Trial & Litigation Consultant and blogger for Small Law Firms Blog Katherine James suggests a specific routine to help you get in the right state of mind before going to court.
First things first: take a shower. You’re laughing at how obvious this is? Don’t. Really. Take your shower before you sit down in front of your computer and before you drink your first cup of coffee. Allow your body and mind to wake up before you ask anything of it.
Eat a good breakfast. Another obvious sounding element to any productive morning, right? However, James suggests actually reading the newspaper out loud over breakfast. After all, you’re going to be reading documents out loud today. Practice. Get your voice ready.
Summarize your case for friends or family. Work your captive audience! In ten words, explain what your case is about in a compelling way. This is a warm up exercise sure to be useful.
During your drive, listen to the radio. Allow yourself to get out of your head a bit by singing along to music you enjoy. James specifically wants you to sing. After all, it’s another voice warm up exercise.
As you walk into court, breathe. Take as deep of a breath as you can get in. Let it out as slowly as possible. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. This will calm your nervous system.
Finally, once you arrive in the courtroom, greet someone. Get used to the sound of your voice in the room. It’s game time!