Friday 22 May 2009

Court Snoozing

OK, I've got a problem, and a bit of an embarrassing secret, which is of course why i'm publishing it on the Net.

I'm working in court, see, and my job partially requires me to sit for periods in court, some longer than others. On a chair. Sometimes I hand up court documents and do things but for a long while sometimes I'm just observing/listening. Depends on the day.

And sometimes I get tiiiiiiiiiired. Not sure why. Not enough sleep, muscles feeling lethargic, diet, boring lawyers, not sure.

But my job requires me to stay awake.

Sometimes I feel myself nodding, I jerk my head up and then I end up hitting the back of my head against the wall. Not only does this make a soundbut it's not good for my head.

I've tried doing a few things like surreptitious neck stretches, I can't start dancing or doing star jumps in court. I feel better when I have to be on my feet running errands, so I know that moving around definitely helps (and boring lawyers and long sessions definitley don't help!).

Anyone got any tips for staying awake or less sleepiness on a court morning that don't involve karaoke or cartwheels?

5 comments:

Maria said...

By the way at least I'm not the JUDGE and going to sleep, I know there have been some controversies over that!

Justice Windeyer used to use jellybeans as a pick-me-up but I am allergic to jellybeans so I'm afraid they aren't the cure for me.

TimT said...

Maybe you could sleep with your eyes open? There must be a way to do this.

Lad Litter said...

I find a quick sugar burst does the trick for me but you probably can't get away with eating in court. Concentrating intently, perhaps?

JahTeh said...

I don't think there's anything you can do for this unless you go for the old Elizabethan era remedy of carrying a tussiemussie made of sleep repelling herbs.

I know your pain. I actually fell asleep at my stall at the craft market and fell face first off the chair.

Maria said...

Mr Coffee suggested if I took up sketching I might end up concentrating more and be less likely to fall asleep. I could train as a court artist. though I'd be likely to insult the barristers I was sketching for practice (we don't get that many witnesses in the IRC.)

I chatted to a court reporter who was doing a crossword in her break. Maybe crosswords are the answer.

Or a sudoku?

I was advised not to try a novel, you get too involved and lose concentration if something comes up to do. If you actually are ordered to do something, instead of doing it you are more likely to say "Not now, I'm getting to a good bit, I'll hand up your document at the end of the chapter."

Kind of a bad look.

Maybe a gameboy with the sound turned down, though if I had to hand up a document and it stopped me from getting the HIGH SCORE it could make me grumpy for the rest of the day.