To feel uncomfortable being on camera during Teams/Zoom calls?

[JustNodAndSmilee]

I've worked in remote/hybrid jobs for around 2 years, and I hated being in meetings as I become overly self-conscious that I'm on camera, I feel unable to relax and sit bolt upright with a soft smile on my face and just nodding and smiling. It's really uncomfortable and exhausting. I never look at myself during meetings (as I find it really off-putting), yet I just can't relax. I even feel uncomfortable writing notes or looking at my second screen, it's like I freeze in place and just nod and smile. I feel really robotic and struggle to communicate properly.

When cameras are off it's a lot easier, but 99% of meetings at my company have cameras on unless they are just a quick call.

Does anyone else do this? How do I relax? Like I said I've been doing this for nearly 2 years at two different companies so it's not because I'm new or getting used to online meetings...

i feel the same
and i know that some people are understanding of this.
i am usually taking the minutes so it isnt relevant to be on screen
but otherwise i try to avoid the screen,

We have recently started to ask people to be on camera as it’s more collaborative. Previously before this was implemented you had no idea if anyone was actually engaging in the meeting or listening. Sometimes met with a wall of silence. Since cameras on policy the team has been much more focused and meetings much more engaging. Our policy is we don’t care what you look like, don’t care if you’re in gym clothes or haven’t done hair/makeup etc. No one cares, the content of the meeting is the most important factor.

I'm sticking to old Teams because the Outlook plugin doesn't work with the new ones.

i think it is etiquette to be on screen,
however you can see a list of names surely

If you're on teams you can change the settings to brighten and blur so you look a bit better.

I don't mind overly but I do freeze a bit and I tend to be quiet in meetings anyway- someone once said I look like one of those ai robots haha

I'm more conscious that my hair looks messier on teams and I look like I need lipstick. Also notice how much people touch their face etc. I have started using a bit of under eye makeup.
That said, literally no one cares where I am and we are on and off mtgs all day. When cameras are off I assume people have nipped loo or are eating

Do this

Fair enough…I don’t see it as rude at all. Before 2020 it was common to have meetings as conference calls where people would dial in from different locations and just have voice calls. Personally I don’t really need to see people in a meeting, but I appreciate everyone is different.

I find it draining but also know it's the price I pay for working from home!

Everyone is just looking at themselves and not you.

I think it's automatic. The only thing I changed was to blur my background.
It seems to freeze less than both Zoom and Meet as well.
I'm not a huge Teams fan tbf, and certainly up to the "new" Teams it was far more clunky, non-intuitive and unwieldy than either Zoom or Meet, but it's much better now. Useful having Outlook and calendar synching as well)

I absolutely hate the sight of myself on a screen. That face is very different from the face I see in the mirror! I hate even face timing my son in Canada because I feel so self conscious.

I hate it, too.

I do always have my camera on, as it’s expected for meetings in my sector and I totally agree it’s much more conducive to collaboration to be able to see people and not be talking to a wall of screensavers.

But I still hate it!

I don’t seem to be able to act naturally or even just act the way I do in in-person meetings (I’m generally a bit awkward!).

I also despise online training (even though I also have to deliver it!). I get fidgety and can’t focus.

I’d be happy if I never had to be part of another online meeting in my life!

Change the camera height so it's not looking upward giving multiple chins.
Get a lamp to add some better lighting
Use the soft focus setting in the video settings

For my work it's camera off for large meetings unless you are speaking and in smaller meetings camera off is the norm if there is a presentation.

If you have lots of energy why not move your laptop to a higher space and stand up during the meeting.

I absolutely HATED all the video calling at the beginning of lockdown, it made me so anxious and self conscious.

4 years on I'm a pro, so much so that speaking on the telephone feels weird - people call me on WhatsApp and I accept the audio call on my laptop so I can talk and type as though I were video calling!

My office window is on my right so I have a ring light in front to balance it - the light and camera are above my big main screen, so tilted down nicely to hide the chins. We use the new Teams but I don't bother with make up much, maybe I'll make an extra effort for specific meetings or if I have a spot or a shiny nose. But I confess to constantly checking my image and titting about with my hair...

Zoom on the other hand, makes me look like Widow Twanky.

@JustNodAndSmilee

Oh ok I was only posting to see if anyone related. I still keep my camera on in all meetings and wouldn't want it any other way, just wondered if others feel that self-conscious feeling too

You feelings are completely normal and I share them.

This is a relatively new experience with teams and zoom where we have to sit and look at our online reflection all day.

At in person meetings we don't sit in front of a mirror throughout.

I don't like it. I do feel self conscious and I'm certain many others do too.

I would never join a Zoom meeting etc without first going to settings and checking how I look on the screen, adjusting the touch-up function, makeup, lighting and camera angle etc if needed. It makes a huge difference. I am not vain

How can you write that (presumably in all seriousness??) and then write I am not vain ?

Seriously, I care if my colleagues can do their job, not what they look like.
Unless your job is to be a model / film star / singer / TV presenter, nobody gives a monkeys what you look like.

I don't like looking at myself looking at my worst, while interacting with clients. That distracts me and i need to have 100% concentration. That's no more vain than wearing makeup when in face to face meetings and hoping to look presentable and professional.

Most of my Zoom meetings are one to one, me and the client. I need to carefully observe and scrutinise the client but would be quite distracted if I saw myself on the screen looking like shit! Maybe that is in fact vain, but i know myself well enough! Not really voluntary! It also is not in my business interests to look ancient, believe me!

Seems like I am not the only one who feels it detracts from their concentration on their work if they are continually confronted by themselves looking their worst staring back at them!

I don't understand why people feel the need to mask their normal movements/fidgeting.
Hide your thumbnail image from yourself once you have curated the camera, lighting and just move as you normally would. Come to camera if you are speaking.

Can you put camera off or slide cover over camera?

No lt really but I know people that do. I have an external camera I use above one monitor then I put the teams meeting on the other monitor so I’m rarely looking directly at my camera anyway.

Some people have to actually be in work and not WFH. Imagine that.

I'm the same, very self conscious and can only seem to sit still without moving, just smiling and nodding which probably looks weird! Can't seem to act normally with appropriate body language.

Similar to a previous poster, I have my camera to the side on my second screen so I'm not completely face on to it. I have also covered the lens with a few layers of sellotape so now it's a bit more soft focus and I can get away with no make up etc