Microsoft research finds continuous virtual meetings can make you stressed, suggests mini breaks in between

A new study conducted by Microsoft found an increased stress level in participants who attended back-to-back virtual meetings in a day. On the contrary, a five-minute break after each meeting helped control those levels significantly.

With work-from-home being the new norm in the pandemic-stricken world, companies have been trying to find out the best practices to keep their employees healthy and productive. New research conducted by Microsoft on such lines tells us that continuous video calls without breaks can reduce focus and even trigger stress. Microsoft published its findings on Tuesday. For the study, the researchers at Microsoft asked 14 people to take part in video calls over two days. These people were made to wear electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment - a cap that is able to monitor brain wave activity. As for the experiment, the 14 people conducted four half-hour meetings, one after the other, on one day. On the next day, they were made to take 10-minute breaks between the same amount of meetings. During the break, the participants were made to use the meditation app Headspace.