INSURANCE BARTENDER

ZOOM ETIQUETTE TO HELP COMBAT ZOOM FATIGUE

Zoom fatigue. By now, you’ve not only heard of it – squirrel picnic benches.” Following these tips can you’ve experienced it. Before the pandemic, those help combat the fatigue to some extent, because of us who worked from home were accustomed you’ll feel less stressed about how to present and to conducting most of our meetings remotely. how you look. Now that remote meetings are the norm, it seems everyone is feeling a little more burnt out than Beyond this, here are some important ways you can usual. Zoom meetings are causing fatigue because get the most out of Zoom without it getting the we have to make more emotional effort to appear most out of you. and stay engaged during hour after hour of online meetings – followed by more Zooming with friends Limit video calls only to those that are necessary and family after work. In the absence of nonat eye level so that other people aren’t looking up you have good lighting so that you look less tired verbal cues, we’re all straining a little harder to pay Turning on your camera should be optional. attention and maintain sustained eye contact all Reserve your camera for important communications day long, which can be draining. There are a few such as one-on-ones with your manager or things all of us can do to combat the fatigue – while leadership calls that require you to follow social still maintaining Zoom etiquette. cueing. Pick a few meetings each day where you can give your camera – and you – a break. Just In general, Zoom etiquette is the same as face-to-face meeting etiquette: be prepared, be on time and avoid multitasking or talking over other participants when they are speaking. remember that turning off the camera doesn’t mean it’s time to multitask. We’ve all been on meetings when someone says “Sorry, I was on mute. Can you repeat that question?” or “I didn’t catch that last part – can you repeat that?” If you’re multitasking, you probably To really up your game, adjust your camera to be which leads us to the next tip. your nose or at the side of your face. Make sure Come prepared don’t need to spend your time at the meeting – from all the extra hours you’re putting in now that Come to the meeting with an expectation about the workday never really ends. It’s also important to what you will need to be an effective participant. practice your presentation and how to share your Back when we gathered physically, do you screen before meetings so that you can avoid the remember the people who wandered into the embarrassment of everyone looking at the web meeting but didn’t contribute or track to-dos? No page you still have up on your desktop called “DIY paper, no pen, no notebook, no PC.

Don’t be “that person” on a Zoom call, Anticipate the needs of the meeting and be prepared to share data, documents and to give input that helps the team make quick decisions. Too often now on Zoom calls, unprepared people are more than happy to kick the can to the next meeting, or waste 12 minutes sharing their screen while you get a front row to their filing system as they look for the latest spreadsheet or report. If you have your ducks in a row ahead of time, the meeting should be more efficient, and you may be able to end it early.

Track the meeting

Pull out a physical notepad and track the meeting using handwritten notes. The act of tracking forces the brain to stay in lockstep with the meeting, learn something of value, and provide guidance to others because you are practicing the loop of active listening and recording. Think of how wonderful it will be when the meeting ends 8 minutes early because everyone stayed engaged and came to a quick consensus.

Share – but don’t overshare

Spending a few minutes during each meeting connecting with everyone is good Zoom etiquette, but there can be such a thing as too much sharing. The 15 minutes everyone spends “reconnecting” at the beginning of five Zoom meetings per day means that’s happening 20 times a week, and 80 times a month. We’re all craving connection, so consider setting aside regular time that’s specifically reserved for team members to connect and share as needed.

Know your speed keys

If you could get a minute back for every minute someone had to repeat the conversation that they had with themselves while inadvertently on mute, you’d only need 15 minutes to conduct a 30-minute meeting.

Memorize these shortcuts or have a sticky note on the side of your screen that lists the most used quick tasks:

Mute or unmute audio: Alt + A Start or stop video: Alt + V Start recording a meeting: Alt + R Pause or resume screen recording: Alt + P Pause or resume screen sharing: Alt + S

Being an effective Zoom participant means being an effective communicator. That means coming prepared, being an active listener, and practicing social awareness. It’s a new world we live in with everyone on cameras and audio, but these few tips can boost your Zoom etiquette and improve how you feel during and after meetings.

Matt’s Mixology

Maple Old-Fashioned

This twist on the classic Wisconsin favorite is the perfect companion to the fall season.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. rye whiskey or bourbon • 1 tsp. pure maple syrup • Dash of Angostura bitters • Orange peel (for garnish)

Directions

1. Mix whiskey, maple syrup, bitters and 1 tsp. water in an old-fashioned glass until syrup is dissolved. 2. Add a single large ice cube, then garnish with orange peel.

When it comes to supporting independent insurance agents, we believe that growth starts close to home. That’s why EMC has offices and representatives across the country — giving you personalized service from a trusted partner who knows the local market. And because we tailor our insurance solutions and loss control services to meet the unique needs of your customers, you can always count on bringing the best products to the table.

www.emcins.com

©Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2020. All rights reserved.

The Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin Presents: Online Community Online Community

• LIVE NOW •

Step One: Sign Up Go to iiaw.com/joincommunity. First, fill out the survey on the web-page. Then, you’ll get an invite email from IIAW Online Community - be sure to check your junk or spam folder. Once you click sign up in the invite email, you’ll have access to the Online Community!

Step Two: Join Groups Find and join the Groups (formerly known as “Committees”) that align with your interests. new! new!

Agency Accounting

Agency Operations

Agency Technology

Education & Events new!

Emerging Leaders

new!

Employee Benefits

Government & Regulatory Affairs Industry Relations Internet of Insurance

Marketing & Communications Legal

Step Three: Earn Points Earn points as you connect, collaborate and engage with others in the Online Community! +10 +10 points +5 +5 points +1 +1 point

Per post, discussion or Per reply, answer or Per each like you receive question comment on content you’ve posted Step Four: Earn Rewards Each quarter, reach certain point thresholds to receive the below rewards:

300-599 points: $25 Gift Card to a Local Business Near You

600-899 points: $25 Gift Card & $100 Donation to a Local Charity Near You 900+ points: $25 Gift Card & $100 Donation AND IIAW Surprise Swag Bag