungry. So, eating a healthy snack and drink before you meet will help you focus.

Take notes

Taking notes is probably the easiest way to help pay attention during a video call. If you’re not focusing on what’s being said, how will you know what to put in your notes?

But, to really stay focused, take notes the old school way: with paper and pen!

In today’s digital world, you almost always have a full keyboard and note-taking app available, so using a pen (or pencil) and paper seems, well, quaint. However, research shows that taking notes by hand not only helps you focus on what’s being said, it also helps you remember the information better than taking notes via a keyboard.

Eliminate Distractions

Depending on your set-up, you may have other screens nearby. This could be a second or third monitor or your phone. Even if you only have one screen and no phone, you may have several other tabs open on your computer’s browser.

To maintain your focus, eliminate these potential distractions. Put your phone on airplane mode or silence all incoming calls and notifications. Close all your “extra” browser tabs. Even if they’re minimized or hidden, the temptation to peek may be too much. Also, consider putting your video call in full-screen mode to cover any incoming notifications you may have forgotten to silence.

Use Headphones

Sometimes it’s not visual distractions that cause us to lose focus—it’s auditory ones. It could be anything from birds chirping outside your window to noisy construction, but we may not have any control over the noise around us.

Using headphones can help block out distracting sounds that might draw your attention elsewhere. Not only will it cut muddled sound, using headphones can also make it easier for you to hear what the speaker is saying, making it more likely you’ll focus on the meeting.

Volunteer to Help

Consider volunteering for tasks during the meeting to help you stay focused. Take the minutes, monitor the time, or even admit people from the waiting room. Whatever it is, having an active role in the meeting will help you maintain your focus.

Pretend There’s a Quiz

Similar to taking notes, pretend there’s a quiz at the end of the meeting. If you want to pass the quiz (and, of course, you do!), you’ll need to pay attention throughout the video meeting.

Skip It

Finally, if you’ve tried all these tips and you’re still losing focus, talk to your boss about skipping some meetings. Even if you can’t skip them forever, a temporary break from some of the less critical meetings can help you recover from meeting fatigue and come back reengaged and more focused than ever.

Stay Focused

Staying engaged and focused on meetings isn’t always the easiest task, no matter where we are. But, by eliminating distractions and taking a few steps to be active in the meeting, you’ll find yourself focused in every video call, no matter the topic.

From the office floor:

  • Pearl Lemon Group, is a a completely remote, international multi-business agency, so video calls are of crucial importance to our daily functioning. Their operations director, Lydia Vanderstelt, said: “At Pearl Lemon, when we have company-wide video calls for meetings, we have a few base-line procedures: mandatory mic on and mandatory camera on.

    “To a large extent, this helps keep those in the call more engaged and more present with our proceedings; we feel it does a much better job of mimicking an in-person meeting. Also, if someone shows 'eye-tracking' (clearly telegraphing attention is being paid elsewhere) they are publicly called out.

    “These processes make sure the meeting is taken seriously and everyone is consistently engaged. I would recommend these measures to anyone seeking a stronger engagement in video calls."

  • Shoaib Aslam, Founder of EventsX, said: “While falling asleep and consuming alcohol may have a humorous side, online events present many benefits in our work from anywhere. It is far easier for online event attendees to leave, or multi-task than it is for those who attend in person, highlighting why creating an interesting and interactive online event is so important.

    “Whether someone is highly involved or just a background participant, events should be conducted engaging to allow attendees to take away key information and knowledge.

    “Hosting an online event is not necessarily an easy task but by utilising the correct technology, hosts will be able to capitalise on the benefits that online events offer. For example, making switching between talks easy, offering 1-1 chats powered through AI matching technology and easing the process of networking. With these engaging features attendees can absorb themselves in a fulfilling event that does not send them to sleep!”