19 Common Online Hilarious Embarrassments!

19 Common Mistakes We Make During Online Meetings (And How to Avoid Virtual Embarrassment)

1. The Sunlit Angel (or Shadow Monster) Effect

Sitting with bright light behind you makes you look like a glowing divine entity—or worse, a shadowy villain from a horror movie. Sunlight is even more brutal, turning you into an unintentional silhouette.

Lesson: Face the light, don’t let the light face you.

2. The Spectacle Close-Up

Some people lean so close to the camera that all we see is their spectacles, reflecting their screen—often revealing they are actually browsing Amazon mid-meeting.

Lesson: Back up! We don’t need a microscopic view of your pores.

3. The Ceiling Fan Cinematic Experience

Ever been in a meeting where the main participant is not the person but their ceiling fan? If your camera is pointing upwards, congratulations—you’ve just given your colleagues a fascinating view of your ceiling.

Lesson: We’re here to see your face, not your home’s ventilation system.

4. The Double-Chin Disaster

Setting your camera too low gives everyone a great view of your not-so-great double chin. Even those with razor-sharp jawlines are victims of this tragic camera angle.

Lesson: Elevate your camera unless you’re aiming for a turtle-like aesthetic.

5. The “Frozen Face” Phenomenon

You’re making a great point, but suddenly—BAM!—your video freezes, leaving you looking like a shocked emoji. Meanwhile, your boss assumes you’re deep in thought.

Lesson: Blame it on the Wi-Fi, but maybe switch to a wired connection before your career freezes too.

6. Talking While on Mute

There’s always that one person delivering an award-winning speech in absolute silence while others wave frantically, screaming “You’re on mute!”

Lesson: Don’t let your best speech be heard by no one.

7. Forgetting to Mute (Or Worse, Unmute)

We’ve all been there—someone chewing loudly, a dog barking, or a baby screaming in the background. But the real tragedy? Thinking you’re on mute and saying something… unfiltered.

Lesson: Your mute button is your best friend—use it wisely!

8. Ear to Camera Syndrome

Not wearing earbuds and instead shoving your entire ear toward the laptop mic results in a horrifyingly detailed close-up of your trinkets—and, worse, the wax situation inside.

Lesson: Wear earbuds, or risk making your colleagues question their life choices.

9. The Nose-Picker’s Nightmare

People forget that cameras are very good at capturing all those unconscious habits—like picking their nose, scratching their face excessively, or fixing their hair like it’s a Vogue photoshoot.

Lesson: You’re on camera. The world is watching. Behave accordingly.

10. The Refractive Rabbit Teeth Effect

Drinking water from a glass at the wrong angle can distort your face, making your teeth look… well, very rodent-like. Bonus points if you sip dramatically while someone is making a serious point.

Lesson: Use a bottle or at least check your angles before you unintentionally cosplay as Bugs Bunny.

11. Multitasking Gone Wrong

Replying to emails, scrolling Instagram, or watching cricket while pretending to listen—until someone calls on you and you panic: “Uh…yes, I completely agree.”

Lesson: If you’re going to fake attention, at least have a generic response ready.

12. The Phantom Attendee

Logging in just to show your name, then silently disappearing—only to be called on 10 minutes later: “Oh, sorry, I was… uh… having connection issues.” (Translation: Making tea or scrolling Instagram.)

Lesson: If you’re going to ghost, at least be a friendly ghost—drop a message before vanishing.

13. The Over-Eager Goodbye

Meeting ends, and you confidently say “Bye, everyone!”… only to realize you’re still on the call, awkwardly clicking the leave button like it’s a bomb about to go off.

Lesson: Click once and walk away with dignity.

14. Leaving Before Seniors or Guests

The meeting is wrapping up, and before the host can even say “Thank you”, you’re already halfway through clicking “Leave Meeting.” It’s like vanishing before dessert is served at a formal dinner.

Lesson: Wait for the seniors or guests to leave first—virtual etiquette matters too!

15. Awkward Backgrounds

You think your virtual background is a sleek office setup, but instead, it turns you into a floating head. Or worse, your actual background reveals a chaotic mess of laundry and yesterday’s pizza box.

Lesson: Either tidy up or embrace the chaos as “creative clutter.”

16. The Overdramatic Nod

Some people master the art of nodding at just the right time to pretend they’re listening. But then there are the overachievers—nodding so aggressively that their headset falls off.

Lesson: Subtlety is key. No need to shake your head like a dashboard bobblehead.

17. The Wrong Window Disaster

Sharing your screen but accidentally showing the wrong tab whether it’s a meme, an online shopping cart, or worse…your personal chats.

Lesson: Check what you’re about to share unless you want to become office gossip for the week.

18. Accidental Zoom In/Out

Some people fidget with their camera settings and suddenly appear way too zoomed in or way too far away, looking like either a giant face or a tiny dot in the background.

Lesson: Keep it balanced unless you’re auditioning for a horror movie.

19. The Mic Check That Never Ends

“Can you hear me now?” “How about now?” “Now?” “Wait, let me switch my audio.” “Now?”—meanwhile, everyone else is internally screaming.

Lesson: A quick sound check before the meeting saves everyone’s sanity.

Which one have you (accidentally) done? Or worse—witnessed? 😆

MyPR