| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | What to do when you feel lazy Thread poster: Ines Burrell
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sylvie malich (X)
Germany
Local time: 09:47
German to English
| Some of my own rules for a tight deadline | Oct 14, 2005 |
This is imperative:
1. Turn off your Outlook (or whatever) immediately. The audible signal makes me stop work always to check to see who wrote and answer. Then I've forgotten where the time went... you know what I mean.
2. CLOSE PROZ.COM RIGHT NOW! I can't stop myself from checking it several times a day.
3. Start first thing in the morning. If you've dawdled and it's already 11 and almost lunch, why start now!
4. Personal calls: keep it short, tell them yo... See more This is imperative:
1. Turn off your Outlook (or whatever) immediately. The audible signal makes me stop work always to check to see who wrote and answer. Then I've forgotten where the time went... you know what I mean.
2. CLOSE PROZ.COM RIGHT NOW! I can't stop myself from checking it several times a day.
3. Start first thing in the morning. If you've dawdled and it's already 11 and almost lunch, why start now!
4. Personal calls: keep it short, tell them you're busy.
5. Take a break every 2 hours. This really helps the stamina. After a break things come to me faster. Really.
6. Get lots of sleep the night before. ▲ Collapse
| | | | pcovs
Denmark
Local time: 09:47
English to Danish
| Oh, good one!!! | Oct 14, 2005 |
Emma Christie wrote:
Go and watch some daytime TV, and when you realise just how bad it is that job will seem like the more interesting option!
This is a very good one!!!
Daytime TV IS bad - fortunately I have not had to resort to that kind of thing for a long time, but it does actually work like a charm, you're right. I just forgot how bad it really is ;o))))
| | | | Ines Burrell 
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:47
Member (2004)
English to Latvian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | TV does not work for me | Oct 14, 2005 |
I only ever watch news and I like knowing what is going on. I really cannot force myself to watch anything else (during the day, that is). I cannot be so cruel to myself, deadline or no. So it will not work for me. I will just have to stick to the bank account for a while.
| | | | Rahi Moosavi
Canada
Local time: 03:47
Member (2004)
English to Persian (Farsi)
+ ...
| Self education | Oct 14, 2005 |
Most of the times, I try to self educate myself during such times. My current self-education project is to learn how to program these website content manager systems in PHP. When I don't feel like doing translations, I'll make myself busy with that for an hour or so.
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Daniel Bird
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:47
German to English
...and chocolate are both said to release similar chemicals into the human system.
I can't afford gym membership so the chocolate gets the nod, but it's OK because my preference is for those with 65% plus cocoa solid content, therefore I eat less.
It's a virtuous circle.
DB
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MarcPrior wrote:
I log into my bank account and look at the balance.
Marc
Thank you for the motivating advice - now I too know what to do next time laziness comes over me
[Edited at 2005-10-14 14:13]
| | | | Peters Trans
France
Local time: 09:47
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Money money money! | Oct 14, 2005 |
MarcPrior wrote: Burrell wrote:
how do you get out of it? Just force yourself or you have a trick or two under your sleeve?
I log into my bank account and look at the balance. Marc
Spot on Marc and gave me a good laugh, but it's oh so true. Also thinking about upcoming bills and tax to be paid usually helps.
Also, as other have said, in my opinion get up and GET AWAY form your PC for 30 minutes or even an hour. Staying infront of the PC, chatting/sending emails to friends, looking up info that has nothing to do with the job at hand, is no help. Get outside, take a brisk walk, try to think positive and plan how much money you want to earn in this business... that usually does the trick for me.
| | | | | Physical activity | Oct 14, 2005 |
austra muizniece wrote:
dance
I quite agree with Austra. I have a rebounder (110 cm mini trampoline) in my office. I put on some disco music and jog/dance/bounce like crazy on the trampoline for 2 songs - approx. 7 mins. I really helps clear my brain and fights the flab. It burns up much more energy than jogging and loosens all your back and shoulder muscles without overloading your knees or ankles.
If it's a really nice day, I'll grab my secateurs and start lopping off bits of greenery in the garden. There is something very satisfying about snipping. And its amazing, just doing something else completely different can suddenly lift a mental block and the tricky sentence suddenly comes completely obvious.
