So tired. Need sleep real bad. I’ve gotten an average of 6 hours of sleep each night (partially due to the purchase of Star Wars Galaxies) for the last four nights and it’s finally taking its toll.
And I’ve got over 8 hours to get through here at the bank. Today’s duties include testing software for acceptance and leading a meeting. Actually, that’s a pretty light day for me.
Any advice? Excessive caffiene is out; it makes me jittery.
Music? Something really upbeat? I’m craving a Dr. Pepper about now, myself…
I’m lucky - if i’m that tired i cash in some flexi-time and go home.
Oxygen is good if you can get hold of any.
Yer playin’ SWG, Gazelle?!? Get thee over to the SWG thread in Cafe Society!
Anyway, when I’m excessively tired at work I typically:
or
Working at home rocks. 
From the latest Worst Case Scenario book:
• How to nap (at work)
Cool damp cloth to head.
Go pretend to throw up, then beg off for a short rest in a quiet area and take a 20 minute nap. Try for another one after noon if possible. No more than 20 minutes, thought.
I take a walk outside. When my head starts a-noddin’, there’s nothing I can do short of physical movement to make it stop.
I had a co-worker who worked insane hours and loved to be at the office after a business trip to Japan. He’d close a door, lay on the floor and take a brief (30-minute) nap.
Everyone understood. It worked wonders.
But you can’t be a nurse and do that, even on the night shift. It’s a fire-able offense for them.
Gummy bears. The chewing keeps you awake. These marvellous little candies have kept me awake through countless boring college lectures.
Gazelle, I know you’re being serious but this just had me in stitches. I’ll second the take a walk advice. Just getting that heart pumping again does wonders, especially after lunch. Good luck to you. I’m there at least once a week as well.
Find an office with a couch and lie down for 20 minutes or so. Even if there’s someone working in there, it will help you to get a short nap. I bet your boss would rather have you out of commission for 20 minutes and then alert and functional, instead of groggy and not at your best.
um…I can’t believe I’m the first one to mention the magic of the office coffee machine. I caffenate myself and then take a short walk outside.
**What do you do when you’re exhausted at work? **
I get real bitchy and emotional.
Splash your face with the coldest water you can find. Waking up a bit is an automatic physical response.
I haven’t tried Gummi Bears, but I’ve found that chewing gum keeps me awake at work. I haven’t fallen asleep reading a case yet.
Peanuts and Pepsi. Or Coke. Works wonders for me.
Now I know I’m very lucky at my POE … last week I left for the afternoon because I was exhausted - from my vacation! I had driven 6 days out of 10 and returned to chaos at work and home. I was beyond wiped out. I worked all day Monday and Tuesday to “fix” everything for everyone, stumbled in Wednesday morning to do the daily must haves, and then begged off for the rest of the day. The more I hang around these boards - the more I love my family and my boss!
I feel for you, I used to go to work exhausted all the time, I
just used to fly through what I had to do at super human
speed, while still maintaining quality and then take LONG breaks.
Now, I have “flexible” hours, I show up when I want and
leave when I want. I can go home and take a 4 hour nap if need be. I know there aren’t many with that luxury, so tricks I
use now… I’ve perfected sleeping with my hand on my forehead while staring at a blueprint. I just look like I’m in deep thought about how to make the part or just simply dumbfounded at the complete imcompetence of a Boeing engineer. I can now sleep and walk around the shop and act like I’m searching for a tool or checking on various jobs I have going on, all while sleep walking. Wait until the boss goes for lunch (usually 2-3 hours) and put your head down on their desk and drool away. Say that you absolutely need something at the hardware store that is in your toolbox, go home, sleep and comeback and claim you had to go “all over” town, then put in for mileage.
If none of these work I also used to cover for co-workers(previous job when this was possible) when they felt like s*** or where tired and they would do the same for me, subordinates and bosses included. This takes a very good relationship though.
If all else fails tell them your grandmother died, I worked with a
kid who got out of work 7 times in 6 months for that reason.
I used to sleep under my desk every once in a while (shhhhhh).
I used to chew licorice at my desk also, it would suprisingly wake me up. Ummm I would make hot chocolate with our coffee machine (it had a hot water faucet built in, pretty cool).
Altoids! Kept me awake during the college coffee shakes.