Fun Ways to Kill Time During Boring Online Meetings

Following the initial transition to remote work, you may have thought, “Great! No more boring meetings!” Now, hopes dashed, you attend the same number (and sometimes more) boring online meetings. And sometimes, they aren’t more organized, more relevant, or more respectful of your time than they ever were.

In the interests of keeping employees engaged and productive, some companies overuse the convenience of the video-conferencing. In addition to sucking up a ton of time, excessive video-conferencing can lead to a now-researched phenomenon called “Zoom Fatigue.” According to researchers at Stanford, there are four main reasons for feeling more stressed and tired after a video conference:

1. Too much close-up eye contact is intense. Following our evolutionary ancestors, we expect to fight or kiss any face that is close to us.
2. Looking at yourself for too long can drive you nutty. It’s just uncomfortable and weird to be able to see yourself during a business meeting.
3. We’re not moving around enough. Video conferencing unusually limits our movement to within the camera’s viewing area.
4. You have to work harder when making visual gestures. Our typical facial expressions and body language have to be exaggerated to get the point across.

This is important information to give your boss in case you get busted implementing any of the tips below. Hopefully, it will get you off the hook, and maybe even start a discussion about how many meetings you really need.

Funny Things To Do in Boring Online Meetings

Turn that frown upside down! A little levity can go a long way in a long, boring online meeting. In addition, science tells us that laughter has numerous physical, mental, and social benefits, from boosting our immune system to strengthening our relationships. So, whether you keep your shenanigans to yourself or share them with the group, a good laugh is a great way to pass the time.

Create an Alternative Reality

If you have to stay in your own head, try reimagining what the speaker is talking about. Imagine they are talking about something bizarre or fun. So, instead of a fourth-quarter acquisition plan, they are preparing a landing pad for the alien invasion. Maybe they are proposing adding a new position, but you imagine they are undertaking a search for sasquatch.

Pro: You still look interested on video.

Con: You may laugh inappropriately. Make sure to mute yourself.

Make a Portrait of the Speaker

This is fun to do alone or with other trusted members of the group. Simply draw the person who’s doing all the talking. You can do this the old-fashioned way with pen/pencil and paper. Or you can get fancy and break out the paints. If you have the expertise, you can create in a digital design program. If you do this with a group, share your artwork and vote for the best portrait of the meeting.

Pro: A great way to zone out and relax while looking very attentive.

Con: If you share your portraits, there’s always the chance it will get seen by people you don’t want to see it.

Shake Things Up With a Surprise Guest Appearance

Or your spouse, kids, pets, roommates, etc. There are a million examples of this working accidentally. So, who says you can’t do a little engineering? Pets are easiest, of course. Just put their favorite toy on your desk and watch the papers fly.

Pro: Great for shock value. Especially useful for changing really boring subjects.

Con: You have to clean up any mess that results.

Have Fun With Backgrounds and Filters.

Depending on the video conferencing platform, you have options for customizing your background. If you don’t have a green screen, you can usually still use this feature if you have a blank wall. Upload photos ahead of time and adjust your background at will. Some video software also connects with applications that can add a variety of fun filters over your face. Yes, think talking chicken.

Pro: You can change your backgrounds/filters multiple times during a really boring meeting.

Con: You run the risk of being annoying.

Games You Can Play During Boring Online Meetings

Another strategy for surviving mind-numbing online meetings is to play a game. Paper-based or digital games work best for keeping things on the down-low. The arm movements required for cards or board games may cause suspicion and game pieces may accidentally end up in the camera frame.

Candy Crush

This ubiquitous smartphone game is addicting while requiring virtually no thought. You should have enough brainpower left over to keep your ears open in the meeting. The game is probably preloaded on your phone and the rules couldn’t be easier. Just match up the candy colorful pieces and meet the level goals.

Pro: Good way to take out unresolved aggression. Watching all those candy pieces get blown up is oddly satisfying.

Con: It’s pretty noisy. Make sure your phone is on mute.

