Now I know why I doze off in meetings and the like, they are monotonous. But I resent the sort of people who run some things (normally new graduate management trainees) who IMO are unaturally bubbly and think you should do ‘activities’ during the day. The only activities I want are lunch and tea breaks.
But what got me wondering is how many people does this affect while on cadet duties?
Many of us at times do things after having been at work all day, get home rush around to get sorted, as life never goes as planned and then driven to go on activity, or, driven back from an activity having been on the go all day or longer along dull and uninspiring roads often while transporting cadets. The answer is probably quite simple, drivers who do nothing all day and are properly rested, but when space in vehicles is at a premium and you need staff to supervise/run activities, how practical is this?
I’m guilty of working too late in a day. staying too late in the pub after the sqn. staying up too late the night before an ATC event etc etc etc.
I know when I’m tired and if I’m driving a minibus, car of cadets etc. I’ll tell the other staff running an actviity that I need to get an hours kip or whatever and I’m ok when people I’m working with do the same thing. As long as its agreed and the activity can continue to run then I see no problem with staff getting a nap.
If its because they’ve stayed up too late in the bar the night before and are unable to funcation proplerly then I’m less sympathetic… I mean who would ever stay up too late on an ATC activity??? Not me
I’ve always attracted a few funny looks on cadet and auggie activities by being the one saying “I’m going to bed now, guys” and disappearing sometimes an hour or two before anyone else.
But then I know that I don’t function well on a few hours sleep and the following day I’m the one who’s switched on and with it around early afternoon while everyone else looks like the cast of The Walking Dead.
Fitness comes into play when you are the instructor and driver for an activty. The first day at Windermere or Llanbdr are usually long hard days and I have been known to “go to bed” early. I seem to have to go to bed ealrier each year. At some point in the future I will just go to bed when I arrive and stay there.
