In a real room, your brain reads social cues almost automatically.
On a video call, lag, cropped faces, camera angles, and self-view all increase the amount of work required to understand the same conversation.
Video calls feel tiring because the inputs are worse, not because you are weak
Video calls add four hidden costs
Bailenson (2021) points to four possible causes of video-call fatigue: too much close-up eye contact, more mental effort, staring at yourself, and less movement.
That is a lot of extra work for a normal conversation.
Self-view quietly steals bandwidth
Part of your attention can get stuck on how you look, whether your face seems odd, or what you are doing on screen.
That background self-monitoring is real work, even if you barely notice it.
Quick check
Video-call check
Why are video calls often more tiring than in-person meetings?
Exactly. The social job is the same, but the signal is worse and the overhead is higher.
Try this
Remove self-view when you can
If the platform allows it, hide your own image after you check framing.
It frees attention for the conversation instead of constant self-monitoring.
Try this
Protect the 5-minute gap
When possible, leave five quiet minutes between calls.
Stand up, look away from screens, and let your social brain reset.
Try this
Leave a real gap between calls
Protect five quiet minutes between meetings when you can. Your system needs a little clearance, not just another tab switch.
Key idea
What to remember
Video calls are tiring because they make the same social job harder. Use audio-only when you can, hide self-view, and stop pretending rectangles are free.