“Absorbing the Noise: Managing the Mental Load of a Court Reporter’s Work”

The Silent Stress of Hearing It All

This reflection comes from one of the saddest cases I’ve ever heard—one I’ve been trying to forget, and cannot yet. The words still echo. The testimony still lingers. The record was sealed, but the memory wasn’t.

That’s the hidden reality of our profession: we listen to things most people couldn’t bear for five minutes, and we do it for hours, days, and years. We don’t just record words; we absorb worlds.

Every deposition, hearing, or trial brings another dose of humanity’s heaviest truths—violence, betrayal, grief, loss, injustice. We sit still, stoic, professional… while our souls quietly take notes too.

This profession demands accuracy, neutrality, and endurance—but it often leaves little room to process what we’ve heard. Over time, those echoes build up. Not because we’re weak, but because we’re human.

Scripture for Strength

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”— Galatians 6:9 (KJV)

Even in the heaviness, this verse whispers a promise: Your diligence has divine purpose. Your endurance is seen. You are sowing seeds of truth, justice, and order in a world that desperately needs it.

The Hidden Weight Behind the Record

The legal profession as a whole — from judges, transcribers, and attorneys to paralegals, proofreaders, and court reporters — bears a weight few truly understand. Behind every brief, every transcript, every ruling, and every record lies the pulse of human pain, conflict, and consequence.

This work isn’t just law and language. It’s an emotional marathon disguised as procedural precision. Whether you’re interpreting the law, transcribing the record, or reviewing the smallest comma of a testimony, you’re shouldering the stories of others — their fears, failures, and fragile hopes.

When you spend 1, 3, 6, 8, or 10 hours a day immersed in other people’s chaos, your own peace can start to fade into the background. It’s not because you’re weak — it’s because you’re human. And humanity, though it makes you empathetic, can also make you exhausted.

Here’s what that stress can look like:

• Compassion fatigue: Feeling emotionally drained from constantly absorbing others’ stories.

• Physical tension: Tight shoulders, sore neck, headaches, back pain, or insomnia.

• Emotional detachment: Becoming numb or indifferent just to make it through the workday.

• Mental overload: That mental fog after back-to-back proceedings where even silence feels loud.

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. You’re not broken. You’re doing sacred work that requires both precision and protection.

6 Strategies to Decompress and Protect Your Peace

Let’s be real—no one else will build your balance for you. You have to schedule your sanity the same way you schedule your assignments.

1. De-Brief After You Transcribe

After tough cases, take five minutes to pause. Stretch. Journal. Pray. Even if it’s just writing, “That was heavy, but I’m releasing it now. ”Your brain deserves closure just as much as your transcript deserves punctuation.

2. Move Like Your Life Depends on It—Because It Does

This work keeps us still, but stillness breeds stiffness and stress. Set a timer every hour: stand, roll your shoulders, walk to refill water. Try yoga, a quick walk, or a 10-minute cardio session after a long day to reset your body and mind.

3. Draw Your Line in the Digital Sand

Turn off work notifications after hours. Let your clients know your hours of operation and stick to them. Peace is a professional boundary, not a privilege.

4. Create an Emotional Detox Routine

Music. Worship. Laughter. A warm bath. A call to someone who speaks life into you. Find your ritual of release. You can’t pour from a drained soul.

5. Reclaim Your Identity Beyond the Job

Remember, you’re more than your profession. You’re a parent, a spouse, a friend, a believer, a dreamer. Schedule joy on purpose: a hobby, date night, a family dinner, or just quiet time with no captions running.

6. Remember what makes you happy and do it 

This isn’t selfish, it’s survival. Happiness recharges your purpose. It reminds you why you do this work and who you are beyond it. Whether it’s painting, singing, baking, traveling, or simply sitting in silence with your coffee, make time for the things that refill your spirit. Because your peace is the most powerful productivity tool you own.

The Work–Life Alignment (Not “Balance”) Mindset

Forget chasing “balance.” That implies perfection. What you need is alignment, your work, and your well-being moving in the same direction.

Plan your week with this mantra:

“My peace is part of my productivity.”

Because when your spirit is calm, your work shines clearer, your transcripts are tighter, and your mind is lighter.

Final Thoughts

As legal professionals, we are the keepers of the record, but we must also become keepers of our peace. You can’t preserve truth in the courtroom if you lose your own outside of it. So meditate and/or pray always, breathe deeply. Hydrate faithfully. Rest unapologetically. And remind yourself often:

“I hear the world’s chaos, but I live in my calm.”

Affirmation for Peace

Affirmation for Peace in the Legal Profession

“I welcome divine peace that surpasses all understanding. It flows through my mind, my body, and my soul. I am steady under pressure, calm in chaos, and strong in spirit. The Source of all creation anchors me as I carry the stories of others without losing myself in them. Peace surrounds me, restores me, and renews me daily.”— Inspired by Philippians 4:7 (KJV)

“Share this blog if you’ve ever carried the weight of someone else’s words — and tag a legal professional who you feel deserves peace.”

Written by: Shaylah Kiser