CMU School of Drama


Wednesday, January 30, 2008

How to Stay Awake at Work or School

Dumb Little Man: "Have you ever been so tired you almost fell asleep at work? Did you ever wish you could just crawl under your desk and take a nap like George Costanza?"

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some of these seem to be pretty good tactics-I know snacking always helps me stay awake. Some of these definitely feel like cheating though, such as electronics in class or ditching. The meditation naps sound like they could be helpful-similar to Joe Pino's breathing technique we talked about.
Is protein really the best thing to keep you awake? I mean, I know sugar isn't, but I wouldn't have specifically guessed protein. What's a good healthy protein "snack?" Off hand I can't think of anything...

Anonymous said...

Protein snacks: yogurt, cheese, milk, beef jerky, etc..

These techniques are useful, but some of them really annoy other people.. Maybe if the entire class was bouncing their legs, people would be so annoyed it would be impossible to sleep...

Anonymous said...

the things surely will keep you awake, but at what cost? The lecture hall tactics might help you stay awake but you will completely miss the lecture, and then whats the point? These days it is about productivity (at work) or about taking in information (in school). I someone is so sleepy that they cannot be productive or stay awake in class then these tactics are not very useful because they are still equally removed from the work they should be doing.

Dave said...

The lecture tactics do sound like they would distract you a good deal which could be a problem. But its probably better to me conscious and slightly distracted then face down on your notebook.
Or try the writing down everything your professor says, you cant say that wont help you pay attention.

Anonymous said...

I think it is important to decide here whether it is necessary to attend the class at all. If it is an issue of attendance, then sure, go ahead and be awake yet distracted in class. If you are just worried about missing the lecture, half of these tips just say stay home to me. Some of them are helpful, like taking ridiculous amounts of notes or snacking, but pinching yourself? Really?