From Zoom Fatigue to Flow State: Hands-On Tools to Reset Attention at Work
- Technical Development
- Jan 7
- 4 min read
If you've spent the past year or more stuck in Zoom meetings, staring at endless slides and video feeds, you're not alone. The rise of virtual work has led to an increase in Zoom fatigue—the feeling of being mentally drained after hours of back-to-back video calls. But the real problem isn’t just the screen time—it’s that your brain is stuck in "alert" mode, constantly processing, but never fully recharging.
At Cogzart, we believe in resetting your attention by switching from passive screen time to hands-on, tactile play. Just a few minutes of play can move you from “fatigued” to focused and from “stressed” to calm—restoring your ability to hit that all-important flow state.
Let’s explore how simple, mindful activities can reset your brain during the workday, improving productivity and reducing the strain of Zoom fatigue.
The Cost of Zoom Fatigue on Your Attention and Well-Being
Zoom fatigue is more than just a sore neck or tired eyes. It impacts your attention, cognitive function, and emotional state:
Mental Drain: Zoom meetings require intense focus due to the lack of non-verbal cues and the need to process constant audio and visual information. This cognitive overload can lead to fatigue and decreased productivity.
Zoom Gaze: The stress of looking at yourself on screen and staying "on" for long periods can make your brain feel exhausted, even if you’re not physically exerting yourself.
Reduced Social Connection: Virtual meetings create a sense of isolation and disrupt the natural flow of social interactions that occur in person. This can affect mood, motivation, and collaboration.
To counteract Zoom fatigue, you need something that engages your brain in a different way—a way that doesn’t involve screens and stimulates your senses.
How Hands-On Tools Can Help Reset Attention
Research shows that tactile activities—those that require the use of your hands and focus—are ideal for resetting attention. These activities engage the brain in a mindful, non-stressful way, encouraging flow and relaxation. Here's why:
Reduces mental clutter: Hands-on activities give the brain a much-needed break from continuous digital input, allowing for mental reset and focus.
Promotes relaxation: Focusing on a simple, tactile task like solving a puzzle or drawing helps the brain enter a state of calm and focus, reducing stress levels.
Stimulates creativity and problem-solving: Engaging in non-screen activities can promote cognitive flexibility—the ability to switch between tasks or solve problems creatively.
When you transition from Zoom calls to tactile play, you're essentially giving your mind a break from cognitive overload, allowing you to return to work recharged and refocused.
Tactile Tools to Reset Attention at Work
So, what hands-on tools can you use to reset your brain during the workday? Here are a few simple activities you can try between meetings or during breaks to improve focus and reset your attention:
Modular Wooden Puzzles
Modular puzzles, like Cogzart’s Circzles, offer a quick mental break that resets your attention. These puzzles engage your hands and mind in a way that doesn’t require screens or complex thinking. They’re ideal for:
10-minute reset: Break up a long Zoom session with a few minutes of puzzle-solving to regain focus.
Visual and tactile engagement: The combination of shapes, textures, and colours engages multiple senses and helps your brain move from “alert” mode to a relaxed, focused state.
Colouring for Focus
Adult colouring books are an excellent, low-stress way to reset your brain. As you fill in patterns, the repetitive motion and focus required help the brain shift from its busy, overstimulated state to one of relaxation and mindfulness.
Choose a calming affirmation colouring book to add a layer of positive reinforcement to your break.
Use mindfulness: As you colour, focus on the colours and patterns rather than your to-do list, allowing your brain to reset for the next task.
Fidget Tools
Fidgeting can be a great way to release mental tension and improve focus. Small, discreet tools like fidget spinners, stress balls, or sensory cubes provide a simple outlet for excess energy during meetings or long stretches of work.
Use these tools to regulate focus during breaks or while on a call that doesn’t require full attention.
The repetitive movements can provide a calming effect, helping reduce the stress that builds during virtual work.
Mindful Drawing or Doodling
Drawing or doodling isn’t just a way to pass time—it’s a form of active relaxation that helps reset attention. Whether you sketch freeform or follow a guided exercise, drawing for even 5-10 minutes can re-engage your brain and bring it back into a focused state.
Try drawing simple shapes or patterns. Allow your hand to move freely and focus only on the act of creating, not the outcome.
Doodle affirmations: Pairing your doodling with a positive affirmation (like "I am present" or "Focus and flow") helps anchor your attention.
Breathing Exercises with a Physical Focus
Combine deep breathing with a physical, hands-on activity for an even more powerful reset. While holding a stress ball or piece of clay, practice 4-7-8 breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8). This helps calm the nervous system while focusing on the tactile experience of holding something in your hands.
From Zoom Fatigue to Flow State
If you're tired of feeling mentally drained after a day of virtual meetings, try switching from passive screen time to active, hands-on play. Tactile activities like puzzles, drawing, and even mindful breathing exercises reset your attention, reduce stress, and shift you into a flow state, where your mind is fully present and engaged.
By introducing mindful, hands-on tools into your daily work routine, you can experience:
Improved focus and mental clarity
Reduced stress and burnout
Enhanced creativity and problem-solving
Ready to reset your attention? Grab a puzzle, colour a page, or try a quick doodling session during your next break. Your brain will thank you.
Citation:
Bailenson, J. N. (2021). Nonverbal Overload: A Theoretical Argument for the Causes of Zoom Fatigue.
Supports: why video calls feel draining (nonverbal cue load, constant gaze, self-view “mirror,” reduced mobility, cognitive overload). tmb.apaopen.org
de Koning, B. B., & Paas, F. (2024). Research Avenues Supporting Embodied Cognition in Learning and Instruction. Educational Psychology Review.
Supports: the embodied cognition basis for “hands-on” activities improving cognitive processing through body–environment interaction (including object manipulation/hand actions), aligning with tactile play breaks for attention and mental reset. link.springer.com
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