Q: “Denise, I know I need to sign up for some classes this fall, but I am Zoomed out! I already have six standing Zoom sessions each week and I am less and less engaged over time. Do you have any suggestions to help me?”

A: What a great question! I do have a number of ideas to help your Zoom experience become more engaging and exciting which will get you more excited about fall education:

1. Stop multi-tasking – The biggest issue is that because we are on our computers and can get away with it, it is easy to multi-task. If you find yourself checking your email, checking the MLS, on Facebook or social media, or otherwise doing work, you are not engaged in the content. Shut it down and fully immerse yourself in the content.

2. Limit distractions – If you have children, dogs, other pets, spouses, or other people around, it can be very difficult to concentrate. Find a distraction-free location.

3. Limit noise – Although moving to a distraction-free area may help, if you are distracted by other noise, consider getting earbuds with a mic or Airpods or something that is compatible with your device. That will keep the audio content front and center!

4. Maximize your screen – I have heard from a lot of people that they are “Zooming” on their phones and tablets. If that is your primary device, it is going to make it even more difficult to engage because you are looking at a very tiny screen. You may be missing out on seeing others in the gallery. Use a desktop computer with a larger monitor. Did you know that many laptops will also support a larger monitor? Check your inputs, but it is easy to plug in a second larger monitor, but try to make sure your webcam is on the monitor you are viewing the content on so you aren’t looking back and forth if you are participating. This will also help if you are straining your eyes to see little people thumbnails.

5. Ambiance! – Fall is here and it is a great time of year to bring in some color to your desk area or even some nice fall scents via candles or essential oils. Make your screen time special with sensory extras!