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Content of the article CONVERSATION The article was first published by The Conversation, an independent non-profit news source that provides news, analysis, and commentary from academics. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Are you all Zoomed out? Zoom fatigue during the holiday season: How do you manage it? -- Author: Jaigris HODSON, Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Royal Roads University Article content It's officially. The Christmas holidays in North America and Western Europe will be very different this year. We've been instructed to utilize online tools to share the holiday spirit with loved ones since the second pandemic wave. We might all be hesitant to go to holiday gatherings in person to stop the spread of COVID-19 before there is a vaccine available. Article content Do we forget about holidays? Or do we try to find new ways to make the holidays memorable? My research into digital literacy has revealed ways we can connect this holiday season, even as we live in different places. Video is the answer to everything Zoom fever took over the nation for the first few months of this pandemic. People were also zooming to work, enjoying happy hour and board game nights, along with other activities. Then many people felt like they hit a wall. Zoom fatigue is real. Recent research suggests that people may be getting tired of trying to connect to video chat platforms such as Zoom, Skype, Teams and many more. Article content As you think about how to bring joy to the holidays and you want to know how you can accomplish this without using video chat, you have to find ways to avoid doing it all through video chat. Instead, learn from the ways that digital natives utilize digital communication tools, and enjoy the holiday season on a variety of platforms, as I'll explain below. Different platforms for different social groups My research shows that teens tend to separate their use of social media platforms according to their relationships with those platforms. Teenagers use Snapchat to keep in touch with their teachers and family, while using Facebook for school. They socialize in massive multiplayer games. This type of interaction with digital tech is good for all. If you are using Zoom for work, you may consider exploring other methods of connecting with family and friends, For example you could use apps such as Rave, Airtime or Teleparty to watch movies synchronously with your friends. You could also visit friends and family virtually in a game like Animal Crossing, World of Warcraft or Minecraft. Article content Get digitally creative There are many other ways you can connect with loved ones to spread some holiday cheer. News for dummies The sky, and your imagination is the limit however here are some of my favorites: Create and share a musical playlist: Research on online music sharing has shown that sharing music is deeply connected to friendship. You can create an appropriate holiday music playlist on streaming platforms like Spotify and share it with your friends this season of giving. This could help you connect with your friends as you order food online, play games, and share holiday-themed memes with your WhatsApp Group. Text messages can be sent A study from the University of Minnesota showed that text messages are perceived as being warmer and more personal than email. Keep in touch with your loved ones throughout the holidays by sending regular text messages. You can also send emojis or gifs to your loved ones via text messages to increase your emotional connection. Article content Host a virtual new Year's Eve celebration on YouTube: A Christmas ceilidh is an annual Scottish holiday tradition that sees families and friends get together and share songs, stories and dance. YouTube allows you to create a virtual party for the people you cherish. Each participant can upload a video in which they sing, play a musical instrument or tell a story. You can then curate the videos into playlists that the group can enjoy while they eat their Christmas cookies. Just another wordpress site After all, research shows that YouTube is place where communities are built and is also a place where videos are shared. Turn on the radio, tune in the radio, and then scream Holidays are stressful, and you will feel tempted to accept every virtual invitation, but you must spend time away from your devices. For those suffering from Zoom fatigue, some universities recommend that doctoral students incorporate the time to detox from digital devices into their schedules. Article content Sometimes, you'll need to make use of a Videoconferencing Platform to recreate a festive meal or cocktail party. To combat this fatigue, make sure to balance your video chat with other methods of connecting discussed above. Don't forget the old-fashioned methods to stay in touch even if you aren't using your computer. You can make calls, send cards or mail your loved ones. These are the moments that are usually the most meaningful because they are so rare in today's hyper-connected world. - Jaigris Hodson is awarded funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Research Chairs Program. https://theconversation.com/all-zoomed-out-how-to-deal-with-zoom-fat https://theconversation.com/all-zoo