How can I build my stamina up?

I NEED to figure out how to be able to sit their for the long periods of time and write clean and not drop. It's kind of frustrating. I try to start my day with some good protein for breakfast, be active on a regular basis, get at least 6-7 hrs sleep at night, and I still can't seem to feel good after sitting there after an hour or more.

It doesn't seem to help that I haven't mastered controlling my energy levels throughout the day. I have an underactive thyroid that I take a pill every morning for. The doctor said I am on the correct dosage according to my blood levels. If I sit in on a dep (for internship) it takes a lot out of me. I get neck & back pain, stiff hands/wrists, and I just get tired in general after awhile. From there, it's downhill unless I can get a break and eat a snack. That makes it a bit better, but I still feel not on top of the speakers like I do in practice and I drop too much.

I need to fix this so I can have the confidence to call a firm and go out on a dep. It's partly holding me back from doing what I want to do.

Have you expeirenced anything like this? If so, what remedies have you tried and what has worked for you? Any good advice is very much appreciated!

First of all, welcome to the profession.   You didn't say what speed you are writing now.

You say you try to get at least 6-7 hours of sleep.  That's not enough.  You need at least 7-8. 

Keep in mind that when you are reporting a depo you can request a break when you need one.    Everybody drops at some point due to attorneys and witnesses who talk all over each other.  If I need clarification I will stop everyone, read what I have on my computer screen, and make the corrections on the spot.  Some Reporters use the audio backup.  Whatever helps to get the job done.

You might have encountered attorneys who say "Objection" before the witness finishes his/her answer, which can throw you off.   In other words, real-word court reporting is nothing like the classroom.

I recently asked a law school intern if the role of the Court Reporter is  taught or even discussed in law school and he said no, law school does not offer a course about what we do.  That's a big a help, isn't it?

You probably have the worst chair in the room when you're sitting in.  I would suggest that you bring a small lumbar pillow to place at the back of the chair.   I would also suggest wearing wrist supports.  They are now  made in a lightweight fabric.  I use them at home when I'm scoping to prevent carpal tunnel, and I've been doing that for years.  You can pick them up at drugstores.  Treat yourself to a hand  and wrist massage at one of the nail salons. 

I started drinking a vitamin C powder called Emergency-C.  It has 1,000 units of C plus other minerals and vitamins.  You dissolve it in water or juice, and it makes a fizzy drink.  I use two packets at once. It's terrific because it is an energy drink and it's great for the immune system.  You can find it in vitamin stores, Whole Foods, and chain drugstores.  I heard a chiropractor talk about the advantages of vitamin D.  I started taking that as well in a soft chewable form, and it also gives me energy. 

Also keep in mind that an agency will assign a new Reporter to easier jobs, like car accidents. 

I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck.

where are you located?

It is my opinion that 1 1/2 hours would be the time at which a reporter should have a break.   writing for two or more hours straight is just asking for fatigue and repetitive stress problems.

When you're really learning a lot, it's exhausting. I never noticed it until a former boss of mine (in a non-steno job) pointed it out. He said that his new hires always get really sleepy during training.

I know that when I am practicing easy stuff, I'm fine, but when I get into some new material and I feel like I'm learning a lot, I can't keep my eyes open. If this is what's going on with you, it will get better with time and experience.

I think there's a big difference mentally when you "have" to do it.  When I practice, I can barely stand to do it more than 30 minutes, but during a depo, I can keep going and going for hours on end, even if I feel like I'm going to die or lose my mind (i.e., they're talking too fast, the chair situation is horrible, I'm too cold/hot, hungry, tired, in pain) because there's just no option to quit.