Solitaire

Another game that is available on most smartphones is solitaire. As with the advice above, it’s probably best to keep with a digital version to avoid a lot of arm movements and card snapping. You may even have this one on your computer. Playing in a small window on your main monitor has the advantage of keeping your eyes up and forward. Thereby maintaining the illusion that you are paying attention.

Pro: Easy to feign interest when playing on your monitor.

Con: It gets boring after a while. In that case, don’t forget about FreeCell or Spider Solitaire.

Crossword Puzzles

Crossword puzzles are not only a great way to pass time in a really uninteresting meeting, but they may also be good for your brain. Some studies show improvements in mental acuity and memory. Of course, some studies say that they don’t. If you like doing crossword puzzles, then try doing one during a boring online meeting.

Pro: Perfect for looking attentive, you alternately look deep in thought and jotting down important notes.

Con: If it’s a tough puzzle, you may become frustrated and irritable.

Buzzword Bingo

All of the above were individual games. If you want to get your meeting colleagues involved, one option is Buzzword Bingo. Create a 5×5 grid and fill the boxes with typical meeting acronyms and buzzwords. Make copies and distribute to your like-minded colleagues. During the meeting, cross off the buzzwords as you hear them and yell “Bingo!” when you get a line of 5 in a row.

Pro: It keeps you paying attention during the meeting.

Con: There may be some people who are not amused when someone yells Bingo.

How To Be Secretly Productive During a Boring Online Meeting

If you are the type that chafes at endless meetings because you hate being unproductive, there are lots of ways to sneak useful activities into tedious, soul-crushing meetings.

Create a Bucket List

One way to stay engaged during meetings is to reconnect with your dreams. Start (or add to) the list of things you want to do before you die. Think big! Maybe you’ll inspire yourself to look for a job without meetings.

Pro: It’s always a good idea to check in with our dreams and see where we’re at. Maybe it’s time to take some action on crossing off a few of those items.

Con: If you’re not just bored in the meeting but bored with your life, you may end up feeling a little dissatisfied. If so, take this feeling as advice to shake things up!

Do Housework

This only works for phone conferences, or for video conference where you are allowed to shut off your video feed. If so, you can put a significant dent in your weekly household chores during a long, boring meeting. Get yourself a good headset so you can move freely and get to work. You can even vacuum if you mute your mic.

Pro: Get a head start on your chore list.

Con: Housework can be pretty engrossing, and you may get caught not paying attention or away from your computer. Also, vacuuming can create a problem.

Purge Your Email Inbox

One super useful thing to do during boring online meetings is to purge your inbox. If your inbox is currently boasting over 5,000 unopened emails and your provider is sending warning notices running out of storage, this is a good activity. Delete what you don’t need and set up rules for filing what you do.

Pro: You will feel so organized!

Con: You may get done before the meeting is over.

Meditate

One way to keep your mood positive and practice your mindfulness during a long meeting is to meditate. Simple breathing meditation is easy to do and surprisingly effective. Imagine on your inhale that you are breathing in pure white light, full of inspiration and joy. Then, on your exhale, imagine you are breathing out black smoke that carries with it all your negativities.

Pro: You will get through the meeting easily and feel happy and peaceful afterwards.

Con: Your colleagues may wonder if you start smiling during the budget cut discussions.

Look for a New Job

If you are continually finding yourself in long boring online meetings that are not relevant and have no benefit, you may want to find yourself a new job altogether. Luckily, Virtual Vocations has you covered. Try researching our extensive selection of useful blog articles to get you started.

Pro: Empower yourself to make a permanent change.

Con: It may be difficult to make it through the entire meeting.

Make the Most of Your Time

So, the next time you find yourself in a dull and tedious video conference, try one or more of the tips above to keep your sanity. And, if all else fails, spend your time developing and implementing an escape plan. Devise an emergency and make a quick getaway!

Do you have any tips or hacks to get through boring online meetings? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts and tips. We’d love to hear from you!

Updated based on original content by Sarah Rivkind.