| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Do you pray for more or less work? Thread poster: Ines Burrell
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| That sounds a lot like my schedule... | Jun 7, 2005 |
dinamin wrote: Sure, who needs to eat, sleep, stress down, see other people anyway? Not that I don't appreciate my clients, but I do miss the normal 9 - 5 rutine 
Come on - admit it. You'd probably die of boredom (or start translating in your spare time) after about six weeks of 9 to 5...
| | | | Anne Seerup
Ireland
Local time: 11:21
English to Danish
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| It's important to get into a normal rythm | Jun 9, 2005 |
I cannot see any reason why we shouldn't have spare time and holidays like everyone else - I try to limit myself to working normal hours 8/9 am to 4 or 5 pm every day and I also try not to look a work during the weekend, unless I have a very urgent project. However, I do check my mails every evening as I have some clients in the US.
I did work very hard for a while and strange hours too, but started getting weird symptoms from looking at the screen too much and feeling unfit because I had ... See more I cannot see any reason why we shouldn't have spare time and holidays like everyone else - I try to limit myself to working normal hours 8/9 am to 4 or 5 pm every day and I also try not to look a work during the weekend, unless I have a very urgent project. However, I do check my mails every evening as I have some clients in the US.
I did work very hard for a while and strange hours too, but started getting weird symptoms from looking at the screen too much and feeling unfit because I had not been to the gym or out on my usual walks (also I did not have any decent clothes in the wardrobe and the hairdresser was shocked to see me....just joking but nearly the case). But then I remembered one of the main reasons why I started out as a freelance - to have my freedom.
Today I worked until 1 pm and went to the park and had lunch - our first real summers day after a lot of rain! - and came back and finished off the work.
Work will keep coming but it's just impossible to satisfy them all at once - I just have to decline some of it, and haven't actually lost any clients on doing so. I guess outsourcing is a good idea as well, have often thought about it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | David Moore (X) 
Local time: 12:21
German to English
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| I daren't do either.... | Jun 11, 2005 |
I work for a number of agencies (one a chain), and every day I have to turn work away, although I know they'll be back. It's not often I have what I would call major assignments, so that makes the variety of work extremely interesting, but I wouldn't dream of praying for more work... Equally, I wouldn't dream of praying for less, because a genuine freelancer such as I am has to accept the work to a large extent when it offers, even when this means sacrificing weekends on a more or less regular b... See more I work for a number of agencies (one a chain), and every day I have to turn work away, although I know they'll be back. It's not often I have what I would call major assignments, so that makes the variety of work extremely interesting, but I wouldn't dream of praying for more work... Equally, I wouldn't dream of praying for less, because a genuine freelancer such as I am has to accept the work to a large extent when it offers, even when this means sacrificing weekends on a more or less regular basis. Holidays, though, are most important, and seldom cause a major dip in the finances because I am invariably pounced on the very moment we get back home. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Alex Eames
Local time: 11:21
English to Polish
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| There's a season for everything | Jun 16, 2005 |
There's a time to drive yourself incredibly hard and there's a time to turn down every project you are offered.
I used to think that working and earning money was all there was. But you can't have it every way. Earning a lot of money means working very hard. But if you spend a few years doing that and invest the money wisely, you might be able to reduce the workload significantly later on.
Since my son was born I'm much less interested in work. If it doesn't fit in with... See more There's a time to drive yourself incredibly hard and there's a time to turn down every project you are offered.
I used to think that working and earning money was all there was. But you can't have it every way. Earning a lot of money means working very hard. But if you spend a few years doing that and invest the money wisely, you might be able to reduce the workload significantly later on.
Since my son was born I'm much less interested in work. If it doesn't fit in with life, we won't take the project these days. The only reason we can afford to do that is because we worked incredibly hard in the initial years.
Yesterday we had a phone call from an old client. He said things in the UK translation industry had been much quieter this year. I said "yeah, we've been enjoying the free time" and he said "you're the only translators I speak to who say that, everyone else is in a flap because they don't have enough work".
Fortunately for us, the slowdown coincides with a time when we're not wanting to work our tails off.
There's a time for everything - it depends where you're at in life.
Alex Eames
http://www.translatortips.com/
helping translators do better business ▲ Collapse
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