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Off topic: How do you deal with stress ?
Thread poster: Lian Pang
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 08:55
Danish to English
+ ...
A balance May 22, 2018

Lian Pang wrote:

That's kinda my biggest struggle. I am still in the start up phase as a full-time freelancer. I feel the need to grab every chance I can to expand. Sometimes I get clients from different time zones writing me at 10 or 11 pm (my local time), and I feel anxious about losing the opportunity.

I guess once my business is mature enough I can separate duty from leisure time. Or do I need to establish them right from the start ?


I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all answer to that question. It's fair to make a particular effort to get up and running, but on the other hand, you need to manage things in a way that doesn't exhaust you. Perhaps the key is that you need to decide what works for you in your given situation, and then adapt how you do as you move along. It’s impossible to be everything to everybody all the time anyway. But don't forget to focus on clients that seem to be worth keeping.

And something else: if you come across as someone who is desperate to get any sort of work, you risk discouraging the outsourcers that are looking for quality. Look at it from their side: “that translator is available all the time and willing to do anything, so he or she can’t be any good if nobody is giving him or her work”. But this is more about marketing strategy than dealing with stress.


 
Oksana Weiss
Oksana Weiss  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 09:55
Member (2011)
German to English
+ ...
Nature +1 May 24, 2018

I agree with Daniel Frisano. Spending some time in nature is a natural healing. One can always find 1-2 hours for walking or jogging before or after working hours depending on the goal - to relax and to get rid of the working stress at the day's end or to pump some energy before the daily routine begins.

 
Andrew Carter
Andrew Carter
United States
Local time: 01:55
Spanish to English
+ ...
Proritizing self-care with systems and routine Dec 19, 2018

I believe dealing with chronic stress should be preventative. I'd prefer not to let it get so out of hand that I need to take time off for fear of burning out and losing clients, money, and everything else that goes along with it.

I prioritize my health by implementing structured routines into my daily habits. For example, I have a morning routine that I do right as I wake up:

- Meditate
- Make Coffee
- Stretch while coffee is brewing
- Gratitude journ
... See more
I believe dealing with chronic stress should be preventative. I'd prefer not to let it get so out of hand that I need to take time off for fear of burning out and losing clients, money, and everything else that goes along with it.

I prioritize my health by implementing structured routines into my daily habits. For example, I have a morning routine that I do right as I wake up:

- Meditate
- Make Coffee
- Stretch while coffee is brewing
- Gratitude journal while drinking coffee
- Set my Big 3 for the day
- Read Non-fiction

This little routine can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on how I'm feeling that day, but it sets an incredibly positive tone for my day: meditate to reduce stress, stretch to relieve any aches and pains, gratitude journal for a positive mindset, Big 3 to prioritize my day and reduce time wasting, read non-fiction for personal growth.

The difficult thing is prioritization. Put these non-urgent priorities first because the urgent priorities will get done because they "have" to get done.

I also have a startup and shutdown routine when I first sit at my computer and when I close it at the end of the day.

As translators, every word we translate is a decision we have to make. Throughout the day you start to lose discipline and decision making power. Routines and habits let you work on "auto-pilot" so you save your decision making muscle for when it really counts.
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How do you deal with stress ?






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