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...

Oh bore off.🤣

Do you think that makes you superior somehow? 🙄

Too self conscious, it makes me really uncomfortable being on camera. I'd much rather just talk on the phone, but work is now insisting that we use teams, I have stuck a sticker over the camera because it won't let you permanently hide yourself and it's too much faff to do it every time.

You better get back to the office then. If you can’t manage teams then remote working is not a good fit for you.

there are a couple of wet lettuces in my work who have tried to argue that they should be allowed to participate in meetings with cameras off. Anxiety blah blah. Thankfully they have not been entertained.

Most people don’t love it. You are not alone.

I don’t love being on camera but I appreciate it’s necessary for meetings. It’s just something you have to suck up really. I get feeling self conscious though! I just try to remember that everyone else in the meeting is worried about themselves and not what you look like.
I don’t like being in meetings where people have their cameras off - it’s disconcerting talking to a blank screen and it’s just rude IMO.

Yes, I absolutely relate! I have no problem at all interacting with anyone in day-to day life, but as soon as I’m having to watch myself on a screen, I become really self-conscious and can’t move away from my ‘optimum’ (looking just about bearable) position. I feel like a statue! I would have thought that hiding your own view of yourself (everyone else in the meeting can still see you as normal) would work for you? I’d use it myself, if I could work out how to do it on Zoom, but I never think of it until I’m minutes away from a ‘performance’ and then there’s not enough time to mess about with the settings!

My boss sticks a post it or a card over that part of the screen!

You can turn off self view

so camera still on but you are not looking at yourself

This is a common dismissive response to this topic of conversation. How often are you in a physical meeting where everywhere else is sitting about half a metre away from you, on top of each other, all looking at you? Nor are you having to look at yourself amongst them all either. It is absolutely NOT the same whatsoever.

After treatment and surgery I looked like death so put a makeup feature on zoom - I hate wearing makeup anyway so felt a bit better.

I’ve experienced people turning off their cameras when I’m presenting and it’s incredibly difficult to talk to black screens - especially when making a little joke you have no idea if it was shit or not (I mean probably was but still 😂)

I agree. Having video on helps people read what is going on in the meeting and it is really important. It also really helps people like me who are hearing impaired. ..

Just find a way to hide your own image if you really are finding it that distracting.

The reality is you're there for your experience and knowledge not for decoration so what you look like really isn't relevant.

I often used to be filmed as part of my job and I used to feel a bit self-conscious the first few times I did it but after a while I just focused on talking about what I needed to talk about and getting on with the job and completely forgot I was being filmed. If you're focused enough on the job you shouldn't really be thinking about how you look

YABU.

I don't work from home, this is at work. They have decided to use Teams in place of the phone system for every little message, I don't have meetings, I can see that would be strange without camera but some people will not do it. My Team Leader will not have the camera on and our Production Director sticks post its on his screen to permanently not see himself!

Your production director should check the settings in Teams, you can hide self view really easily so you just don’t see yourself.

Agreed, I’m surprised more people aren’t aware of this feature, it’s just in settings it’s really quick to put on.

I hate the fact if you're at home and meeting with people in a meeting room at the office knowing that my face will be projected on the huge screen in the room like some Omni present God!! You just have to crack on!!

Those posters going on about how you shouldn’t wfh if you don’t like Teams are aware that people use Teams in the office too, right? Like many/most doing office jobs now, I have a hybrid pattern and can’t say I use Teams more at home. I’m a team of one working with colleagues all over the place.

I don’t like the camera aspect much either. Luckily I haven’t worked anywhere that insists it is on for every single call. If I’m going through a routine document with colleagues I know well, there really is no need for it. If it’s more of a catching-up call or something significant, it goes on. Perhaps it’s because we were using phone conferencing systems for years before Teams and the like, but cameras aren’t seen as essential for every call.

Too true. Occasionally I find I'm on a Teams meeting with someone else in the same office and floor as me, and we stand up and wave to each other 😆

No one will be staring at you I'm sure and they are most likely feeling the same. How do you cope with real life face to face meetings? Having a teams meeting is a treat in my job, I prefer them to sitting on plastic chairs in overheated rooms, bliss lol 😆

In real life face to face meetings you don’t have to look at your own face, I think that’s the issue most people have.

But you can hide self view really easily so I’m not sure why more people don’t do that.

Ah right, I hadn't thought of this. Yes then block own view or put some tape over the image! When I have teams meetings I find myself looking at my own image and give a knowing smirk to myself just for fun lol 😆

Clearly I'm an awful narcissist because I only look at my own square 😂For some reason my laptop camera is very flattering. Just hide it OP!