After one bucketful of snippings, it is time to carry on EARNING MONEY.
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Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 03:47
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Fifteen minute plan | Oct 14, 2005 |
Whenever I feel that way, I use a fifteen minute plan.
I check the clock and then force myself to work for a full fifteen minutes without interruption - no TV, no e-mail, just concentrate on work for fifteen small minutes. The reward for doing this is fifteen guilt-free minutes to do whatever you want - read a book, do some gardening, clean, make a phone call, or do nothing at all. After this fifteen minutes are up, it's back to the computer for another fifteen minutes of work.
... See more Whenever I feel that way, I use a fifteen minute plan.
I check the clock and then force myself to work for a full fifteen minutes without interruption - no TV, no e-mail, just concentrate on work for fifteen small minutes. The reward for doing this is fifteen guilt-free minutes to do whatever you want - read a book, do some gardening, clean, make a phone call, or do nothing at all. After this fifteen minutes are up, it's back to the computer for another fifteen minutes of work.
Yes, this is less productive, but remember, you were not getting anything done anyway and in this manner, you at least get a half hour's worth of work done every hour.
After doing this for a few hours, you will undoubtedly notice the following:
1) You are ready to go back to work and only ten minutes have passed.
2) You will forget the time and find yourself working well beyond the fifteen minute work period because you are now "into" your project - congratulations you are now out of your slump.
[Edited at 2005-10-14 17:50] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Susana Galilea
United States
Local time: 02:47
English to Spanish
+ ...
| What to do when you feel lazy | Oct 14, 2005 |
Burrell wrote:
I am not sure this has anything to do with being independent, it probably is linked to being lazy but here it goes anyhow.
Turns out your question has everything to do with being independent
One more trick to add to the excellent bunch of advice you've already received. Just stop everything, close your eyes, and take a long deep breath. Repeat as needed.
Best luck to you,
Susana Galilea / Accent On Spanish
Accredited Translator, EUTI / UAB
[email protected]
www.accentonspanish.com
| | | | Ines Burrell
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:47
Member (2004)
English to Latvian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Bunch of thanks to everybody! | Oct 14, 2005 |
The advice received is really invaluable. Lazy days might not happed too often but they are very difficult to get over, so now I have a list of things I can do when the next one comes along. Excellent!
| | | | | If none of these helps, just do like me! | Oct 14, 2005 |
Take a one-hour nap, then eat something you really enjoy and FORCE YOURSELF into work.
The worst part is getting started and the first 2 pages: it seems that the words don't come out as you need them, you don't seem to quite understand what the text says. Don't worry if this happens: just leave the original and underline what you don't seem to know (in yellow or rose so that your work becomes enjoyable to the view at least). When you are more familiar with the text you can always co... See more Take a one-hour nap, then eat something you really enjoy and FORCE YOURSELF into work.
The worst part is getting started and the first 2 pages: it seems that the words don't come out as you need them, you don't seem to quite understand what the text says. Don't worry if this happens: just leave the original and underline what you don't seem to know (in yellow or rose so that your work becomes enjoyable to the view at least). When you are more familiar with the text you can always come back and make the right changes.
When I then get into the translation process I enjoy doing it and think about all the time I've lost before doing other things rather than the translation.
However, there are great solutions in this forum. I will keep them in mind as well the next time.
Good work! ▲ Collapse
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Javier Herrera (X)
Spanish
| I'm impressed | Oct 14, 2005 |
I would have never dared asked what Burrell asked so that people wouldn't think I'm lazy.
After reading this thread I'm amazed at how many of us feel the same thing and how each one has developed a different solution. I'm starting to think translators are only humans.
[Edited at 2005-10-14 19:25]
| | | | Susana Galilea
United States
Local time: 02:47
English to Spanish
+ ...
Javier Herrera wrote:
I'm starting to think translators are only humans.
Shocking, isn't it
S.G.
| | | | sarahl (X)
Local time: 00:47
English to French
+ ...
| Go for a walk | Oct 15, 2005 |
When I can't work, I know my body is telling me it needs to move and inhale a little fresh air.
So I walk down the street to mail a letter, or I walk to the store on the corner, or...
It works wonders for me.
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