By Anne-Maartje Oud
Preventing burnout in online meetings starts with you. Small adjustments in behaviour can protect your focus, for yourself and everyone involved
Online meetings have become part of how we work and although often convenient, they ask for continuous attention and effort. The question is therefore not whether online meetings are useful, but how we can organise them in a way so that people can stay focused without draining their energy. Here are some concrete things you can do to prevent burnout and keep meetings effective and manageable.
1. Prepare your setup
It may seem like something everyone already knows, yet in practice it is often skipped. Taking a moment to get ready before the meeting is important. Check your sound so you know you can hear others and they can hear you. Place your camera at eye level and centred. A low or unstable angle creates distance and makes interaction less direct. Ensure your face is clearly lit from the front so others can see your expressions without effort. Choose a calm, non-distracting background so attention stays on the conversation, rather than on what’s happening behind you. Sit down a moment before the meeting starts and avoid adjusting your setup once others have joined, as constant movement signals lack of focus. When the setup is right, the meeting can start with clarity and attention, making it easier for everyone to participate with focus from the beginning.
2. Prepare your goal
Preparation gives structure and direction and shapes the quality of the conversation before the meeting even starts. When everyone takes time to think about what they want to get out of the meeting, the interaction becomes sharper, more focused and more effective. People come in with direction, they ask clearer questions and they listen with purpose. Without that preparation, meetings quickly drift, repeat themselves or stay on the surface. That is why I always say: “Know your role, know your goal.” Be clear about what is expected from you and what you want to achieve, so you can contribute in a way that moves the meeting forward.
3. Help yourself and others with your interaction
Because our brain continually scans for movement, online meetings are exhausting. So much is going on and unconsciously we try to pick up on anything. So too much distraction is not helpful. I am a strong advocate of using cameras in online meetings because of the importance of nonverbal communication. However, when there are many participants and the focus is mainly about sharing information, this is a situation where that level of interaction may not be necessary and you may and choose to keep the camera off. At the same time, if you want people to stay engaged, the preference is to have cameras on, because seeing each other supports the kind of real interaction we need as people. Look into the camera when you speak, as this makes your contribution feel directed and intentional.
When you want to emphasise structure, use your gestures to support your words. For example, show “first, second, third” with your fingers, so people can both see and hear the sequence. This makes your message easier to follow, especially in online meetings.
When people are not fully focused it’s clearly visible in behaviour. People might be looking away and attention is drifting away from the topic. Some stop contributing altogether, while others keep repeating points or talk for too long. The energy drops and the meeting becomes less effective, even if it continues on the surface.
If there is a chair, use that role actively and help guide the process: refer to the agenda, name where you are and suggest the next step. If no one takes the lead, step in because a lack of direction quickly leads to repetition or silence. Interrupt respectfully if needed by naming what is happening: “Can I pause us for a moment?” and then summarise: “If I understand correctly, the point is X.” This shows you are listening and helps the group see where they are in the conversation. From there, give direction by involving others: “Mark, how do you see it?” or by making a concrete proposal: “Shall we decide on this now or move to the next topic?”
If time becomes an issue make it explicit: “We have ten minutes left, what do we need to move forward?” Use nudging actions that bring focus back into the meeting.
4. Pause in between meetings
Online meetings are exhausting and meetings in general take a lot of energy, which is why you should not plan them back-to-back. You need time in between to write things down and go through what came out of the meeting, so you can properly close it for yourself. Ending the meeting is not just something you do with the team, it is also about translating outcomes into your own next steps and to-do list. Without that pause, you carry unfinished actions and thoughts into the next meeting. After a meeting try to unwind for a moment, for example by getting some fresh air, so you reset your focus. You also need that time to prepare for the next meeting, so you arrive ready instead of catching up while it has already started.
5. Adress what matters
Burnout from online meetings may sound serious, but the signs often appear much earlier and are visible in behaviour -not just in a single meeting, but as a pattern over time. You notice it when your energy drops, when you struggle to stay focused or when you feel that you cannot take on any more tasks. That is the moment when setting boundaries becomes necessary. Knowing your limits means recognising these signals and not pushing past them as if they are not there. The next step is to make this discussable, because unspoken pressure does not disappear, it builds up. This can be as concrete as saying: “My workload is too high at the moment, I need to prioritise,” or “I cannot take this on right now.” It may feel uncomfortable, but avoiding the conversation often leads to more stress, not less. When you are open about how you feel and what you can realistically handle, you create clarity for others and for yourself. This is not about withdrawing. It is about continuing to contribute while being clear about your own limits.
Conclusion
Burnout does not start with one moment of overload, it builds up in small, repeated patterns that often go unnoticed in daily meetings. When everybody prepares properly, sticks to “Know your role and know your goal” and makes their presence clear, you reduce the effort needed to stay engaged. When the process is guided, people do not have to guess, repeat or stay alert for too long, which lowers the pressure. When you take time between meetings you prevent unfinished work from stacking up. And when you recognise your own limits and make them discussable, you stop pressure from becoming something you carry alone. Preventing burnout from online meetings is about using effective behaviour so energy is used where it actually matters.
About the Author
Anne-Maartje Oud is founder and CEO of The Behaviour Company, a consultancy creating personal development programmes for organisations worldwide. She is a recognised global authority on workplace behaviour, specialising in effective communication, group dynamics, and (non-) verbal behaviour. She is author of WHAT TO DO IF…? How to Handle Any Situation at Work and Come Out Winning published by Kogan.
