Meeting Excuse Library

Excuses for Avoiding Eye Contact on Video

When your camera is on but your soul is not. Ten believable excuses for looking just off-screen.

When your camera is on but your soul is not. Ten believable excuses for looking just off-screen.
Ten hand-picked excuses
01
Reviewing the deck on a side monitor.
02
Following the chat as it scrolls.
03
Taking notes on a notebook to my left.
04
Reading the agenda doc; it's open in the corner.
05
Following the captions on a second window.
06
Watching the live transcript for spelling.
07
Glancing at the calendar for the next conflict.
08
Got a tab open with the meeting notes template.
09
Looking at the speaker on a second screen.
10
Mirroring my notes in the chat as we go.
Or generate one
Click below for a fresh excuse.
FAQ
What's the most credible excuse for a video meeting where you cannot meet anyone's eyes?
Reviewing the deck on a side monitor. It works because it's specific, time-bounded, and doesn't require anyone to verify it.
Can I use the same excuse twice?
Sparingly. Pattern-match is the enemy of plausibility. Rotate from the list of 30 on this page.
Should I post a written update instead?
Almost always yes. A two-sentence async update earns more trust than showing up silent on camera.
More excuse libraries
Excuses to Skip a Standup→Excuses to Skip an All-Hands→Excuses to Skip a 1:1→Excuses to Leave a Meeting Early→Excuses to Decline a Meeting Invite→Excuses to Keep Your Camera Off→

This was, of course, a meeting that should have been an email.

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