Microsoft
Methodology
Microsoft’s Human Factors Lab sought to find a solution for meeting fatigue. Researchers from the lab, which examines how humans interact with technology, asked 14 people to take part in video meetings while wearing electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment—a cap to monitor the electrical activity in their brains.
The 14 volunteers each participated in two different sessions of meetings:
On one day they attended stretches of four half-hour meetings back-to-back, with each call devoted to different tasks
On another day, the four half-hour meetings were interspersed with 10-minute breaks. Instead of hurriedly jumping from one meeting to the next, participants meditated with the Headspace app during the breaks.
Select Findings
Breaks between meetings allow the brain to “reset,” reducing a cumulative build up of stress across meetings
Back-to-back meetings can decrease your ability to focus and engage
Transitioning between meetings can be a source of high stress