Have you suffered from “zoom fatigue”?

I personally do 5-12 video call meetings a week. Some of these meetings are regular team meetings, while others entail brainstorming new ideas to further the practical application of the Life Model. We are so thankful for your generous giving in this process, as the dreaming and collaborating for the future of the Life Model Works movement would not be possible without your generosity!

As an organization, we value practicing attunement with one another, even as we are meeting remotely. This is especially important as “zoom fatigue” can be a very real obstacle when scheduling back-to-back video calls throughout the week. In the rest of this message, I am going to share some very practical ways I have learned to practice attunement and stay relational in a remote work environment. I hope it encourages those of you who also work remotely!

The physical distance of coworkers, friends, and ministry connections on a video call can make it difficult to connect. There is something so special about being in-person that it just can’t always be replicated on a video call. This is one of those instances where we are reminded that technology is tool, not an ending for connection. One way to combat shut down relational circuits on a video call is to pause and think of a moment where you had a meaningful interaction with the person on that call. Next time you hop on a video call, take a moment before a meeting to remember a positive, in-person moment with someone, and thank God for it. This can help keep your relational circuits engaged, while also connecting to Immanuel in the process!

The second opponent to connection on a video call is familiarity. It can be easy to see someone just from the context of “coworker” over a video call. When you find yourself slipping into only seeing people through the dullness of familiarity, you need to reset! Something that really helps me love like Jesus and keep my relational circuits on, is to pause and ask Jesus what He think about the people around me. I need Jesus to show me the gold in others, help me to stay connected, and to love the people around me well.

I encourage you to move just a little slower today. After reading this email, take a moment to rest. Place your hand on your chest and take a deep breath. Then, whisper a simple prayer asking Jesus to show you the gold in the people around you!